Liposuction is a cosmetic procedure that removes subcutaneous fat by making tiny incisions in the skin and sucking out the fatty tissue. This type of fat doesn’t create health problems for most people who have too much of it, but some individuals might have an abundance of visceral fat along with their subcutaneous fat. If you have too much visceral fat, liposuction won’t remove it from your body and you may require another procedure such as a surgical bypass or gastric bypass.”
In this guide, we review the aspects of; Can Liposuction Remove Visceral Fat, can visceral fat be removed by surgery, visceral fat removal laser, and what type of fat does liposuction remove.

Can Liposuction Remove Visceral Fat
Liposuction is a procedure that removes subcutaneous fat from your body, which can make you look slimmer. However, it’s important to understand the difference between subcutaneous and visceral fat. Subcutaneous fat is the type of fat that we see when we look at ourselves in the mirror. It lines our thighs, arms and stomachs. Visceral fat is another type of fat that isn’t visible on the outside of your body but creates health problems for people who have too much of it. Liposuction cannot remove visceral fat because this type of body tissue lies deep within your abdominal cavity near major organs such as your liver and kidneys.
Visceral fat cannot be removed by liposuction.
Visceral fat is located deep within the body, and in order to be removed by liposuction, it would first have to be surgically removed from its location. Visceral fat is controlled by hormones in your body, so diet and exercise can help reduce it. Liposuction only targets subcutaneous fat—the type of fat that’s beneath the skin—so if you have a lot of visceral fat to begin with, it may take more than just liposuction alone to see results.
If you’re looking for an effective way to lose weight and get rid of those pesky love handles or muffin top rolls (or both!), it might make sense for you to consider combining liposuction with other methods like bariatric surgery or gastric bypass surgery until all excess weight has been lost from your body.
This is because it is located deep within the body.
Visceral fat is a type of fat that surrounds your internal organs. It’s deep within the body, and it can’t be reached by liposuction. Liposuction requires access to subcutaneous fat, which is located just under the skin.
Visceral fat has been linked to several health problems including diabetes and heart disease—and it’s notoriously difficult to remove by dieting alone. That’s why doctors often recommend liposuction as a way to combat this extra weight around your midsection. But there are some things you should know before putting yourself under the knife:
Only subcutaneous fat can be removed.
Although it’s a commonly held belief that liposuction can remove visceral fat, the reality is that only subcutaneous fat can be removed. Visceral fat is the type of body fat lying deep under your skin and wrapping around your internal organs in a figure-eight pattern. It’s also known as “organ-confined” or “deep subcutaneous” fat because it surrounds muscles, blood vessels and nerves in the abdomen, back and chest cavity. Liposuction cannot reach this type of body tissue because it sits inside the abdominal cavity behind organs like the pancreas, liver and intestines.
Liposuction is most effective at removing excess subcutaneous tissue on certain parts of the body—namely arms, legs and abdomen—but not everywhere else like below-the-skin areas such as hips or thighs where significant amounts of visceral mass are found (in fact these areas have larger amounts than surrounding regions). Therefore if you have loose skin on your arms but don’t want anything done about it because you’re happy with how they look now then don’t think about getting lipo on those areas just yet!
Subcutaneous fat is the fat that you see lying under the skin.
Subcutaneous fat is the fat that you see lying under the skin. It’s the most common type of fat in the body, and it’s produced by your subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAAT).
Subcutaneous fat can be removed by liposuction, but it may be easier to lose on your own through diet and exercise. If you have a lot of visceral or abdominal fat instead, that’s harder to get rid of because it’s stored inside your abdomen and around other organs such as kidneys and liver. If you’d like to learn more about eliminating visceral and abdominal fat specifically, check out these articles:
How To Get Rid Of Visceral Fat: http://www.healthline.com/nutrition/how-to-get-rid-of-visceral-fat#1
Why Does Visceral Fat Cause A Problem? https://www.livestrong.com/article/387971-why-does-visceral-fat/#ixzz5hVXC1Ym9
Liposuction uses a hollow tube to suction the subcutaneous fat away from the body.
- The doctor uses a hollow tube to suction the subcutaneous fat away from your body.
- The suctioned fat is then collected in a bag and disposed of.
Visceral fat surrounds the muscles, organs and vital parts of your body.
