Can Liposuction Be Used To Treat Childhood Obesity?

America's weight crisis isn't just affecting adults-teens and even children are feeling the heat. Many children are overweight for their height, and increasing numbers are even obese. Concerns about their health, their future, and the possibility of bullying or shunning based on their weight are making these children and their parents wonder about medical procedures such as liposuction. Can these surgeries-previously only used for cosmetic purposes-help turn the tide for these youth?

The answer, unfortunately, is no. For one thing, liposuction was never intended to remove large amounts of weight; in fact most experts say that no more than ten pounds can be removed safely. If a person is significantly overweight or even obese, it would take multiple surgeries to remove the fat, and the cost and risks would pile up quickly.

A second problem with liposuction as a weight loss solution is that it does nothing for the future. When an overweight person manages to get back down to normal through dieting and exercise, they have had to institute some new good habits, and change some bad ones, to get there. This gives them at least some tools to continue to keep the weight off. Those who get liposuction, though, haven't had to make any changes, and frequently end up lacking the motivation to do so. If they persist in the same unhealthy habits that led them to gain weight in the first place, then they are simply going to regain the weight liposuction took off.

Finally, most plastic surgeons and pediatricians agree that liposuction poses some special risks to minors. Because their bodies are still growing, it is very natural for children and teens' weight to fluctuate, sometimes quite dramatically. Getting liposuction at the wrong point in the growth cycle can convince the body that their isn't enough fat to support normal growth. This can slow the metabolism, leading to even more weight gain, or it even can stunt the person's growth.

In short, liposuction really isn't the answer for anyone's weight problems. In addition to the disadvantages described above, those who use liposuction to stay thin miss out on the benefits of a better lifestyle, such as better nutrition from smarter food choices, and better cardiovascular health from getting more exercise. For children in particular, it is much better to teach them to make good choices about diet and exercise, and then to practice feeling good about themselves the way they are, then it is to introduce artificial means of weight control into their lives.

Richard Bonn is the SEO Strategist behind Awesome Medical. Awesome Medical is the World's Largest Cosmetic and Plastic Surgery Network with directories for nonsurgical procedures like Botox to advanced procedures like Liposuction. For more information visit Plastic Surgery Marketing Guide.

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