Liposuction

Introduction

Liposuction is a surgical procedure to sculpt specific areas of the body by removing body fat from underneath the skin. Liposuction can rid you of specific patches of fat such as saddlebags and love handles, and sculpt areas such as under the chin, upper arms, knees, calves, and outer breast area. Liposuction is not intended for weight loss, although many people mistakenly believe it is.

Ideal Candidates

Ideal candidates for liposuction are men or women who are in good health and of normal weight who would like to remove specific pockets of body fat that do not respond to diet and exercise alone. You will see better results if you have good skin tone. If you are significantly overweight - more than 50% over your ideal body weight - we advise you to follow a weight reduction program prior to treatment. Since all surgery carries the risk of bleeding, patients who smoke should quit prior to undergoing the procedure.

How It's Done

We use a combination of two liposuction techniques - tumescent liposuction and high frequency vibratory wand liposuction, which is also known as power-assisted liposuction. The combination of these two techniques allows for more precise liposuction, better results, less bruising, less trauma to the skin, smaller surgical incisions, and faster recovery time.

The procedure begins with the areas to be treated marked prior to surgery. This guides the surgeon in removing excess fat and reshaping the treated areas. Once the areas are marked, you prepared for surgery, usually undergoing general anesthesia. Each liposuction site will require approximately 30 minutes to treat, so you should expect to be in surgery anywhere from 1 to 4 hours, depending on the number of areas to be treated.

As with tumescent liposuction, a numbing fluid is injected into the area to be treated. This fluid also includes medications to reduce bleeding.

The doctor then makes a small incision, roughly 3mm (or the size of your pinky nail) and inserts the power assisted reciprocating cannula (suction tube) under the skin to remove the fat. This specialized tool allows the doctor to remove fat more precisely and reduces the risk of damage to surrounding tissues. This tool also allows the doctor to use smaller incisions, thereby minimizing scarring. The small incisions are left open to allow for additional fluid drainage.

After the procedure, a body garment is placed over the treated areas. The garment resembles a girdle, and provides compression to assist in the return of fluids during recovery.

Recovery

Although the procedure is performed as out-patient surgery, you should expect to be groggy after surgery and will require a ride home. You may require assistance for the first few days post op, especially if there are young children in your home. Patients typically schedule about one week off work, or longer if their job requires lifting or heavy physical activity.

You will be sent home wearing the post op body garment that was put on after surgery. This girdle is worn for the first 2 to 6 weeks, depending on your recovery. You should refrain from strenuous activity in the first few weeks following surgery, including aerobic and weight bearing exercise. Exercise can be restarted between the second and third week after surgery.

You will have some bruising and swelling in the treated area, which will subside within the first month, and medications for discomfort will be prescribed during this time as needed. You should expect to see final results by the end of the third month after surgery. Results are long lasting so long as you maintain a healthy diet and continue to exercise to maintain your weight.