Visceral fat is deep inside your body, surrounding the muscles, organs and vital parts of your body. It’s controlled by hormones in your body. Visceral fat is different from subcutaneous fat which lies just beneath the skin’s surface. Subcutaneous fat isn’t as dangerous to health as visceral fat because it isn’t linked to high cholesterol levels or heart disease as much as visceral fat is. However, both types of fat should be monitored closely because they can lead to serious health issues.
You can lose visceral fat with exercise and a healthy diet that consists of lean proteins and low-fat dairy products along with plenty of fruits and vegetables for fiber intake.
It is controlled by hormones in your body.
Hormones are chemicals that control the body’s functions. They are produced by the endocrine system, which is made up of glands that produce hormones such as insulin and leptin, which affect your appetite. Visceral fat is controlled by these hormones and not just diet or exercise alone. Depending on what’s causing excess visceral fat, liposuction may be able to help reduce some of it but not all of it.
You lose visceral fat through exercise and a healthy diet.
You can lose visceral fat through exercise and a healthy diet. In order to achieve this, you need to be consistent with both your exercise regime as well as your diet. Visceral fat is stored around the organs in your abdominal cavity, so it’s best to get regular exercise that targets this area of the body rather than just doing cardio or weight training. For example, high-intensity interval training (HIIT) involves short bursts of intense exercise followed by longer periods of recovery time. Another option is resistance training (weightlifting), which improves muscle strength and boosts metabolism by burning more calories while resting.
If you’re looking for a way to lose visceral fat naturally, you should also consider how important eating healthy foods is for overall health—after all, there are plenty of ways that food affects our bodies beyond helping us lose weight! Eating fresh fruits and vegetables will help reduce inflammation in the body while providing essential vitamins such as Vitamin C and A that help prevent disease-causing free radicals from forming inside cells; good sources include spinach leaves or sweet potatoes baked with olive oil instead!
While liposuction can remove some of the fat from your body, it cannot target visceral fat.
Liposuction cannot target visceral fat and is not a cure for obesity. Liposuction can be used to remove subcutaneous fat, but it cannot target visceral fat. Subcutaneous fats are under the skin and located close to the muscles while visceral fats are deep inside your abdomen. Visceral fat is either genetic or caused by lifestyle choices such as unhealthy eating habits, lack of exercise and smoking.
Liposuction may help you lose weight by removing subcutaneous fat from areas on your body where this type of fat predominates, such as the upper thighs, backside and arms. However, liposuction alone will not target visceral fat because these deep-seated deposits require more invasive procedures such as gastric bypass surgery or endoscopic therapy with radiofrequency ablation (RFA).
can visceral fat be removed by surgery
You’ll be glad to know that there are a lot of options to choose from. The non-surgical ones include Coolsculpting, SculpSure, Ultrashape and Trusculpt.
However, if you want the best results then surgical fat removal or liposuction is ideal for you. Liposuction is the best way to get a flatter stomach. But do all these procedures remove visceral fat? Let’s find out.
Visceral fat is found inside the abdominal cavity. That is why it is also called intra-abdominal fat. It wraps around your internal organs like stomach, liver and intestines. Thus, visceral fat is present beneath the muscles.
Visceral fat is so deep inside that it can’t be removed by liposuction or other non-surgical body contouring procedures.
High levels of visceral fat can prove quite harmful for you. It is associated with numerous health issues, including:
The visceral fat cells produce hormones and inflammatory substances as well. The inflammation, in turn, increases the risk of chronic diseases.
WHAT KIND OF FAT DOES LIPOSUCTION REMOVE?
Liposuction removes subcutaneous fat. It is present just below your skin. Thus, it can be removed easily. But how would you know whether you have visceral fat or subcutaneous fat?
While standing, if you can grab your belly fat easily, then it is mostly subcutaneous fat. However, visceral fat is more firm and it can’t be grabbed. Keep in mind that liposuction is not for weight loss.
Of course, visceral fat cannot be removed through liposuction or other non-surgical procedures but we have good news for you. Butvisceral fat can easily be removed through diet and exercise. If you have more visceral fat, your surgeon will recommend dieting and exercise. After weight loss, the leftoverflaps of subcutaneous fat will be easily removed via liposuction and other treatments.
How to get rid of visceral fat?
Make exercise a part of your daily routine. Start from doing exercise 20 to 30 minutes daily. Gradually increase it to hours to burn more calories over time. Do not over-exert yourself. Start slowly to train your muscles to become stronger.
