SURGICAL PROCEDURES
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In today’s world looking and feeling good means having a fit, well-proportioned body, however, for many people this may seem like an unreachable goal. Sometimes even a strict diet or a disciplined exercise program cannot conquer stubborn areas of fat. For those of you who seek a smoother or better-proportioned body contour, liposuction may be the answer. Liposuction, often called lipoplasty, is a surgical procedure that removes deposits of excess fat from specific areas of the body, face or neck. Liposuction can be used to slim the hips and thighs, flatten the abdomen, shape the calves and ankles or eliminate a double chin.
Liposuction is most commonly recommended for men and women of normal weight who simply want to improve their body contour. The procedure can produce excellent results for people who have deposits of excess fat that make certain body areas appear disproportionately large. Although liposuction is not a treatment for obesity it can permanently alter body proportion and is sometimes the only way to eliminate fat deposits that do not respond to diet and exercise.
People of almost any age may undergo liposuction, however, patients with good skin elasticity will achieve the smoothest contour after fat is removed.
About the Procedure
To perform liposuction one or more small incisions are made near the area to be suctioned. Whenever possible incisions are placed within the natural fold or contour lines of the skin so that they are inconspicuous. The surgeon then places a slim hollow tube called a cannula through the incisions so that its tip penetrates the underlying fat. After the cannula is connected by flexible tubing to a suction pump, the surgeon moves the cannula back and forth through the fat which is vacuumed into the tube. Several variations to the basic liposuction technique have been introduced. The fat removal technique that best meets your needs depends on a number of individual factors that your surgeon will discuss with you. Your surgeon may use the tumescent technique, in which the fat is pre injected with a saltwater solution containing small amounts of adrenaline and sometimes local anesthetic. Oftentimes this is done to decrease any swelling, bruising and minimize postoperative discomfort.
Each year thousands of people undergo liposuction and experience no major complications. However, you must fully understand the risks as well as the benefits of the procedure. By carefully following your surgeon’s advice and instructions both before and after surgery you can do your part to minimize risks.
Liposuction may be performed in a hospital, but typically it is done in an outpatient surgical center or office based surgical suite. Various types of anesthesia can be used for liposuction. The type selected will provide you the safest and most effective level of comfort for your procedure. For some patients this means local anesthesia will be used to numb the affected areas, for others general anesthesia may be the best choice.
Recovery
When the procedure is complete you will be taken to a recovery area. Any discomfort you will feel can be controlled with medication prescribed by your surgeon. An elastic bandage or specially designed compression garment is usually applied over the area to control swelling and assist healing. If only a small amount of liposuction has been done you will be encouraged to get out of bed very shortly after the surgery. If multiple areas have been treated you will probably remain in bed for a day or two getting up to go to the bathroom or for meals.
Keep in mind that the speed of your recovery depends largely on the extent of your surgery. Although everyone heals at a different rate you can expect your recovery to follow this general time line. 1) Within the first week the swelling will reach its peak and then begin to subside. You may return to non-strenuous work. 2) After several weeks bruises will fade and eventually disappear. Areas that felt numb will regain normal sensation. You may resume most of your normal exercise and activities and the swelling will continue to subside.
Quite soon after surgery you will see a noticeable difference in the shape of your body, however, improvement will become more evident after a couple months when fluid retention and swelling have subsided. For most patients the final result is evident after about three months.
After your liposuction surgery you may notice that clothes fit more comfortably and you feel more confident about your appearance. As long as you maintain your postoperative weight your new slimmer contour will be permanent. Many patients who gain a few pounds after surgery find that the weight distributes itself more evenly and does not settle in the same problem areas.
Liposuction has become one of the most popular three procedures done in the U.S. today.
