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BODY CONTOURING LIPOSUCTION
The local anesthesia tumescent liposuction technique, invented by a dermatologic surgeon, revolutionized liposuction surgery by making it a safer procedure with fewer complications and quicker recovery.
TREATMENT LOCATIONS
You have dieted and exercised and there are still stubborn areas of fat that will not go away. Your reason for choosing liposuction may be as simple as just wanting to look better in your clothes. While liposuction is not a replacement for a healthy lifestyle, it can make you look and feel better.
What Is Liposuction?
Liposuction surgery removes unwanted localized deposits of fat cells from the body for body contouring. It is not a treatment for obesity. A thin instrument called a cannula is inserted through a tiny stab incision placed in inconspicuous locations on the skin. With a high pressure vacuum, unwanted fat cells are carefully extracted to flatten bulging areas of excess fat. The fat is removed by moving the thin instrument back and forth to selectively remove fat to restore smoother contours.
What Is The Tumescent Technique?
The local anesthesia tumescent liposuction technique was invented by a dermatologic surgeon and represents one of the most significant contributions to the field of cosmetic surgery. The tumescent technique is the safest form of liposuction and reduces risk, bruising, pain, and downtime compared to liposuction under general anesthesia. Large volumes of saline solution, the local anesthetic lidocaine, and adrenaline are infused in high volumes into the regions of excessive fat deposits. The expansion of the fat layer with the dilute local anesthetic numbs the fat, constricts the blood vessels to minimize bleeding, and enables your surgeon to safely maneuver the cannula, connected to a vacuum machine, superficially under the skin.
Who Are The Best Candidates?
The best candidates for body sculpting: have localized fat deposits disproportionate to the rest of their bodies, good skin elasticity, and are in good health. They have tried to eliminated bulges through diet, exercise and weight loss, however have reached a point where no further progess can be made. Patients should have realistic expectations, are only slightly to moderately overweight, and understand that liposuction is not a substitute for weight loss.
How Will My Skin Look After Surgery?
Dimples, ripples and stretch marks present before surgery remain unchanged following liposuction. Your new figure will be similar to what you would expect if you could lose an equal amount of localized fat through diet and exercise alone. The use of smaller cannula allows the fibrous connections between your skin and body to remain and will facilitate tightening of skin with good elasticity. In some patients with hanging skin, liposuction can provide reducion of the hanging skin. In patients with excessive skin and poor elasticity, a skin excision and muscle tightening procedure (tummy tuck or abdominoplasty) may be suggested with one of our surgical colleagues. A consultation appointment is important to discuss the options and to set realistic expectations.
What Will My Recovery Be Like?
You will go home after the procedure and rest for a few hours, after which you may gradually increase your activity as tolerated. Wit hte local anesthesia technique, you may be able to resume normal activities within 48 hours. You will wear a custom-oredered snug elastic body stocking over the treated area to aid healing for the first week at a minimum.
What Areas Can Be Treated By Liposuction?
The most frequent areas treated by liposuction in men are the "love handles", breasts, abdomen and neckline. In women they include: abdomen; waist; hips; lower back; neck; inner and outer thighs, knees, breasts, and neck. Some patients elect to have fat recycled by transfering fat to areas of fat resorption such as the hands and face.
How Are The Benefits Of Liposuction Measured?
Since this procedure is performed with local anesthesia, the patient is awake and able to provide input to their shape and symmetry. The contour improvements are visible during the surgery and are obvious to the patient and surgeon. With fat removal, there is ultimately weight reduction however it will may not be evident for weeks to months. In fact, shortly after surgery, your weight may go up due to the additonal weight caused by normal post-op swelling. Cosmetically speaking, successful liposuction is measured in reduction of clothing size and changes in how clothing fits rather than by pounds of weight.
Is The Fat Removal Permanent?
Tumescent liposuction permanently removes fat cells to improve your body's contour. With careful fat removal technique, mild weight increases should not result in significant shift of fat to other areas. Excessive fat removal and/or excessive weight gain after surgery may cause accumulation of fat in untreated body areas.
Will I Need A Second Procedure?
Most likely one procedure will be sufficient. However, some patients require a fine tuning procedure at a within the first year. Our technique with local anesthesia combined with positioning to take gravity into account dramatically reduces the chances of a touch-up procedure.
Will Liposuction Get Rid Of Cellulite?
Liposuction is not a treatment for cellulite, although many patients do notice an improvement in the appearance of cellulite after the fat cells are removed.
How do I find out more about your technique and see if I am a candidate?
A cosmetic consultation appointment is necessary to determine whether you would benefit form tumescent liposuction. Please contact our Patient Care Coordinators to schedule your appointment. Other opportunities to learn about our techniques include our monthly, in-office educational seminars, and seasonal educational events.