The circuit training exercises include burpees, sprints, press-ups, squats, lunges, jumping jacks, push or pull-ups. They can burn the fat and make your stomach flatter.
Exercise alone cannot guarantee good results. You should have a healthy and well-balanced diet. Eat more proteins. They boost the metabolism and promote visceral fat loss. Limit the added sugar intake also. As they contribute to the increase of visceral fat. Instead, eat fresh fruits, vegetables, fish and beans.
Add more fibre to your diet. It reduces the levels of hunger hormones. Eat flax seeds, legumes, grains and sweet potatoes to increase the fibre intake.
Too much alcohol intake is harmful to your health. Several studies show that alcohol encourages the storage of visceral fat. Try limiting your alcohol intake.
Stress can make any medical condition worse than before. Visceral fat storage is no exception. The stress hormone ‘cortisol’ increases the storage of visceral fat. Make your life stress-free by practicing meditation and other relaxation techniques. Improve your sleep habits also.
visceral fat removal laser
Did you know there are 4 types of fat, and each one responds best to certain fat loss techniques?
Identifying the type(s) of fat you want to lose will help you pick the right strategy, stay motivated throughout the process, and get you to your dream physique faster.* A lot of patients come to us unsure about what strategies they can use to help them lose their unwanted fat, and what simply isn’t going to help them reach their goals. We highly recommend patients seek the help of a medical professional when it comes to fat loss, even when they plan to use diet and exercise alone. A physician can help you craft a scientifically-proven game plan for your weight loss, and take a lot of the frustration and guesswork out of the process. We cover how to pick a physician to partner with in your weightloss below.
Fluffy fat is soft, squishy, and jiggles easily. Women tend to accumulate this kind of subcutaneous (below the skin, above the muscle) fat much more readily than men, and it’s typically found on women’s stomachs, hips, thighs, and/or backs of the arms. Inner thigh fat is nearly always fluffy, and is a good reference point. Fluffy fat on men is normally restricted to the stomach and love handles.
This kind of fat is soft and rounded, and very lightweight, so when you lose fluffy fat, you can’t always rely on the scale to measure that loss, but because it’s so voluminous, you’ll notice your pant size changes quite a bit.
This fat is the perfect match for CoolSculpting or SculpSure. Both of these non-invasive fat reduction techniques can remove a large volume of fluffy fat during each treatment round. Laser Liposuction can also do wonders for fluffy fat, easily melting it away during a single treatment under comfort calm local anesthesia™. Those with more significant or widespread fat may should consider traditional liposuction performed by our plastic surgeon, as many areas can be fully treated in a single session. Fluffy fat normally responds better to diet and exercise than other types of fat, unless there is a genetic or hormonal component at play, in which case, it can be nearly impossible to lose (such as women with lower stomach pouch after pregnancy).
Fibrous fat is the tougher version of subcutaneous fat and often forms set-in rolls. You can still pinch fibrous fat, but it’s tougher and doesn’t squish the way fluffy fat does. The two prime examples of fibrous fat are women’s bra fat rolls (especially when the roll remains after the bra is gone) and men’s love handles, when they feel tough and not at all jiggly. Sometimes fluffy fat becomes fibrous due to the constant pressure of ill-fitting clothes, and sometimes the area was fibrous before the fat accumulated.
Laser liposuction or Traditional Liposuction is normally the best option, however the non invasive solutions can help too, Coolsculpting may potentially be better than SculpSure here. This kind of fat can be particularly resistant to diet and exercise change, but would eventually decrease in proportion with the other body fat (i.e. you shouldn’t expect to be able to spot-reduce or see rapid change in these areas with diet and exercise alone).
Cellulite occurs when fat gets trapped within the bottom layers of the skin. This appearance of your cellulite has more to do with genetics than your weight, and while some women can improve their cellulite by losing weight overall, many cannot. Cellulite becomes especially difficult to eliminate after menopause, as the skin thins. This thinner skin is more likely to show smaller amounts of fat within the skin, so losing weight may not be able to reduce or eliminate cellulite for older women.
Cellulaze is a revolutionary treatment that addresses all 3 causes of cellulite – fat within the skin, fibrous bands that create dimples, and thinned skin. However, it can be quite an uncomfortable and intense recovery, with painful bruising that lasts for months. For that reason, we very rarely resort to this technology anymore.
