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The goal of having a well-proportioned body may seem unreachable to many. Even with exercise and diet, some are unable to eliminate certain areas of excess fat. For those who want to have an improved body contour, liposuction may be the answer.
 Liposuction (lipoplasty) is a surgical procedure that is successful in removing deposits of excess fat from specific areas. Those areas may include the body, face, or neck. Many have found liposuction a viable option to slim the hips and thighs, flatten the abdomen area, contour the calves and ankles, and reduce or eliminate a double chin.
Other body contouring techniques such as abdominoplasty (tummy tuck), body and thigh lifts, and arm lifts may be required in conjunction with liposuction or separately depending on certain factor that will be explained below.
Liposuction is best performed on people of normal weight who have the desire to improve their body contour. It is a viable option and can yield excellent results for those who have the following feelings or conditions:
- For those who have excess fat deposits that make certain areas appear disproportionately large
- For men, liposuction can also be used to treat male breast enlargement or gynecomastia
- Although liposuction is not a treatment for obesity, it may sometimes be the only option to eliminate fat deposits that are not responding well to diet and exercise
- If you desire contouring or fat removal in any of the following areas:
- cheeks, chin, or neck
- upper arms
- breast area or chest area
- back
- abdomen or waist
- hips or buttocks
- thigh area
- inner knee
- calves or ankles
People of almost any age may opt for liposuction however those with good skin elasticity will achieve the best results with a smooth contour after excess fat is removed.
Abdominoplasty, body, thigh and arm lift procedures are better suited for individuals with poor skin elasticity and in the case of a tummy tuck, poor muscle tone and abdominal contour.
- Patients who have lost a significant number of pounds either with diet or after weight reduction surgery are more likely to need these types of body “tightening “ procedures.
- After multiple pregnancies, skin on the abdomen may be loose or have many stretch marks and the muscles that run down the center of the abdomen may have separated. These conditions are better treated with a tummy tuck rather than with liposuction.
Knowing what liposuction can and cannot do is important in your decision process. It is important for you to know that liposuction cannot serve as a substitute for dieting and exercise. It is also not an effective treatment for cellulite (the condition that gives a dimpled appearance to the skin). Liposuction has been an effective process for sliming the hips, thighs, inner knee, calves, and ankles. Patients have been pleased to see the results when liposuction helped flattened their abdomen, removed fat from the underarm area, and reduced or eliminated the double chin. Contouring the body is a realistic result you can expect from liposuction.
Liposuction can be performed on multiple areas of the body at the same time. Liposuction can also be performed in conjunction with other cosmetic surgery procedures. If you desire multiple procedures, Dr. Stevens will discuss whether it is a safe option for you.
It is important that you fully disclose to Dr Stevens your current and past health conditions and history including previous surgical procedures, current medications, and use of vitamins, herbal supplements, nutritional supplements, alcohol, tobacco, and drugs. It is also imperative that you disclose medical conditions such as thyroid disorders (such as Graves’ disease), un-active or over-active thyroid, cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, circulatory disorders, diabetes, or any previous surgeries that you have had in or near the area to be contoured.
A personal consultation is the first step for every patient considering body contouring. During this meeting, Dr Stevens will assess your physical and emotional health and discuss your specific cosmetic goals for surgery.
During the consultation, you will learn what surgical options are available for you and how those options can improve the contour of your body. You will also share your goals and discuss likely outcomes of surgery. You will share your health history, discuss the potential risks and complications, and all your questions will be answered.
You will receive a recommended course of treatment based on your anatomy, the condition you wish to have corrected, what is causing the condition, and your realistic goals for improvement. Dr. Stevens will help you understand the factors that may affect your results. For example, gaining or losing a significant amount of weight may change your body contour and skin elasticity. As part of the consultation, you will be examined and perhaps photographed for your medical record.
Any discomfort you may feel can be controlled with medication prescribed by Dr Stevens. In the case of an abdominoplasty or body lift, a thin catheter will be inserted under your skin this is attached on the outside to a special non-narcotic pain pump. An elastic bandage or specially designed compression garment may have been applied over the treated areas to control swelling and assist healing. After a routine liposuction, you will be able to remove the garment for showering on the third post-operative day. In general, the garments are worn for a total of three weeks.
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 that your recovery will follow this general time line:
- The swelling will reach it’s peak and then begin to subside.
- Your stitches will be removed.
- The drain will be removed if you have had a body lift or Abdominoplasty.
- You may return to nonstrenuous work.
- Bruises will fade and eventually disappear.
- Areas that felt numb will regain normal sensation.
- You may resume most of your normal exercise and activities.
- Swelling will continue to subside.
- You may notice that clothes fit more comfortably and you will feel more confident about your new, slimmer appearance.
Quite soon after surgery you will see a noticeable difference in the shape of your body. However, improvement will become even more apparent after a couple of months, when fluid retention and swelling have subsided. For most patients, the final result is evident after about three months.
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 their weight distributes itself more evenly and does not settle in the same “problem areas.” |
