Liposuction of the Body
THE TYPICAL PATIENT
- Desire for a more youthful and contoured appearance, silhouette, and
size.
- The desire to fit better in clothing, wear smaller clothes, tuck in
shirts, and look better in swimsuits.
- Focusing on localized fatty deposits that have been unresponsive to diet
and exercise.
- Features of excess fatty accumulation in the face, neck, chest, abdomen,
hips, back, flanks, inner thighs, outer thighs, knees, legs, or ankles.
- This may also be related to being overweight. Dieting and/or exercise
may compliment liposuction.
THE PROCEDURE
- Anesthesia is a very good local usually supplemented with a very light
general and the procedure takes about two hours to six hours depending on
the amounts and locations. Anesthesia involves placing a dilute (tumescent)
Novocain solution into the fatty areas and waiting about 30 minutes for this
to take a nice effect. This advanced anesthetic technique virtually
eliminates any pain during the procedure, post-operative pain, or bruising.
- The incisions are small (1/4") and very inconspicuous, usually located
in a crease or under garment lines.
- The procedure involves the removal of the fat by standard machine or
syringe suction or ultrasonic energy assisted liposuction. The technique and
instrumentation depend on the areas to be treated, the nature of the fat,
and your expectations. Two or more or a combination of these techniques are
utilized on virtually all patients.
- Liposuction does not disturb the overlying skin, the deep muscles or
ligaments, or the nerves and vessels in between. Small tubular instruments (cannulas)
are connected to suction are then used to vacuum out the fat carefully and
artistically.
- No drains are used.
- A compression garment is worn on and off for four to six weeks. Foam
pads are used over the liposuction sites and under the garment for the first
three days.
- This can be combined with other plastic surgical procedures.
FACTS ABOUT ULTRASONIC LIPOSUCTION
- Ultrasonic energy sets up a tiny shock wave from an ultrasonic speed of
sound vibration. This liquefies the fat in a tiny area immediately
surrounding the tip of the canola.
- Less exposure time to the sound wave means reduction of potential
problems.
- Ultrasound is usually reserved use for special anatomic situations such
as gynecomastia, fibrotic areas, areas of revision surgery, or areas where
the fat is known to be stubborn to removal.
- Ultrasonic energy exposure can be reduced to the minimal amount
necessary to emulsify fat before its extraction.
- The doctor uses the latest advance in ultrasonic liposuction which is
the VASER device. This incorporates these concepts and uses small diameter,
solid grooved probes and pulsed energy delivery.
- This is a more advanced and refined technology. Vaser is the latest
third generation technology in ultrasonic liposuction. In addition to this,
there are better skin protectors for the access incision sites, small
lightweight hand pieces, and special vented canola that provide less
traumatic aspiration.
MEDICAL BENEFITS OF LIPOSUCTION
- Recent research has demonstrated these documented medical benefits of
liposuction especially when done in larger volumes.
- Reduction of the need on insulin in diabetics
Improvement in weight, blood pressure, heart rate and fasting insulin levels
- Decreased insulin resistance and better glucose and carbohydrate
processing
- Beneficial redistribution of some fat in terms of the areas NOT
liposuctioned.
- If you gain weight, fat does NOT accumulate as much in the liposuctioned
areas.
- If you gain weight the NON-liposuctioned areas will accumulate fat as
they normally do and will do so much more than the liposuctioned areas.
THE RECOVERY
- You can go home after several hours or can stay overnight.
- You can shower the next day.
- There is only minimal pain that is mostly gone by the next day and
easily controlled by medications.
- Swelling is mild to moderate and peaks at two to three days then
disappears rapidly over the next three weeks.
- Minimal or no bruising is the usual.
- Some grogginess is present which persists for about a week.
- You can resume many activities within the first week, and most including
exercise, by at least three weeks.
- There are no stitches to remove.
- Expect to be off of work for only one to seven days. Some patients
return to work the next day!
THE RESULT
- Beautiful, balanced and proportioned contour that is immediately seen
and only gets better.
- More confident and comfortable with your appearance.
- Natural and presentable appearance in the first week that just gets
better over the next three to six months.
- If you gain weight, you do not gain much in the liposuctioned areas.
- More confident and comfortable in clothing, especially revealing
clothing.
- Lasts the rest of your life especially if you maintain your weight and
always looks better than if you didn't do it.
For before and after images of this procedure
click here
Please call or contact the office for any
further information or to schedule an appointment. |