Liposuction A Boon For Your Health
When one thinks of the cosmetic surgical procedure, liposuction, one thinks removal of unsightly yellow globules of fat around the thighs and stomach and/or chin to enhance appearance. Well, think again. A recent study has made some interesting discoveries. Liposuction may have more than an appearance benefit. It may reduce harmful fats circulating in the blood stream.
According to The Los Angeles Times article by Shari Roan for the Booster Shots blog, people with high triglyceride levels who had liposuction, had a decrease in their triglyceride levels by 43% after three months. That's an improvement that exceeds taking pharmaceuticals for lowering cholesterol times two. And there are no side effects as are sometimes reported with various cholesterol medication. But surgery may be riskier. So, of course, you choose your risks.
The study led by Dr. Eric Swanson, a plastic surgeon in Leawood Kansas, measured the triglyceride levels in 229 participants who had had liposuction. Of those who had normal triglyceride levels there was no change after blood tests were done. It was in those with the high levels of fats in the blood that the tests showed a decrease after the liposuction. The white blood cells also decreased 11% after the surgery. However, this is good news because white blood cells are associated with inflammation in the body and inflammation may put one at a higher risk for cardiovascular disease.
Whether the reduction in triglyceride levels will last or whether such a reduction due to the surgery will reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease was not borne out by the research. Too many questions were left unanswered as were the questions about which types of fats created the most harm systemically.
However, the findings are exciting and will be presented at the annual meeting of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons in Denver. In a news release highlighting what will be presented, Swanson stated, "For years, it has been assumed that visceral fat surrounding the internal organs has greater metabolic importance and is directly linked to cardiovascular disease and diabetes risk than "subcutaneous fat' that lies under the skin." He added, "These new findings support recent studies suggesting subcutaneous fat, which can be reduced by liposuction, is just as metabolically important."
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