As you may have noticed, the use of weight-loss injections has grown substantially over the past year. Weight-loss jabs have provided a lifeline for those who struggle to maintain a healthy weight, giving them the tools to reduce portion sizes and manage their eating habits to improve their health.
Weight loss injections can help you lose weight quickly, but loose and stubborn fat pockets may remain, causing discomfort and insecurity. After using weight loss jabs such as Mounjaro or Wegovy, many people now consider skin removal and liposuction, and at New Birkdale Clinic, we have supported individuals in taking this step.
In this guide, we cover common side effects of weight loss injections, how liposuction can help, and when liposuction may be a better option than weight loss jabs as a weight management service.
Why Loose Skin Occurs After Weight Loss Injections
When you use weight loss jabs, you may lose weight quickly, with some people losing 1kg every week. This can outpace the skin’s natural elasticity, and your body may not adapt to the pace of weight loss, especially if these weight loss treatments contribute to collagen and elastin fibre damage from poor nutrition, making it harder for your body to adjust
How to Fix Loose Skin from Weight Loss Treatments
Sagging caused by the use of weight loss injections does not have to be permanent; you can use different treatments depending on the severity of the sag you are experiencing.
Mild to Moderate Sagging
Mild sagging can be reduced with exercise, hydration and certain skin creams. Weight training and building muscle can help fill out the space under your skin and reduce the appearance of sags. Eating plenty of protein, vitamin C, and healthy fats can also encourage your body to make collagen, reducing the appearance of sagging skin.
If you see no improvement or you want faster results, you could introduce clinical treatments like radiofrequency or laser therapy after consulting with a specialist healthcare professional.
Severe Sagging
More severe sagging, where skin overhangs or rubs, usually requires plastic surgery, such as a tummy tuck or skin removal surgery. This is because once skin becomes large folds of loose, sagging skin, healthy lifestyle changes can not make a substantial difference, and discomfort may occur.
Can You Get Liposuction After Weight Loss Jabs?
You can get liposuction after weight-loss injections, provided your weight has stabilised. In fact, many people choose to get lipo for stubborn, localised fat deposits that they have not been able to reduce through injections.
You typically need to be at a stable weight for at least 3 to 6 months before liposuction to ensure your body has adjusted to its new size and shape.
Mounjaro UK vs Liposuction: What’s the Difference?
If you want to lose weight quickly, it’s likely you’ve considered both Mounjaro and liposuction. Choosing the best option can be difficult. Here are some differences to consider.
Procedure vs Injections
One of the biggest differences is that liposuction requires a form of weight loss surgery, while weight-loss injections require weekly jabs. For some people, the idea of surgery is daunting, but for others, the need to inject every week may be more so. This is especially true when you consider the side effects that come with the weekly injections, including nausea, constipation and mild fevers.
You will need downtime after surgery, but after a week you should be able to return to your usual schedule, avoiding heavy lifting and high-intensity exercise. It’s really a decision of whether you’d rather face one week of discomfort or weekly discomfort for as long as you take your jabs, though each person responds differently to weight loss jabs, with some not experiencing side effects at all.
If you have a specific weight related health condition, or even a wider medical condition, and you’re concerned that it may impact the effects of Mounjaro or an operation to lose weight, make sure to consult with your GP, as well as specific medical professionals.
Weight Loss Injection and Liposuction Pricing
One of the biggest differences between liposuction and weight loss injections is price. With liposuction, you can expect a one-off cost of around £2,000 to £8,500, depending on the size of the area you want to target.
When you get Mounjaro, you can expect to pay anywhere up to £340 a month, unless prescribed by the NHS. To maintain the effects of weight loss jabs, you must stay on them; once you stop, you may notice the return of food noise, and you may end up spending the same amount you would have on lipo within 2 years, without the permanent results.
Permanence of Weight Loss
As we have touched on, users have recorded that Mounjaro and similar weight loss jabs are only effective for as long as you use them, and many report gaining weight when they aren’t using the jabs, as food noise returns, alongside past bad habits.
Liposuction is more permanent because the fat cells removed during the procedure are gone for good and do not grow back; however, if you have a poor diet and little exercise, remaining fat cells can expand and change your body shape.
Generalised Vs. Targeted Weight Loss Areas
Weight loss injections do not target one specific area of the body and provide generalised weight loss throughout your body. This means that if you have a specific area you are insecure about, it may take time for the fat in that area to reduce.
For most people who choose to use fat jabs, the main area of insecurity is the stomach area, but that is usually the last place to lose fat in a weight loss journey, as that fat is used by the body to protect vital organs.
When you choose a weight-loss procedure, such as liposuction, you choose the specific area where fat is removed, so you can target areas that cause insecurity.
Candidate Profile
To be eligible for weight loss injections, you must meet very stringent criteria if you wish to get it on the NHS and from most medical providers. It’s standard practice to have a BMI of 30 or higher to be eligible, which means that a lot of people who want it will not be considered.
Whereas, if you want liposuction, as long as you are of the right age and you’re in good health, you don’t need to be overweight to be eligible, so there aren’t the same limitations.
Do You Need Both Liposuction and Weight Loss Jabs?
You do not need both. Liposuction and weight loss injections, such as GLP-1 medications like Wegovy or Ozempic, serve entirely different purposes. Most people only require one, depending on their specific body goals.
The only instance in which you might need both is if you have stopped using weight loss injections and you do not believe that your area of insecurity has improved. You can then go in and target this area with liposuction.
Should I Choose Weight Loss Jabs or Liposuction?
Choosing between weight loss injections and liposuction depends on your primary goal, as these two approaches address different issues: overall weight reduction versus targeted body contouring.
Weight loss injections help decrease total body mass and appetite, aiding you in feeling fuller for longer, while liposuction surgically removes localised pockets of stubborn fat permanently. These options are not interchangeable solutions for the same problem.
The Benefits of Liposuction
At New Birkdale Clinic, we strongly believe in the power of liposuction to transform bodies and build confidence. Here are some of the benefits of Liposuction.
Permanent Cell Removal
One of the biggest benefits of choosing liposuction is that it physically removes fat cells from the treated area, meaning fat will not return to that area if you maintain a stable weight. This means that if you have areas on your body that have been difficult to reduce, you can target and permanently remove fat from those areas.
Preservation of Muscle Mass
When you use weight loss jabs, you don’t just lose fat; you lose muscle mass too and can experience muscle atrophy, which can lead to saggier-looking skin and less physical energy. Because liposuction strictly targets fat cells in an isolated area, you won’t lose any muscle, just fat.
No Chronic Gastrointestinal Side Effects
One of the biggest selling points of liposuction is the fact that it causes no gastrointestinal side effects because it doesn’t alter your digestive system or hormone levels. There is no disruption to the stomach, as liposuction is completely targeted, meaning your gut chemistry isn’t altered.
No Nutritional Imbalance
When people use GLP-1s, they have a radically reduced appetite and eat smaller portions less often. This means they often fail to hit their nutrition goals and don’t get as many vitamins and minerals as they should.
Poor nutrition can have noticeable effects, such as dull skin, fatigue, thinning hair and much more. However, after liposuction, you can eat without the same level of restriction (though we recommend a balanced, healthy diet to maintain your results). This helps you avoid a nutritional imbalance.
Find Your Confidence With New Birkdale Clinic
This guide should help you better understand how to address saggy skin after weight-loss injections and how liposuction can benefit bariatric patients and those looking to reduce fat in stubborn areas.
At New Birkdale Clinic, we are proud providers of liposuction and skin removal procedures, and we’re here to help.
Do you want to lose weight and achieve lasting results? Get in touch with us today.