Instead, typically we treat each cause of cellulite an individual has with the singular best treatment for that cause, and often combine a few of these together for a more comprehensive result:
Visceral fat is different from the 4 other types of fat. Visceral fat lives below the muscles, surrounding your internal organs in your abdomen. Because its located behind a thick muscle wall, this type of fat feels firm, not soft or pinchable.
Visceral fat is a problem that has to be tackled with lifestyle change alone, because there aren’t currently any tools in the cosmetic surgeon’s arsenal to help reduce this kind of fat. However, the good news is, this kind of fat responds faster to lifestyle change than other types of fat, and there are a few ways you speed up your visceral fat loss:
Not sure what kind of fat it is? That’s okay – fat can be tricky. We’re here to help. Give us a call at (732) 356 – 1666 to schedule a consult for fat loss.
Selecting the Right Partners for Your Fat Loss Journey
Picking the right partner(s) to help you formulate your fat loss strategy can make a big difference in the speed of your results.* If you’ve been unsuccessful in attempts to lose fat on your own, don’t feel discouraged. Unless you’ve heavily invested into growing your willpower muscle, it’s unlikely that you’ll be able to stick to a new plan without strategically building new habits and developing motivation.
Reflections’ team of body contouring specialists have received specialized training in fat loss, including how to identify which type of fat, how to best treat that fat, and how to formulate a plan for fat reduction which fits the patient’s lifestyle needs (shortened recovery, faster results, no anesthesia, etc.). Pairing the right treatment to fat type is the key to getting the kind of results that doctors show off in their before & after galleries. Because we offer all of the effective fat loss treatments – CoolSculpting, SculpSure, Laser Liposuction, and Traditional Liposuction – we can effectively treat more types of fat than most offices, and we have the experience and expertise to properly match you to the right option for your fat.
We find the number one way for patients to stay motivated and on-track, is to see results early on in their fat loss journey, and use that success to fuel dedication to a healthy lifestyle. That’s why we love being able to offer treatments that ensure results, because we know that will help you stay on-track while your new habits cement.
what type of fat does liposuction remove
Areas of unwanted, diet- and exercise-resistant fat are a common concern for many cosmetic surgery patients. Whether it comes in the form of a persistent stomach “pooch” after pregnancy, areas of fat around the thighs that won’t budge, or bulges along the flanks and back, localized fat can be difficult to get rid of permanently.
Liposuction has been one of the most popular and top performed cosmetic procedures for many years, and with good reason. This surgical procedure safely, effectively, and permanently reduces fat and refines the body’s contours.
In recent years, nonsurgical or minimally invasive alternatives to liposuction have been gaining popularity. These body contouring treatments typically do not require an incision or anesthesia, and they often come with less downtime.
Read on to learn the difference between the two fat reduction approaches and discover which one might be right for you.
What is Liposuction?
Liposuction is a surgical fat removal procedure that first became popular in the 1980s. During the procedure, a board certified cosmetic surgeon carefully and precisely removes excess fat through a small, hollow tube called a cannula. Suction is applied as the surgeon moves the cannula through the fat deposit, removing excess fat cells and sculpting a slimmer body contour.
Liposuction is particularly effective at removing fat in the legs, abdomen, back, arms, face, and neck. It provides more dramatic results than other noninvasive fat reduction procedures, however, it has a longer recovery period (up to six weeks) and typically costs more than its nonsurgical counterparts.
How do CoolSculpting®, BodyTite, and Other Nonsurgical Procedures Work?
Nonsurgical fat reduction treatments use different modalities to target and eliminate unwanted fat cells through a topical, rather than surgical, procedure. Popular nonsurgical body contouring treatments include:
CoolSculpting®
CoolSculpting by Allergan is a good match for people who are close to their target weight, but want to reduce small, localized trouble spots on the hips, abdomen, or thighs. This treatment uses a specialized cryolipolysis device to cool unwanted fat cells to the point of death without affecting surrounding tissues. Once the fat cells die, they are flushed from the body during the days and
weeks following the procedure. The final result is seen after three months.
truSculpt®
truSculpt by Cutera is a similar treatment that utilizes controlled radiofrequency technology to eliminate fat cells on the hips, thighs, buttocks, and abdomen. Treatment typically lasts around an hour, and most patients require one to two treatments to see noticeable results.
