What is liposuction?

Liposuction is based on a rather straightforward idea. This is a minimally invasive surgical procedure in which deposits of overabundant fat that occupy the space between the muscle and skin are extracted, resulting in an aesthetic enhancement of the body's shape. Liposuction is a type of body contouring.

What is body contouring?

The phase "body contouring" refers to a wide range of medical procedures designed to smooth the body by removing fat or by tightening the skin.

What is a body lift?

A body lift is a cosmetic surgery, and it is intended to elevate, firm, and tighten skin on the abdomen, waist, hips, groin, thighs, and buttocks.

What is tumescent liposuction?

A type of liposuction that employs tumescent (meaning "swollen") local anesthesia is known as tumescent liposuction. This type of liposuction is performed using local analgesia only and one of its biggest benefits is that it does away with the biggest hazards related to more antiquated types of liposuction.

When performing the tumescent form of liposuction, the surgeon injects the areas to be treated with a fluid containing an anesthetic prior to removing the fat. The fat compartments beneath the skin expand and harden in response to the fluid, and this makes it easier for the liposuction cannula (the tool used to perform liposuction) to move effortlessly under the skin as the fat is suctioned out. Benefits of the tumescent technique include decreased pain, swelling, and bruising during the recovery period.

What are elastic compression garments?

These items resemble girdles. Originally, liposuction patients wore them to limit blood loss right after surgery and to limit swelling as the body recovered from the procedure. The introduction of tumescent liposuction has done away with blood loss during the initial recovery period, but the majority of plastic surgeons still instruct their patients to don an elastic compression garment after a liposuction procedure for a prescribed period of time to restrict swelling.

What is the cost of liposuction?

As with other types of cosmetic surgery, liposuction costs are normally dictated by the number of areas you want to have treated. Having just a single area treated will carry a lesser fee than having several areas treated.

Am I a good candidate for liposuction surgery?

Are your expectations for your outcome rational? Are you in good health? Are you apt to be pleased with the outcome of your procedure? If you answered yes to each of these questions, you are a good candidate for liposuction surgery. Also, it is important to remember that while this surgery delivers significant corrections for many, many satisfied patients, it is uncommon for the outcomes of liposuction to be completely flawless.

What are realistic expectations of my liposuction surgery?

After undergoing liposuction, the patient's improved shape is, for all intents and purposes, the shape they will have for the rest of their lives. Should a patient put on a fair number of pounds following their liposuction surgery, they will appear heavier but the shape obtained from the surgery will remain evident because the fat cells extracted by the procedure will not regenerate.

Which body areas can be treated by liposuction?

The areas that women most often choose to be treated are the neck, breasts, cheeks, hips, buttocks, outer thighs, anterior thighs, inner thighs, arms, knees, and abdomen. Fifteen percent to 25 percent of liposuction patients are men, and the areas they most frequently have treated include the breasts, chin and neck area, flanks ("love handles"), and abdomen.

What are the complications and risks of liposuction surgery?

The riskiest part of undergoing liposuction is proceeding with a demeanor that disregards the hazards of attempting to treat too many areas with liposuction at once, or disregards the hazards inherent in attempting numerous unassociated surgeries on the same day that liposuction in done. With hundreds of thousands of liposuction surgeries completed successfully around the world, the evidence shows that liposuction is very safe when performed by a properly trained surgeon on the right patient for realistic goals. The isolated complications that could possibly occur with liposuction or any other surgical procedure include nerve injury, infections, skin ulcerations, and bleeding.

What questions should I ask before choosing a liposuction surgeon?

The cost of liposuction is an important consideration, but it should never be the single factor in making choices about your liposuction surgery. The surgeon who charges the least amount of money may also be a surgeon who rushes through the surgery and cuts corners. Your surgeon is there to answer your questions so take the opportunity to ask every question you have. As a matter of fact, as the patient, you have an obligation to get answers to all essential questions prior to going ahead with your liposuction procedure.

What kind of qualifications should a liposuction surgeon have?

Your Plastic Surgeon who performs elective surgeries such as liposuction, breast augmentation, or face lifts. Most often, has obtained particular training in liposuction techniques. Yoour surgeon should be able to provide you with before and after images ,discuss thoroughly the risks vs. benefits of your procedure.In addition ,your surgeon has earned board certification in their specialty, and finally maintained their hospital priveleges.

What are the important characteristics of a safe surgical facility?

In order for a surgical facility to be considered safe, it must have procedures in place to minimize the likelihood of patients developing surgical infections. Many doctors' offices meet this standard, as do outpatient surgery centers and hospitals, so they are ideal places for having liposuction performed. For your health and safety, you should have your liposuction done in a surgical facility where the strictest standards of AAAA or medicare guidelines are upheld constantly.

What is the safest form of liposuction? What is a liposuction cannula?

The safest type of liposuction is tumescent liposuction performed on a medically stable candidate with tumescent anesthesia. Liposuction performed while the patient is under general anesthesia or heavy IV sedation with monitering by an anesthesiologist can be safely performed . A small, hollow, stainless steel cylinder that the surgeon slides through a port, or incision, in the skin to extract excess fat lying under the skin is called a cannula. More uniform outcomes from liposuction are achievable with the use of a smaller cannula, called a microcannula.

How long is the liposuction surgery post-op and recovery time?

Liposuction performed using tumescent anesthesia normally permits patients to leave the surgical facility within an hour to 2 hours of the conclusion of the procedure. Within two-three days of undergoing tumescent liposuction, most patients are able to return to a desk-oriented job. They are also cleared to return to their regular physical activities quickly following their procedure because that form of liposuction results in reduced amounts of swelling, inflammation, and pain.

