Liposuction

Liposuction, also called lipoplasty or lipsculpture, is a procedure that can help sculpt the body by removing unwanted fat from specific areas, including the abdomen, hips, buttocks, thighs, knees, upper arms, chin, cheeks, and neck. During recent years, liposuction, which is also known as “lipoplasty,” “liposculpture,” or “suction lipectomy,” has benefited from several new refinements. Today, a number of new techniques, including ultrasound-assisted lipoplasty (UAL), laser liposuction, the tumescent technique, and the super-wet technique, are helping many plastic surgeons to provide selected patients with more precise results and quicker recovery times. Liposuction can remove stubborn areas of fat that don’t respond to traditional weight-loss methods or even rigorous exercise.

Candidates for liposuction are patients who have stubborn pockets of excess fat in certain areas. In your initial consultation, your surgeon will evaluate your health, determine where your fat deposits lie, and assess the condition of your skin. Your surgeon will explain the body-contouring methods that may be most appropriate for you. For example, if you believe you want liposuction in the abdominal area, you may learn that an abdominoplasty or “tummy tuck” may more effectively meet your goals; or perhaps, that a combination of traditional liposuction and UAL would be the best choice for you. Liposuction may be performed in a surgeon’s office-based facility, in an outpatient surgery center, or in a hospital. Liposuction is usually an outpatient procedure.

Various types of anesthesia can be used for liposuction procedures. Together, you and your surgeon will select the type of anesthesia that provides the most safe and effective level of comfort for your surgery. The time required to perform liposuction may vary considerably, depending on the size of the area, the amount of fat being removed, the type of anesthesia, and the technique used.

There are several liposuction techniques that can be used to improve the ease of the procedure and to enhance outcome. Liposuction is a procedure in which localized deposits of fat are removed to re-contour one or more areas of the body. Through a tiny incision, a narrow tube or cannula is inserted and used to vacuum the fat layer that lies deep beneath the skin. The cannula is pushed then pulled through the fat layer, breaking up the fat cells and suctioning them out. If many sites are being treated, your surgeon will then move on to the next area, working to keep the incisions as inconspicuous as possible.

The basic technique of liposuction, as described above, is used in all patients undergoing this procedure. However, as the procedure has been developed and refined, several variations have been introduced.  Fluid Injection, a technique in which a medicated solution is injected into fatty areas before the fat is removed, is commonly used by plastic surgeons today. The fluid – a mixture of intravenous salt solution, lidocaine (a local anesthetic), and epinephrine (a drug that contracts blood vessels) – helps the fat be removed more easily, reduces blood loss, and provides anesthesia during and after surgery. Fluid injection also helps to reduce the amount of bruising after surgery. The amount of fluid that is injected varies depending on the preference of the surgeon.

After surgery, you will likely experience some fluid drainage from the incisions. To control swelling and to help your skin better fit its new contours, you may be fitted with a snug elastic garment to wear over the treated area for a few weeks. Your doctor may also prescribe antibiotics to prevent infection.

Healing is a gradual process. Your surgeon will tell you to start walking around as soon as possible, to reduce swelling and to help prevent blood clots from forming in your legs. You will begin to feel better soon and you should be back at work within a few days following your surgery. The stitches are removed or dissolve on their own within the first week to 10 days. Activity that is more strenuous should be avoided for about a month as your body continues to heal.  You will see a noticeable difference in the shape of your body quite soon after surgery. However, improvement will become even more apparent after about four to six weeks, when most of the swelling has subsided. After about three months, any persistent mild swelling usually disappears and the final contour will be visible.

If your expectations are realistic, you will be very pleased with the results of your surgery. You may find that you are more comfortable in a wide variety of clothes and more at ease with your body. By eating a healthy diet and getting regular exercise, you can help to maintain your new shape.