BodyTite®
BodyTite by inMode is a minimally invasive procedure that tightens skin and reduces unwanted fat deposits by using radiofrequency energy. Here’s how it works: while an internal probe delivers thermal energy to help melt fat and strengthen collagen bands below the skin’s surface, an external applicator delivers radiofrequency energy to the skin for additional tightening. BodyTite is considered minimally invasive because a small incision must be made in order for your surgeon to insert the internal applicator probe; however, it is a less invasive
procedure than liposuction. BodyTite is a great option for those who have small to moderate amounts of excess fat and loose skin and want to avoid the extensive downtime that comes with surgery. Most patients report seeing results in just a few days, with final results beginning to appear after 2 to 3 weeks. Because BodyTite promotes collagen production in the skin, patients can expect to see continued skin tightening in the months following their procedure.
SmartLipo®
SmartLipo by Cynosure, also known as “laser liposuction,” uses triple wavelength laser technology to shed unwanted fat around the muscles and tighten loose, sagging skin without surgery. SmartLipo’s laser goes to work dissolving body and/or facial fat, which your body then naturally processes and excretes. A very small tube is inserted into the treatment area to remove any excess liquid that may accumulate during the procedure. Because of the small tube used, SmartLipo is ideal for areas of the face that traditional liposuction can’t adequately address, such as the jowls, chin, jaw, and neck. SmartLipo is also ideal for contouring areas of the body that hold on to stubborn fat, such as the abs, back, flanks, thighs, buttocks, and upper arms. Since SmartLipo is less invasive than liposuction, there is less damage to surrounding tissues at the treatment sites. Results from SmartLipo treatment can be seen immediately, and the procedure requires little downtime.
SculpSure®
SculpSure by Cynosure is non-invasive laser body contouring to remove unwanted fat beneath the chin (submental fat), love handles, back, stomach, and inner & outer thighs. Similar to CoolSculpting and truSculpt, SculpSure is ideal for patients who are close to their target weight but want to reduce stubborn, exercise- and diet-resistant fat pockets. Unlike CoolSculpting, which freezes fat cells, SculpSure destroys fat cells through heat (a process known as apoptosis). Studies have shown that SculpSure is effective at permanently removing up to 24% of fat cells in a treated area. Most patients benefit from a series of 25-minute treatments.
Liposuction vs. Nonsurgical Fat Reduction
There are advantages and disadvantages to both liposuction and nonsurgical body contouring.
Invasiveness
Liposuction is a more aggressive method of fat reduction and creates a trauma in the treatment area. Patients will experience soreness, bruising, and swelling for up to 10 days after the procedure. CoolSculpting, truSculpt, and SculpSure treatments are typically gentle with minimal discomfort, both during and after treatment.
Results
Liposuction results are visible after the swelling goes down and the treated area heals, although the final result is not seen for 6 months. It takes longer to see results from CoolSculpting and other noninvasive fat reduction treatments, which become increasingly noticeable in the weeks and months following the procedure. While neither liposuction nor nonsurgical body contouring treatments are a replacement for weight loss, liposuction does offer more dramatic and longer-lasting results, in addition to some skin shrinkage.
Downtime
The healing process after liposuction requires patients to restrict everyday activities for several days after the procedure and to use caution when restarting exercise. CoolSculpting, truSculpt, and SculpSure do not require an extended healing period and patients can return to normal activities immediately, though slight soreness and swelling are to be expected. Though your results will be less noticeable with nonsurgical fat reduction, you will be able to return to work and get back to your life much sooner.
Is Liposuction or Nonsurgical Body Contouring Right for Me?
Liposuction may be an excellent option for reducing larger deposits of excess fat. It can significantly improve your figure in several areas at once. Some negatives include a higher cost and greater risk for health complications than noninvasive techniques.
Nonsurgical fat reduction may be a better fit if you are already at your ideal weight, have good skin elasticity, and want to target smaller, stubborn trouble spots. However, the results will not be as dramatic and multiple treatments may be necessary.
Scheduling Your Liposuction or Nonsurgical Fat Removal Consultation
The best way to make a choice between liposuction, CoolSculpting, truSculpt, BodyTite, and other non-invasive forms of fat reduction is to seek the advice of a board certified cosmetic surgeon. They can walk you through your options during a personalized cosmetic surgery consultation and help you determine which might be the best fit for you. Use our Find a Surgeon tool to help discovered board certified cosmetic surgeons in your area.