Liposuction Linked to Lower Levels of Harmful Fat

Study finds that body contouring patients experience reduction in triglyceride levels

Most people who have Liposuction or a Tummy Tuck do so to look better, but a new study says the procedures may also have significant health benefits. The research found that liposuction and abdominoplasty patients experienced reductions in both triglyceride levels and white blood cell counts. Triglycerides are a type of fat that circulates in the bloodstream and has been linked to higher risks of heart disease.

The study, recently presented at the annual meeting of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) in Denver, found that triglyceride levels went down an average of 43% after Liposuction or Tummy Tuck in patients who started with elevated triglyceride levels.

The study also reported an 11% decrease in white blood cell counts among those surveyed. High white blood cell counts have been linked to heart disease, obesity, hypertension and diabetes. No significant changes in total cholesterol, LDL (bad) cholesterol or HDL (good) cholesterol were detected in the liposuction and tummy tuck patients studied.

Of the 322 men and women who participated in the study, 71% had liposuction only.

“These findings suggest that patients who are considering liposuction who have at-risk triglyceride levels may reduce their risk of developing these serious health problems, while correcting body disproportions,” said study author Dr. David Swanson. “Patients not only look better, but may be healthier too.”

Still, Dr. Swanson warns, patients with very high triglyceride levels should not see liposuction as a replacement for medications that reduce triglyceride  levels.

Triglycerides are a kind of fat found in the blood that can increase the risk of heart disease if present in levels that are too high. A blood test is used to measure both triglycerides and cholesterol. The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends that all people age 20 or older have a lipoprotein profile every 5 years, which measures triglycerides, total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and HDL cholesterol.

The AHA says that eating a healthy diet, enjoying regular exercise, not smoking and taking prescribed medication, if necessary, are the best ways to manage healthy cholesterol levels.