Liposuction, or lipoplasty, is a type of surgery performed to reduce fat by removing it from the body using medical suction. This procedure can be performed on most parts of the body with excess fat. Most commonly, it’s performed on areas like the thighs, buttocks, abdomen, waist, calves, and even neck and chin to suck out body fat.
Liposuction is specifically meant to suction out excess fat from a part of the body and is not an alternative to weight loss or in any form a treatment for obesity.
How Is It Performed?
Liposuction is a surgical procedure carried out in a hospital setting. A hollow instrument called a cannula is inserted in the surgical area under the skin. A high-pressure vacuum is then used to break down and suck out the fat from the targeted part of the body.
Although there are many types of ways liposuction is performed, the most popular and the safest one is the tumescent liposuction. The liposuction procedure takes about one to four hours depending on how large the area to be treated is.
In tumescent liposuction, a tumescent solution is pumped below the skin. This solution consists of multiple liters of saline water, along with a local anesthetic called lidocaine and a vessel constrictor. Small suction tubes called microcannulas are used to suction out the fat.
What to Expect After Liposuction
After liposuction, the treated area will be bandaged and supported using a post-surgical elastic garment. This will need to be worn for a time during the healing process in order to keep down swelling.
To prevent infection of the surgical sites, the patient will be put on a course of antibiotics. Along with anesthesia you will also be prescribed painkillers and anti-inflammatory tablets to relieve pain and inflammation. Significant bruising in the target area is common, and the area might feel numb for a time. You will have to follow up with your surgeon to get stitches removed if they are used for your procedure.
What Are the Expected Results?
It will be very difficult for the patient to fully see the results until the swelling has subsided significantly. In a few cases, it takes months for the inflammation to completely go down. However, normally the swelling for liposuction subsides within four weeks, and one will be able to notice reduced bulkiness in the area where the fat has been suctioned out from.
Traditional liposuction surgery carries a risk of bleeding. However, tumescent liposuction is an excellent alternative that causes very little (as low as 10 to 15 ml or one to two tablespoons) or no blood loss.
Scheduling Your Liposuction Consultation
Just like any other surgery, it’s important that you communicate your motives and aims and expected results with your doctor before going into surgery. Take into consideration your surgeon’s track record and credentials and your level of comfort with the doctor.
To arrange an informative and helpful consultation with skilled board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Alexander Golger, contact our office today. Dr. Golger will be happy to answer your questions and speak with you in great detail regarding the procedure.