Before & After
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The Nuances Of Anatomy – How Fat Cells Work
There is a common misconception that slimming down is the result of the body getting rid of fat cells by using them for energy when more calories are spent than eaten. Actually, the number of fat cells is essentially fixed for adults. Diet and exercise can cause fat cells to shrink—thereby causing the areas where they are found to shrink, too—but they are not destroyed. The fat content of the cells is broken down and expelled through natural elimination and respiration processes, but the cells themselves remain. Cells that have shrunk are free to grow again under the right conditions. This means that as the cells expand, so too will the areas where they are found, whether in the abdomen, the buttocks, the upper arms, or under the chin.
Fat reduction with significant, lasting results is possible with the destruction or removal of the cells. The membranes may be destroyed manually, chemically, or by freezing, freeing the lipids inside to be processed by the body. Or the cells may be loosened from their fixed positions and suctioned out through an incision, as with the various forms of liposuction.
The science of fat is still being studied by medical professionals and researchers, with the goal of achieving a new understanding of how it works in order to better manipulate it for health and cosmetic benefits.
As noted elsewhere, though liposuction removes fat cells from the body so that they can no longer impact an area by growing or shrinking, the procedure is intended solely for body contouring. The surgery is not considered a weight-loss method.
Patients interested in losing a significant amount of weight should speak with their primary care physician to determine the best strategy, whether it's a focused plan of diet and exercise or a modern surgical procedure designed to inhibit caloric intake.