Overview
Liposuction surgery, often called Lipoplasty or Body Contouring, is a cosmetic surgical procedure that removes excess fat from particular body regions, like the abdomen, hips, thighs, buttocks, arms, or neck for men and women. Otherwise, a person cannot get rid of it through diet or exercise.
However, Liposuction surgery procedure isn't typically considered an overall weight-loss method or a weight-loss alternative. This cosmetic surgery doesn't improve cellulite dimpling or any other skin surface irregularities or remove stretch marks, but can be performed for breast reduction or treatment of gynecomastia.
During weight gain, fat cells increase in size and volume, so Liposuction surgery procedure helps to reduce the fat cells in a particular region. The amount of fat removed depends solely on the appearance of the site and the volume of fat. The resulting contour changes are generally permanent, as long as the weight remains steady.
After liposuction cosmetic surgery, the skin adapts itself to the new contours of the treated areas. Therefore, if a person has good skin tone and elasticity, the skin will likely appear smooth and vice versa.
- The criteria for patients to get this procedure done include:
- The patient has to be within 30% of their ideal weight
- The skin should be firm and elastic
- Non-smoker
- The patient has to be in good health, without any heart disease or diabetes
- Patient with a robust immune system
- Patient with good muscle tone
- Patients have fat deposits that won't give away with diet or exercise
The patient is thoroughly evaluated at least one to two weeks before undergoing the Liposuction Surgery, and all compulsory blood tests, medical history, physical measurements, and photographs are taken. In addition, the patient may need further evaluation, medical clearance from a primary physician, EKG, and other tests performed before the procedure, depending on the past and physical examination results.
There are various liposuction surgery techniques in use. However, the common thing among all these is the presence of a cannula, which is joined to a vacuum to pull out the fat easily from the body.
- Tumescent liposuction is the most commonly used technique. A sterile solution is injected into the projected area, from where the fat needs to be removed. It consists of saline, salt water, lidocaine, and epinephrine. This entire solution makes it easier to suction the fat with less blood loss and pain.
- Ultrasound-assisted liposuction (UAL): It uses sound wave energy under the skin to breach the cell walls of the fat and hence liquefies the fat so it can be suctioned out.
- Laser-assisted liposuction (LAL): This technique uses high-intensity laser light to eliminate fat molecules. During LAL, the doctor makes a small incision in the skin and inserts a laser fiber through that incision which combines fat deposits. The fat is then suctioned with the help of a cannula.
- Power-assisted liposuction (PAL): This technique uses a cannula that moves in a rapid back-and-forth motion, allowing the surgeon to pull out tough fat more efficiently and faster. PAL may sometimes cause less pain and swelling and enable the surgeon to precisely remove fat. This technique is preferred if large volumes of fat need to be removed or a previous liposuction procedure.
- Dry liposuction: In this method, fluid isn't injected before the fat is removed. This method is hardly used nowadays because it involves a higher risk of bruising and bleeding. Instead, it is performed with a cannula attached to a vacuum device with the help of a cannula. The cannula is then lodged into the treatment area, where it is moved in a back-and-forth direction to break up fat deposits and remove them from the body via suction.
- Wet liposuction: In this method, isotonic fluid, with or without local anaesthetic, is injected into the operative field to break up and loosen the fat deposits so a special cannula can remove them. The blood loss maybe about 10% to 30% of the released volume unless epinephrine is used; epinephrine decreases blood loss to about 15% of the volume removed.
- Twin cannula-assisted liposuction: Here, a tube-within-a-tube is used to remove the fat cells. The first cannula disrupts the fat cells and prepares them for easier suctioning. Next, the inner cannula is used to aspirate the fat. This technique is less likely to cause unnecessary damage to the patient's tissue when the cannula is moved back and forth.
There are several possible risks directly linked to liposuction surgery that you still have to consider, including:
- Bleeding
- Contour irregularities due to uneven fat removal
- Uneven fat removal. The liposuction process relies on fat being removed evenly and consistently across the area.
- Numbness.
- Accumulation of fluid.
- Skin infection or necrosis.
- Shock (usually from not getting enough fluid during surgery)
- Fluid accumulation under the skin)
- Infections
- Fat embolism
- Burns from instruments
- Reactions to lidocaine causing Heart and CNS problems
- Change in skin sensation and numbness
- Damage to nerves, blood vessels, muscles, lungs, and abdominal organs
- Blood clots
The recovery time differs for each patient. It varies from a few days with the tumescent liposuction surgery method to two weeks with the traditional liposuction surgery. Therefore, the patient should ask their surgeon to estimate the recovery period. Laser-assisted methods result in recovery in roughly the same time, depending on which technique is applied.
Although sometimes surgeons tend to use the tumescent form along with the laser, they claim that the laser technique results in less recovery time, but this is a result of the use of the tumescent process, which has a shortened recovery time compared to the traditional method.
Results can vary from minor improvement to significantly satisfying. This type of improvement depends on the kind of procedure performed, the hand skill of the doctor, and the laxity of the area before the surgery. However, most patients find this surgery very helpful, and most results are anticipated to be either good or excellent.