Is there pain or discomfort after liposuction surgery?

The type of anesthesia you receive determines how much pain you will feel during the first 48 hours following surgery. In most instances, your discomfort will be at its highest two to four days after your surgery; after that, it lessens continually. As a rule, achiness and sensitivity is considerably distracting for as long as a month after your liposuction; however, it will slowly fade away during the next one to two months.

How does liposuction affect the appearance of the skin? Does liposuction produce visible scars?

How your skin looks after you undergo liposuction is determined by the amount of elasticity in your skin. If the elasticity is sufficient, your skin ought to appear smooth and natural. State-of-the-art liposuction uses microcannulas and tiny incisions, so scars are uncommon.

Is liposuction a reasonable treatment for obesity?

No. Even as a last-ditch attempt, this surgery is not effective as a weight loss treatment for individuals who have not been successful in slimming down with specialized eating plans and regular physical activity.

Is it normal to be anxious before having liposuction surgery?

Absolutely. Nearly every person experiences some amount of apprehension prior to undergoing surgery, and liposuction patients are no exception. It is also natural for some people to experience more or less apprehension than other people.

How does abdominal liposuction differ from a "tummy tuck"?

Abdominoplasty, also known as tummy tuck surgery, is an extensive surgery performed while the patient is under general anesthesia. It incorporates liposuction and cutting to extract fat, plus a sizeable cutting away of skin. For numerous patients, though not all patients, abdominal liposuctions frequently result in the same outcomes, or even superior outcomes, as those achieved by tummy tucks. Today, liposuction of the abdomen is performed much more often than tummy tucks because it results in less scarring and is safer overall. Tummy tuck costs, like other cosmetic surgery procedure costs, will likely differ depending on the area of the country and the particular requirements of your case. Your surgeon can show you tummy tuck pictures to help you understand what tummy tuck procedures can and cannot accomplish, and what tummy tuck complications may occur. In some instances, the less invasive mini tummy tuck may be your best option and may limit the number of tummy tuck scars. Viewing tummy tuck photos can help you understand how the standard tummy tuck and mini tummy tuck differ (try searching for "tummy tuck before and after" or "tummy tuck before after" on the internet), and your surgeon can advise you on what to expect after tummy tuck surgery and the cost for tummy tuck surgery. Tummy tucks are often part of "mommy makeovers." A mommy makeover is a name given to a collection of cosmetic procedures intended to restore a woman's pre-pregnancy shape.

What is gynecomastia (chest liposuction)?

This is liposuction of the male chest, and is a very popular procedure among men. Over the years, a man's chest tends to gain volume and droop as skin and muscle lose resiliency.

Which parts of my body can have liposuction?

Nearly any body part that tends to accumulate excessive fat can benefit from the contouring capabilities of liposuction. For women, the most often treated areas include the knees, inner and outer thighs, abdomen, and the outside part of the breasts near the underarms. The most frequently liposuctioned areas for men include the abdomen, chest, and flanks, or "love handles." Men and women alike may also achieve outstanding results from liposuction of the chin and neck.

After I have liposuction, will fat go to other parts of my body?

No. During the surgery, your excessive fat is actually removed from beneath your skin. As long as you avoid eating too much and putting on pounds following your liposuction, you will not add fat in other areas of your body. In the event that you do put on some weight after your liposuction, the shape of your body will remain harmonious. Had you never had liposuction and did, in fact, add pounds, most likely the fat would be stored in the full areas of your body; for men, these are often the flanks, or "love handles" and for women, fat often goes to the thighs. In this scenario, the additional fat would increase the unbalanced appearance of your body.

After I have liposuction, will the fat come back?

No, the fat will not return so long as you maintain a steady weight, and if you do that, your liposuction results can be permanent. You are born with all the fat cells you will ever have; you do not grow new fat cells during the course of your life. This means that when fat cells are taken out of the body during liposuction, they are gone for good. Keep in mind that some fat cells in a treated area are left in place to avoid giving you an emaciated appearance, and these remaining fat cells can increase in size if you gain weight.

Is there much pain after liposuction?

Not normally. During liposuction, a tumescent solution is injected into the fat underneath your skin, and its purpose is to disconnect the fat, allowing it to be removed with greater ease. The solution contains a drug that constricts your blood vessels so that blood loss is kept to a minimum. Another drug in the solution—a local anesthetic—significantly decreases post-surgical soreness.

After liposuction, when can I go back to work?

How quickly you can return to your job is determined by the amount of liposuction that was done. Some patients are back at their jobs in three or four days, while patients who had larger, or more, areas treated may prefer to wait a week before going back to work. During your pre-surgical consultation, your plastic surgeon will talk with you about the amount of time you are likely to need for your recovery so you can plan accordingly.

After liposuction, when can I start to exercise again?

The majority of patients may continue exercising within approximately seven days of their liposuction surgery, but your plastic surgeon will likely permit you to do certain activities but restrict you from doing others, as determined by the areas of your body that were treated. Before and after your surgery, your surgeon will advise you on returning to your regular exercise routine as soon as possible without interfering with your healing so that you realize the greatest outcome possible from your procedure.

Might I be better off with a tummy tuck instead of liposuction?

If you have fairly taut skin and a moderate amount of excess fat, you will likely have an excellent outcome with liposuction. If your skin is flabby or sagging, you are likely to have a more satisfactory result with a tummy tuck. Several factors determine the cost of tummy tuck surgery, so be sure to ask your doctor the cost tummy tuck surgery will set you back. Tummy tuck prices quoted to you may reflect the surgeon's fee only and not include separate fees for other related expenses. An internet search of the phrase "tummy tucks before and after" may allow you to view photos of outcomes other patients have had.