While skimming through some magazines at Barne's & Noble the other day, I stumbled upon a somewhat unnerving article in Men's Journal. Actually, I'm not sure unnerving is the right word. It makes my reaction sound too universal, as if everyone would agree with such a sentiment. Maybe interesting is a safer word choice to go with. Sure, interesting it is.

At any rate, the interesting article focused on the growing number of men who are undergoing cosmetic surgery to enhance their bodies. In particular, it highlighted a new procedure that removes the subcutaneous fat that exists just under the skin. In the past, this "critical inch" was considered dangerously impossible to remove, which is why most liposuction procedures involve the removal of more deeply-rooted adipose tissue. But now, according to the article, it was possible to not only remove the fat that covered muscle, but the appearance of more muscle could also be created by placing and shaping fat in certain places (think of building a six-pack like a sandcastle).

But how safe is this? Traditional liposuction itself is not without risk: 20 out of every 100,000 patients die from blood clots or infection. While this may not seem like pretty good odds, do you really want to risk being one of the unfortunate 20? Insofar as this new lipo procedure is concerned, the jury is still out on whether or not the costs outweigh the potential benefits -- and yes, those benefits are not a guarantee. Oddly, even though your targeted area will remain toned over time, the untouched areas of your body will continue to pack on fat. So, you may be sporting a solid six-pack, but think about how strange it will look if the rest of your body is that of an overweight person. And, as you might expect, even the operated area can eventually become covered with fat once again, which will bring a person who does not make any lifestyle changes right back to square one in no time (and lighter only in the wallet).