Is Liposuction a Procedure We Really Need?
The obese population is increasing around the world. This is because unnecessary fat accumulated in various parts of our bodies does not come off easily through diet and exercise alone.
In other words, obesity is caused by hyperinsulinemia: increased insulin resistance in the body alters normal metabolic processes and reduces the body's ability to use fat for energy, so the metabolic system ends up in a state where everyday dieting or exercise does not burn fat as energy.
In this situation, subcutaneous fat cannot easily be cleared away by simple measures alone.
If we actually faced extreme circumstances, the fat stored in our bodies could be put to good use as an energy source. If we went without food for a long time, the stored fat would be burned and become the energy supply that keeps us alive. In other words, unnecessary body fat can be lost under special circumstances, such as prolonged fasting or dieting (simply cutting food intake). But is such dieting as easy as it sounds?
It is merely a hypothetical situation that is hard to carry out in everyday life.
Some people may diet successfully by actively changing their diet composition, but we often see many people fail at dieting because an individually tailored eating plan is hard to manage. Also, these days the diet method of some celebrity is introduced and spreads like a fad, but a recent survey report from the UK points out that such diet methods only add to the confusion.
Moreover, with high-calorie meals, rushed and busy daily lives, irregular meals, overeating and heavy drinking, repeated yo-yo effects after one-food diets, lack of exercise, and so on, obesity is unfolding like destiny for those of us living today.
Perhaps now is the time for us to ask ourselves once again, "Is liposuction really a procedure we need?"
Today, when a confident appearance is in demand for reasons beyond health, liposuction is drawing more and more attention, and in fact, liposuction is the most frequently performed cosmetic procedure in the United States and Europe.
In Korea, however, losing weight through liposuction tends to be seen by many people as an extreme method, and it even seems to be treated as somewhat taboo. I think this is due to negative views about the side effects of liposuction in its early days. Entering the 20th century, this has been a natural trend with the advancement of modern medicine, yet resistance to liposuction in particular still seems to persist.
I think this is due to vague preconceptions such as "Does it really have to be surgery?" and "It does little to treat obesity and is merely cosmetic."
< Before-and-after liposuction photos of a middle-aged woman with visceral obesity – after surgery, with corrected lifestyle habits, she became more committed to dieting. Results vary by individual. >
Recently, with advances in liposuction technology, papers on health improvements after large-volume liposuction, such as changes in blood lipids and improved insulin resistance, have been published continuously. But what we must not overlook here is the change in daily life that appears after surgery (lifestyle modification).
In other words, we often see people regain their confidence and find psychological stability after liposuction and then lose weight more easily. I believe this is because people who had given up on themselves before surgery gain confidence (self-esteem) from their improved body shape after surgery and begin to actively take charge of their diet, exercise, and, further, their own health.
At a time when interest in liposuction is rising, accurate information about it and its reality should be provided. Yet our situation today seems to be one that heightens consumers' anxiety, with news of accidents involving all sorts of confusing equipment and procedures being offered by providers who are not yet adequately prepared as demand for liposuction grows.
In addition, liposuction is in fact a demanding procedure that requires experience built on precise anatomical knowledge, as well as a great deal of strength and labor. For this reason, equipment is also being developed to find easier methods. But just as some devices have already been withdrawn after their side effects came to light, and some devices are overhyped despite having no particular advantage, it seems we live in an era in which procedures using a wide variety of equipment are confusing consumers.
In conclusion, liposuction is clearly one of the many procedures needed in response to the demands of our time. And at this point, when negative opinions about liposuction alone cannot reverse the course of the times, I believe an official organization or academic society should take the lead in providing accurate information and guidelines.
