Post op fat deposits- help!

[Taz]

Hey guys,

I'm a long way post op and due to the uselessnes of my body's repiaring mechanisms I've got hypertrohpic scars and have a lot of scar tissue in my chest.

Since my op I have put on 1 stone (14lbs). I have noticed that I also have fat back in my chest in areas that were flat post op, mostly the uppermost parts of my chest. Pre op the majority of my fat was in the lower part of my chest (there was a lot- 1200ccs out in total).

I'm currently on a diet and excercise programme as I'm fed up of being overweight anyway, which is going well so far.

My question is- If i lose wieght will that fat go? Seeing as I've been told I have at least another YEAR of healing I really don't wanna have revision surgery and wait another 3 years for that to heal too.

[ensiferum]

I suppose all you can do is to try to shake that fat off by dieting then.

[jc71]

my answer is probably not.  did you talk to your dr about this?  stay on the diet and see if you loose the weight. probably didn't put 1 stone back in your chest.  when you gained the weight was it evenlly distributed in your body or did it center on the chest.  I'm currently about 16 stone and it's mostly in the chest and gut.

[Spleen]

From what I understand, after lipo you'll tend to gain weight in the areas that *weren't* lipo'd, and you ought to lose weight from those same areas as you drop fat.  Cut the calories/hit the gym and you ought to be fine.

[Spleen]

Nope.  In essence, lipo changes your body composition in that it eliminates areas of stored fat.  The # of fate cells in your body is more or less stable.  When you eliminate fat cells you change the proportions of it's storage pattern.  So, if you gain weight all fat cells will grow, but there will be less growth in the lipo'd area because it has fewer fat cells than before.  Maybe you misunderstood that doc.

[Kevin]

Fat cells are permanent, it doesnt multiply meaning you were born with the same amount of fat cells as you have today. Unless you have fat redistribution due to hormonal changes  just as Spleen said the areas where you were lipo'd on will have fewer fat cells compared to the rest of your body and it will expand proportionally as you gain weight.

[STILLgotIT]

Fat cells are permanent, it doesnt multiply meaning you were born with the same amount of fat cells as you have today. Unless you have fat redistribution due to hormonal changes  just as Spleen said the areas where you were lipo'd on will have fewer fat cells compared to the rest of your body and it will expand proportionally as you gain weight.

So, if I get lipo EVERYWHERE except in my upper left arm, and then I gain weight back, the only fat part on me will be my upper left arm  

I wish that were the case.

Does anyone have any sources they could cite in this theory? I have wondered over the same thing and I asked the doctor if lipo removed the actual fat cells and he said yes. This makes perfect sense as a cannula couldn't "empty a cell."

[Kevin]

Yes but not all fat cells are under the skin (subcutaneous) and above muscle tissues which can be safely removed with liposuction, there are lots of fat cells under the muscle and between the organs like stomach. Even if you get lipoed everywhere if you pig out you will certainly enlarge.

[Spleen]

Good point, Kevin.  My doc pointed out that men also have interstitial fat, meaning fat that sits under a muscle layer, in the belly for example.  He used his own Dad as an example, saying his Dad has bulging beer belly but you can see his abs.  He stores his fat under the muscle which makes the gut bulge, but there's little fat between the muscle and the skin.