Liposuction

Call for A FREE consultation and details.

What is Liposuction?

Liposuction, also referred to as lipoplasty or lipo, is a type of cosmetic surgery procedure whose purpose is to break up and remove fat from various parts of the body. It is mainly used to help improve someone’s appearance and is the most common cosmetic operation in America. Some of the most common areas that people get liposuction are the abdomen, thighs, neck, chin, upper and backside of the arms, buttocks, calves, and lower back. The fat is removed using an instrument called a cannula and a high-pressure vacuum is usually applied to the cannula. The amount of fat than can be safely removed is limited. Lumpiness can be caused if too much fat is removed.

What are the benefits to Liposuction?

Liposuction is beneficial for many patients. Some medical conditions that may benefit from liposuction include lipomas, lymphedema, gynecomastia, and lipodystrophy. Liposuction can also help reduce or get rid of stretch marks, cellulite, dimpling, and other skin surgace irregularities. Some of the most common treatment areas where liposuction is done to include the following:

• Chest
• Inner knees
• Abdomen
• Neckline and the area under the chin
• Thighs – saddlebags (outer thighs), and inner thighs
• Upper arms
• Back
• Buttocks
• Hips
• Flanks or “love handles”

What happens before the liposuction operation?

Prior to the surgery, patients are required to undergo some health tests to ensure that they are okay for surgery. Patient will also be asked to stop taking aspirin or other anti-inflammatory drugs for a minimum of two weeks prior to surgery. Women who are undergoing an extensive operation may be asked to stop taking the contraceptive pill for a specific period before the operation. Patient who suffer from anemia may also be asked to take iron supplements for specified time period before surgery as well.

What happens after the liposuction operation?

Patients who underwent a general anesthetic usually spend the night in hospital. Those who had a local anesthetic may be able to leave the hospital on the same day. Patients should not drive for at least 24 hours after receiving an anesthetic.

The patient will also be fitted with either an elasticated support corset or bandages for the targeted area after the operation. They will help reduce inflammation and bruising. The bandages should be worn for several weeks minimum.

It is important to follow the doctor’s advice on keeping the area clean and as sanitary as possible. Majority of patients are also prescribed antibiotics and painkillers to help with the pain and swelling post surgery. Patients should expect a significant amount of bruising in the area targeted. The amount of bruising is usually linked to how big the targeted area was and how much fat was removed during the procedure. The bruising may go on for several weeks; in some cases for as long as six months. Numbness is also a typical side effect. Patients may experience numbness in the area where the fat was removed.

What are the risks of liposuction?

There are several risks associated with liposuction. Any type of major surgery carries the risk of bleeding, infection and an adverse reaction to anesthesia. Risk of complications is usually associated with how large the procedure is. The following risks, side effects, or complications are possible:

Bruising – patients who have been taking anti-inflammatory medications or aspirin are susceptible to bad bruising. Patients with a tendency to bleed are also at higher risk of bruising.

Inflammation – the swelling in some cases may take up to six months to settle. Sometimes fluid may continue to ooze from the incisions.

Thrombophlebitis – this is also known as when blood clots form in a vein, causing inflammation of that vein. This may affect liposuction patients, especially inside the knee and on the inside of the upper thigh.

Contour irregularities – patients with poor skin elasticity may have contour irregularities. This can be caused by the treatment site having healed in an unusual way, or uneven fat removal. This undesirable result may be permanent.

Infections – although rare, skin infections may occur after liposuction surgery. Sometimes this needs to be treated surgically, and may cause scarring.

Pulmonary embolism – fat may get into the blood vessels and travel into the lungs causing a blockage that can be life threatening.

Pulmonary edema – this may be a result of fluid being injected into the body and this fluid can accumulates in the lungs.

Allergic reaction – patients may develop or have an allergic reaction to medications or material used during surgery.