We all have parts of our bodies we wish we could change, especially woman, who seem to be particularly hard on themselves. I don't know anyone who thinks they look completely perfect. I'd love to have a flatter stomach and no cellulite on my thighs, but I've come to accept that those imperfections are part of who I am. As long as I'm living a healthy life, that's what matters most to me.

I know women who've hoped (through diet and exercise) to lose the fat from certain areas of their body, but it just doesn't seem to budge. Women often ask about their midsection, which is a common trouble spot. When the hard work doesn't seem to pay off and they still have a "pooch" that makes them unhappy, I know some who resort to plastic surgery- specifically, liposuction. But is that really going to give them the body they've always dreamed of? New research says it's not a permanent method of fat loss.

The study, published in the journal Obesity, assigned non-obese women into two groups: those who had liposuction on their thighs and lower abdomen, and those who had nothing. The control group who had no procedure was promised they could decide whether or not to have it later, after the results of the study were published. Interestingly, the study found that the fat all came back within about a year. It didn't come back to the areas where the liposuction was performed (likely because the procedure destroyed the structure under the skin where fat cells reside). But it did return to other areas of the body, like the upper abdomen and arms.

Researchers say the body regrows the fat cells that are lost. On average, a fat cell lives about seven years and when one dies, the body replaces it with a new one. Even though the liposuction is removing fat cells, the body is smart enough to know they are gone and will generate them again.

Study participants said that they were still happy with the results, because the fat was gone from their problem areas (even if it did come back in new places). What surprised me was that after learning these results, half of the control group still decided to go ahead with the procedure. Maybe they thought their outcome would be different? Or maybe they were willing to take the chance if it meant their current problem areas would no longer be an issue?

What do you think? Have you ever considered having liposuction? Why or why not?