Plastic Surgery
Liposuction
Liposuction offers an encouraging solution to reshaping and improving one’s figure. Also known as lipoplasty, liposuction slims and reshapes specific areas of the body by removing excess fat deposits, improving your body contours and proportion, and ultimately, enhancing your self-image.
Good Candidates
Despite good health and a reasonable level of fitness, some people may still have a body with disproportionate contours due to increased fat deposits. This also may be due to family traits rather than a lack of weight control or fitness. It is important that you are close to your ideal weight (within 30 pounds or so) and are able to maintain that weight. Patients with a fair amount of elasticity to their skin often have the best results. If you feel that this pertains to you, then you may be a great candidate for liposuction.
Prior to Surgery
As with any cosmetic surgery, the most important step in this process is your consultation appointment with your doctor. During this meeting you are encouraged to ask questions and discuss your expectations with your surgeon. Together, you will able to determine the best protocol for your individual needs.
The Surgery
This procedure usually takes one to two hours depending on the size of the area being treated. This is most often outpatient surgery and general anesthesia is used. Common areas to treat include the arms, neck, hips, waist, thighs, back, abdomen and chest. Small incisions are made in the area being treated and a “tumescent” solution is injected into the fatty tissue. This solution helps minimize bruising and helps dissolve the fat. An instrument called a cannula, which is a thin hollow tube, is then inserted into the area and manipulated back and forth to loosen the excess fat. Finally, the fat is suctioned out of the area with a surgical vacuum or syringe that is attached to the cannula. In some cases, liposuction is performed alone, in other cases it is used with plastic surgery procedures such as a facelift, breast reduction or a tummy tuck.
Benefits
You will see an immediate difference in the shape of your body. Liposuction also allows you the freedom to choose where you want the excess fat removed. Typically, when dieting the weight we lose can easily be gained back if we stray from our weight loss program. With liposuction, once the fat cells are removed from an area, they are gone forever; however, you can still gain weight in other areas of your body, so a healthy diet and exercise program is extremely important in maintaining your results.
After Surgery
You can expect to have some bruising, swelling and soreness. Sometimes, compression garments are recommended for support for the first few weeks. Your doctor will encourage you to start walking around as soon as possible. This will help with swelling and also help prevent blood clots. You can most likely return to work after a few days. Keep in mind that some swelling may last several months. Follow-up appointments will be scheduled with your doctor and these appointments are important to insure a proper recovery.