You may be a candidate for liposuction if you have excess subcutaneous fat, which is resistant to diet and exercise. Liposuction may also be desirable if you wish to change the contours of your body. Commonly involved areas are the anterior part of the neck (under the chin), upper arms and armpits, male chest/breasts, trunk, abdomen, waist, hips, thighs, inner knees, calves, and ankles. Most patients are near normal weight and desire permanent contour changes.
Liposuction patient shown before surgery with
bulging hips, thighs and buttocks.
Improved techniques now allow larger amounts of fat removal. Liposculpture can be useful to heavier persons as well.
Liposuction is intended to produce a permanent improvement in the contour and proportion of the treated areas. A more flattering figure or physique, in or out of clothing, is another goal of liposculpture.
Short incisions are made through the skin to introduce the instrument
that will remove fat in the shaded areas. A similar technique may be
used to remove localized fat deposits from other areas of the body.
Liposuction is done on an outpatient basis. General anesthesia is usually used for safety and comfort. Small suction tubes (cannulas) are inserted through very short incisions placed in inconspicuous locations near the fat deposits, and excess fat is removed. If large volumes of fat are to be removed, we will probably ask you to donate one or two units of blood and take supplemental iron before surgery. Your own blood will be used as a transfusion at the end of surgery.
A long, hollow tube with an opening at one end is inserted. At the
tube’s opposite end, a vacuum pressure unit suctions off fat. Ultrasonic
energy sometimes may be used to liquefy fat before it is removed.
The patient goes home with a compression garment (or tape) covering the treated areas. Compression is advised for about a month as it helps reduce swelling after liposuction. Once pain and soreness decrease, it is frequently more comfortable to wear lycra or spandex exercise pants. Initial discomfort is easily controlled with oral medication. Bruising and swelling usually subside in 2-4 weeks. The final result takes shape over 2-3 months.
The postoperative patient with slimmed lower body contour.
Additional procedures that may enhance the result of liposuction are Tummy Tuck (Abdominoplasty), Breast Reduction, Thigh Lift, or Buttock Lift.
Liposuction is considered cosmetic and therefore is not covered by insurance. The patient is responsible for payment
The specific risks and the suitability of liposuction for a given individual can be determined only at the time of consultation. All surgical procedures have some degree of risk. Minor complications that do not affect the outcome occur occasionally. Major complications are rare.
Illustrations courtesy the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery.
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