Curious about effect

[Jj888]

Would being 5% body fat avoid any aesthetic complications that could result from surgery? And would there be any disfiguring when going up to 10-15% BF? 

[Dr. Elliot Jacobs]

You are talking about extremes.  Most guys have body fat around 20% or more.  5% is virtually unheard of, except in extreme cases.  And, more than likely, it would make the surgery more difficult because there is so very little room for error.

Best would be 10 - 15% body fat ratio.

Dr Jacobs

[DrPensler]

I prefer going the other direction. If you have surgery at 10-15% then drop you will be ok but any time you go up in body fat after surgery it has the potential to distort the result.

[Litlriki]

I agree with Dr. Pensler's comment, and I tell my patients this specifically.  Because I deal with so many bodybuilding patients, I do actually see many who come into the office with sub-10% body fat, and as bodybuilders are apt to do, they presume that being leaner for the surgery is better.  I tell them, however, that they are better off being "fat" for their surgery, so that the feathering of the tissues around the gland can be done effectively to avoid a crater when they're in the non-dieted state. Ideally, they should do the surgery where they live normally.  If they undergo surgery in a dieted state and then go on to elevate their body fat, they'll likely demonstrate a degree of crater deformity and require revision liposuction to even it out. I've done revisions to address this very issue.