The key difference between liposuction and gastric bypass is that liposuction is a cosmetic procedure where excess fat deposits under the skin are sucked out through small cuts, while the gastric bypass is a medical procedure designed to give a person a complete and more dramatic weight loss along with getting rid of all weight-related problems.
Liposuction and gastric bypass are two procedures to reduce one’s weight. Liposuction can reduce 2 to 8 pounds of weight, while gastric bypass results in more dramatic weight loss. Liposuction is typically not useful to treat obesity, but gastric bypass addresses the underlying causes of obesity.
CONTENTS
1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is Liposuction
3. What is Gastric Bypass
4. Similarities – Liposuction and Gastric Bypass
5. Liposuction vs Gastric Bypass in Tabular Form
6. Summary – Liposuction vs Gastric Bypass
What is Liposuction?
Liposuction is a type of cosmetic procedure. It uses a suction method to remove excess fats from specific areas of the body, such as the stomach, hips, thighs, buttocks, arms, or neck. It is also called lipoplasty and body contouring. Sometimes, liposuction is not considered an overall weight loss method. This is because people who are overweight can lose more weight through diet and exercise or surgery than liposuction. Liposuction may work for people who have a lot of body fat in specific areas of the body. Liposuction is also used to reduce extra breast tissue in men (gynecomastia). However, this method does not help with dimpled skin from cellulite or does not remove stretch marks.
Figure 01: Liposuction
The risks associated with liposuction include bleeding, reactions to anesthesia, contour irregularities, fluid build-up, numbness, infection, internal puncture, fat embolism, kidney and heart problems, and lidocaine toxicity. Furthermore, the cost of a liposuction procedure normally ranges from $1,000 to $20,000 for one treatment area. The average cost of liposuction is $3,600 per treatment area.
What is Gastric Bypass?
Gastric bypass is a bariatric surgery designed to give a person complete and more dramatic weight loss. This surgery is intended for obesity issues. During this surgery, a doctor makes changes to the stomach and small intestine to alter how these organs absorb and digest food. Gastric bypass surgery aids weight loss by restricting the amount of food the stomach holds. This surgery is also known as roux-en-Y gastric bypass. This surgery helps people lose excess weight and reduce the risk of potentially life-threatening weight-related health problems such as gastroesophageal reflux disease, heart disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, obstructive sleep apnea, type 2 diabetes, stroke, and cancer.
Figure 02: Gastric Bypass
The risks associated with gastric bypass include excessive bleeding, infection, reactions to anesthesia, blood clots, lung or breathing problems, leaks in the gastrointestinal system, bowel obstruction, dumping syndrome, gallstones, low blood sugar, malnutrition, stomach perforation, ulcers, and vomiting. Furthermore, the cost of a gastric bypass ranges from $7,500 to more than $30,000.
What are the Similarities Between Liposuction and Gastric Bypass?
- Liposuction and gastric bypass are two weight reduction procedures.
- Experienced professionals perform both procedures.
- They are associated with numerous risks.
- Both procedures are costly.
What is the Difference Between Liposuction and Gastric Bypass?
Liposuction is a cosmetic procedure where excess fat deposits under the skin are sucked out through small cuts. At the same time, gastric bypass is a medical procedure designed to give a person a complete and more dramatic weight loss and eliminate all weight-related problems. Thus, this is the key difference between liposuction and gastric bypass. Furthermore, liposuction can reduce 2 to 8 pounds of weight, while gastric bypass causes complete and dramatic weight loss.
The infographic below presents the differences between liposuction and gastric bypass in tabular form for side-by-side comparison.
Summary – Liposuction vs Gastric Bypass
Liposuction and gastric bypass are two weight reduction procedures. Liposuction is a cosmetic procedure designed to change the shape of the human body by removing excess fat cells in different areas of the body. It is not intended to treat patients who suffer from obesity issues. On the other hand, gastric bypass is a medical procedure that helps obese patients to achieve and maintain healthy weights by restricting hunger. Gastric bypass also restricts the amount of food a stomach can hold. So, this summarizes the difference between liposuction and gastric bypass.
Reference:
1. “Liposuction.” Mayo Clinic.
2.“Gastric Bypass Surgery: Medlineplus Medical Encyclopedia.” MedlinePlus.
Image Courtesy:
1. “Fat removal using cannula during tumescent liposuction” By Paravis – Michael S. Schwartz, M.D. (Terms of Use), (CC BY-SA 3.0) via Commons Wikimedia
2. “Blausen 0776 Roux-En-Y 01” By Blausen.com staff (2014). “Medical gallery of Blausen Medical 2014”. WikiJournal of Medicine 1 (2). DOI:10.15347/wjm/2014.010. ISSN 2002-4436. – Own work (CC BY 3.0) via Commons Wikimedia
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