Get the 411 on Liposuction

What is Liposuction?                        

Despite the fact many people diet and exercise religiously, sometimes it's physically impossible to get rid of fat deposits in certain areas of the body such as the abdomen, thighs, arms or butt.

As a result, literally hundreds of thousands of people undergo liposuction surgery each year. According to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, lipoplasty has even been the top overall surgical procedure since the Society started collecting nationwide procedural statistics in 1997.

In short, liposuction is the removal of fat deposits in the body through suction.

A conventional liposuction procedure involves four basic steps:

1.        Application of either a local or general anesthetic, depending on the number/area of your procedure(s).

2.        An incision or incisions is made near the selected area and a thin "cannula", or tube is inserted through the skin and muscle.

3.        A small amount of anesthetic is injected into the area to break up the fat deposits and the fat is removed through suction via the cannula.

4.        Once the fat is removed, the incisions are closed and padding is applied to reduce bleeding and allow the incisions to heal.

No shortcut to weight loss

It's extremely important to remember however that liposuction isn't a shortcut to weight loss, and it's recommended primarily for healthy adults within 10-20 pounds of their ideal weight looking to remove stubborn pockets of fat and shape and contour their body.

Liposuction (technical term lipoplasty) is a surgical procedure that removes fat deposits from designated areas of the body. Several techniques can be used during liposuction surgery, but, generally speaking, the plastic surgeon uses a probe that is inserted into the patient’s body through a small incision. The surgeon then breaks up the fatty cells and extracts them from the targeted area of the body.

Common Types of Liposuction

Liposuction (technical term lipoplasty) is a surgical procedure that removes fat deposits from designated areas of the body. Several techniques can be used but, generally speaking, the plastic surgeon uses a probe that is inserted into the patient’s body through a small incision.

Lipoplasty surgery has become one of the fastest, most effective and safest cosmetic surgery procedures available today, and much of that is due to the technological advancement of both the techniques and the equipment

The following are the four most common liposuction techniques.

1.        Tumescent Liposuction

Tumescent liposuction is the most common type of liposuction.

The basic process is your surgeon will insert the cannula through the incision and inject lidocaine and epinephrine into the fatty tissue, causing it to becomes swollen and firm, or "tumescent."

This helps break up the fat deposits for easier suctioning, and it also reduces bleeding.

Ultrasonic Liposuction 

           Vaser liposuction is an increasingly popular alternative to traditional liposuction.  Contour Genesis is another ultrasonic liposuction solution.  It has been available for the past seven years.  Using this solution has been very successful in our practice.

Ultrasonic lipo technology involves using ultrasonic sound waves to gently loosen the fat for easier removal.

Tumescent liquid is still injected into the body, but instead of the cannula ultrasonic probes use vibration to break the fat cells apart.

Once the fat is emulsified, asmall cannula is used to suction out the fat cells. Some of the local anesthetic remains in the tissue and that helps to reduce post-procedural pain.

Vaser liposuction is considered gentler on the body and the remaining cells in the treatment area than more conventional liposuction methods.

2.        Smart (Laser) Liposuction

Smart Lipo is essentially the earliest version of laser liposuction.

Few Plastic surgeons use this as an alternative form of liposuction.   The costs of this technology far outweigh the benefits of this solution.  The ability to use light energy for liposuction has not shown been shown to be clinically better.  A small cannula is still inserted through an incision or incisions, but instead of sound or liquid an intensified laser is used to break down the fat deposits.

 Water Jet Liposuction

3.        Water jet liposuction uses a pressurized stream of saline to simultaneously break down the fat and help remove the cells.

Basically the water jet loosens the fat cells, and while it still uses tumescent fluid the cannula both irrigates and suctions the loosened fat cell from the body.

There is very little bruising or swelling with water jet liposuction and, because of the water, there is also much less trauma to the surrounding tissues.

Am I a Good Candidate for Liposuction Surgery?

Good candidates for liposuction surgery are in good health, both mentally and physically, have realistic expectations for their surgery, and have healthy skin with good elasticity.

Lipoplasty may be the perfect solution for you if you have a fatty pocket that just doesn't respond to diet and exercise.

Costs of Liposuction Surgery

Liposuction cost can vary depending on the number of procedures, where you live in the country, and the extent of your surgery.

If you are considering liposuction, please visit the website of double board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Jonathan Berman  for more information.