Men have a distinct pattern of fat distribution. They tend to have skinny legs and no buttocks. But fat cells need a home. So, most men gain weight around their abdomen, love handles, and breasts. These problem areas only get worse with age. And oftentimes, diet and exercise do not make a difference. Even really fit men can struggle with uneven fat distribution.

Board certified plastic surgeon Dr. Bruce Van Natta understands first hand how debilitating it is to not look your best, particularly since many men are retiring later and want to stay competitive in the workplace. Uneven lumps and bumps can really do a number on a man’s self-esteem. Liposuction is a surgical procedure that removes fat cells from specific areas in the body. It allows Dr. Van Natta to literally re-sculpt your body contour into the very best version of you.

Is Male Liposuction Right for You?

It’s important to understand that procedures to improve body contour such as liposuction or CoolSculpting are not weight loss techniques. Yes, liposuction will permanently reduce the number of fat cells in the treatment area. But there is only so much fat that can be removed at any one time. What liposuction really delivers is an improved body contour. But when your torso is in proper proportion, it will make you look thinner, stand up straighter and feel more youthful.

In general, someone is a good candidate for male liposuction if he:

• eats well and exercises regularly but still has stubborn pockets of fat
• is within 30% of his target weight with good muscle tone and skin elasticity
• is in good overall health with no life-threatening illness or medical condition that might interfere with the healing process
• doesn’t smoke
• has a positive attitude and realistic goals for his results

If this sounds like you, and you are bothered by your reflection in the mirror, then schedule a consultation to come in and talk with Dr. Van Natta. Warm, caring and extremely honest, he will be very straight with you about whether or not male liposuction is right for your individual needs and anatomy.

Benefits of Male Liposuction

Dr. Van Natta has always been an artist. It is part of what drew him to plastic surgery. One of the things that he loves about today’s liposuction techniques is their precision. They allow him to completely rejuvenate a patient’s body by slimming down only those areas that are out of proportion. The result is a revitalized, slimmer, younger-looking you.

Here’s the thing about fat. A patient’s fat proportions are genetically determined. They’re set at puberty. This means that if your dad had a beer belly later in life then there’s a good chance that you will as well. But the great thing about male liposuction is that once those fat cells are removed from your abdomen, love handles or back, they are never coming back as long as your weight stays within a 10 pound range. And even if you do gain a bit more weight, it will be proportional. So, if your stomach, for example, is smaller post-treatment, it will remain smaller post-weight-gain.

Also, many men develop man boobs with age. This condition, known as gynecomastia, sometimes needs to be treated surgically. But when the underlying cause is fat alone, male liposuction is incredibly effective at restoring a smooth, flat contour to the chest. And it’s extremely easy to do the abdomen and the chest at the same time. Another advantage of male liposuction over CoolSculpting, for example, is that it can address what’s called “hard fat” in areas like the love handles.

CoolSculpting versus Male Liposuction

Men prefer non-surgical procedures. They want something that is easy with no muss and fuss. This is one of the main reasons that CoolSculpting has become so popular. Extremely effective in the right patient, it can be done on your lunch hour with no anesthesia, no scars and no downtime. However, CoolSculpting does require multiple sessions spread out over time. And it’s not effective for what’s called “hard fat”.

For CoolSculpting to work, your fat must be mobile. This means that you can pinch it and pull it away from your body. But oftentimes in areas like the love handles, when you try the grab the fat, it doesn’t move. This is called “hard fat”. And CoolSculpting won’t work on this kind of fat. But liposuction will. Oftentimes, men in their 40’s and 50’s, who are in good shape, tend to carry any extra pounds in their abdomen and love handles. Male liposuction is a one-time procedure that addresses hard fat in multiple areas at once. This can make it a better choice for some than CoolSculpting.

There’s also a third type of fat: visceral fat. Men will often carry excess fat actually inside their abdomen. This is known as visceral fat. It is fatty tissue that is located around the organs and is inaccessible to remove either with CoolSculpting or liposuction. The only way to address visceral fat is with diet and exercise. During your initial consultation, Dr. Van Natta will be able to assess your treatable fat versus your untreatable fat.

Skin Tightening Procedures & Male Liposuction

Besides weight gain, one of the downsides of age is that our skin tends to lose its elasticity or “bounce back”. This may adversely affect your male liposuction results. It’s like a balloon that deflates. Without the fat to hold the skin taunt, your already loose skin could become even more wrinkly. This is why it is so important to see an experienced board certified plastic surgeon. Dr. Van Natta will spend considerable time during your male liposuction consultation assessing your skin tone. If he feels that your results will be improved with some skin tightening, he will recommend combining your male liposuction procedure with BodyTite, a minimally-invasive radio frequency procedure for tightening the skin. The results from this 1-2 punch are pretty astounding.

Male Liposuction Techniques

Always an early adopter to new cutting-edge technique, Dr. Van Natta only offers them to his patients if they actually work. For male liposuction, he utilizes SAFELipo.

SAFELipo is Dr. Van Natta’s go-to male liposuction technique. It is a three-step process that uses a power assisted hand piece to initially break up the fatty layer, suction away the fat, and smooth out your overall contour by blending the treated area into the surrounding tissues. This reduces the risk of “lumps and bumps”. The result is a beautifully smooth contour that is in proportion to the rest of your body.

Liposuction Recovery

Male liposuction is most often done under general anesthesia. A compression garment will need to be worn for 3-4 weeks. This helps to ensure the best possible result. Most patients describe their recovery as more uncomfortable than painful. You will be bruised and swollen following your procedure. The bruising typically resolves fairly quickly. But the swelling can take anywhere from 3-6 months to fully subside. However, you should notice an improvement in your body contour almost immediately.

Patients can usually return to their daily lives in just a few days, but you will need to refrain from heavy exercise for a couple of weeks. Dr. Van Natta likes his male patients to get up and moving immediately. So, feel free to take your new body contour out for a spin. And just bask in the compliments. You deserve it.

To find out more about male liposuction with Dr. Bruce Van Natta at Meridian Plastic Surgeons in Indianapolis, contact us today or call (317) 575-0330 to schedule a consultation.