Liposuction

Liposuction

Even with appropriate diet and exercise, certain areas of the body may develop abnormal bulges of fat which do not respond to weight loss, even when other areas of the body do respond.  Liposuction, or suction-assisted lipectomy (SAL), involves the use of a blunt cannula (a very narrow tube) to remove fatty deposits beneath the skin through just a few tiny incisions.  Each particular "problem area" is targeted specifically to improve the contour and thereby restore a better overall body shape.  Specific regions commonly addressed with liposuction include the upper and lower abdomen, flanks, hips, inner and outer thighs, inner knees, upper arms, and male breasts.  Liposuction is very popular, and it ranks among the most commonly performed cosmetic procedures throughout the country.

We use the tumescent technique of liposuction which employs instillation of a wetting solution beneath the skin prior to suction of the fatty tissue.  The tumescent solution facilitates the liposuction, decreases blood loss and bruising, and adds to patient comfort both during and after the procedure. 

Liposuction is not a treatment for obesity, and it is not a substitute for weight loss.  Excellent candidates for liposuction are within 20% of their ideal body weight and have good skin tone, as the procedure does not remove excess skin.  However, it often can be combined with other procedures such as those that remove excess skin.

Typically patients wear specially fitted compression garments for about four weeks after the liposuction procedure and can return to normal activities around that time.  The majority of swelling is resolved by six weeks.  However, the remainder continues to improve over a four to six month period, when the final result is achieved.

For more information contact us.