Even thin women can store fat in odd areas of their bodies.

Q: I am a fit, 26 year old female. I go to the gym four times a week and play tennis at least twice a week. Most people tell me I’m attractive and I like most of my body – except for my heavy legs. I have seen three surgeons who volunteered to suction my thighs but told me there was little help for my calves. Won’t liposuction improve my calves?

-Heather G., Ladera Ranch, CA


A: I can tell you that you are not alone in your predicament! It is quite common for people to collect fat selectively in certain parts of the body more than in others. Patients with thick calves might have a small waist, and so forth.

Before I can determine how much improvement can be anticipated, I have to examine a patient and pinch the area in question. Liposuction can remove the fatty excess but some fat has to be left in place to leave a smooth contour (about a quarter or half an inch in the leg areas). I cannot tell you all your options without seeing and examining you, but if you can pinch more than half an inch of fat in these areas, liposuction will be helpful to you. If you cannot, then I would avoid the procedure. Many surgeons do not feel comfortable suctioning legs because the results are not dramatic and the possibility of surface dimpling, especially if the procedure is not done right, is high!

The best way for me to give you a clear example of this is through before and after photographs of a 37-year-old, very fit young lady whose main complaint was very thick calves. As you can see in the photos that follow, her calves were indeed quite large. Notice in particular, the drastic widening of her calf just above her ankles, due to an excess of fat. I removed 1.4 liters of fat from her calves and ended up with a pleasing result, but the results are not as dramatic as we see after suctioning large amounts of fat from the neck, abdomen or hips.

Her after photos clearly demonstrate the beneficial effect of liposuction of her fatty excess in the calf areas in a properly selected patient:

37-year-old female before and after a liposculpture to remove unwanted fatty deposits between the ankles and knees.

If you have any specific questions about cosmetic procedures, your best bet would be to see a qualified plastic surgeon to review your options. Pease feel free to contact our office at 949.888.9700 to set up an appointment with Dr. Bunkis; you may also check out our web site at www.ocps.com  to see further examples of similar patients.

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