If you’re like most people, over the holidays there was probably no shortage of cookies and desserts to indulge in as you celebrated with friends and family. And now that we’re into the new year, you might be noticing some extra folds and “love handles” in places you’d just as soon not. But wait, I've got good news! Liposuction could be the answer for those unwanted post-holiday bulges. For more information on liposuction, download our free fact sheet!
Liposuction is a highly-effective, permanent solution to fat deposits
Liposuction slims and reshapes specific areas of the body by dramatically decreasing excess fat deposits and improving your body contours and proportion. In fact, it successfully reduces localized fat deposits in many areas of the body:
- cheeks, jowls and neck
- upper arms
- breast or chest areas
- back
- abdomen and waist
- hips and buttocks
- inner and outer thighs
- inner knees
- calves and ankles
I can perform liposuction alone or at the same time as other plastic surgery procedures, such as a facelift, breast augmentation or tummy tuck. If you're interested in reducing fat throughout your entire body, I just want you to know that this will likely take multiple procedures.
Liposuction is a highly effective solution for fat reduction as long as you maintain your weight. If you do gain weight after the procedure, it usually will not concentrate in the area that was treated.
For very large patients, liposuction can bring about a profound change to their bodies by taking away substantial volumes of fat. Since fat cells do not reproduce, once they are gone through liposuction, they will not be replaced—great news for many of my patients.
Many health benefits beyond slimming and contouring
With new techniques and advancements in technology, plastic surgeons are able to achieve much more consistent results, making liposuction the most popular cosmetic procedure according to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery.
Full-body liposuction can dramatically change a person’s shape, boost their confidence and motivate them to live a healthier lifestyle. Many of my patients use liposuction as a starting point to change their lives for the better, especially at the beginning of a new year. For those who want to be healthy, look better and feel their best, liposuction is a great way to get the process jump-started.
What liposuction won’t do
- Liposuction is not a treatment for obesity or a substitute for proper diet and exercise.
- It is also not an effective treatment for cellulite—the dimpled skin that typically appears on the thighs, hips and buttocks—or loose saggy skin.
- Finally, liposuction will not prevent you from gaining weight. To keep your new shape and new weight after liposuction, you must follow a proper diet and exercise plan.
How liposuction is performed
Depending on the type of liposuction you are having, you may be able to have it done at your plastic surgeon’s office or surgery center and go home the same day. If large amounts of fat are to be extracted, the procedure will be done in a hospital, and you may need to stay overnight.
Before the procedure starts, you will be given an anesthetic. Depending on how much fat is being extracted and the type of liposuction being done, you may get local anesthesia or general anesthesia.
Once the anesthesia has taken effect, the surgeon will make small cuts, insert a suction device inside the cut, and extract excess fat using a suction pump or a large syringe. How long it takes depends on how much fat is being extracted.
2 types of liposuction
There are 2 different liposuction techniques:
- Tumescent liposuction. With this technique, the surgeon will inject a solution into your fatty areas before the fat is removed. It is made up of a saline solution, lidocaine anesthetic and epinephrine (contracts your blood vessels). The solution helps the surgeon extract the fat more easily, helps decrease blood loss and eases pain during and after surgery.
- Laser-Assisted Liposuction (SmartLipo). Using laser technology, SmartLipo liquefies fat by producing a burst of energy as the laser enters the fatty tissue. This laser energy is delivered by a thin laser fiber that is inserted through small incisions in the skin. Laser-assisted liposuction also stimulates collagen production in the skin, which may in turn offer additional skin-tightening benefits.
Liposuction can be performed along with other plastic surgery procedures
Liposuction can successfully be combined with other cosmetic surgery procedures such as a facelift, breast augmentation, tummy tuck or lower body lift. If you're interested in reducing fat throughout your entire body, this will likely take multiple procedures.
How much does liposuction cost?
Because every person’s body is unique and the amount and location of fat to be removed through liposuction vary from person to person, the exact cost of surgery is usually determined by a plastic surgeon after he or she has met with the patient and together, they have decided which and how many areas of the body are good candidates for liposuction in order to achieve the best possible results.
If liposuction is something you are interested in
If you are considering having liposuction, please contact me for a free consultation. I have performed hundreds of liposuction procedures and am highly experienced in this specialized type of plastic surgery. I am happy to meet with you, answer your questions, and discuss how liposuction can achieve the beautiful results you desire.
More information on body sculpting procedures
For further information on body slimming and toning procedures, you might find these pages helpful on my website:
