Remove unwanted fat without conventional liposuction methods

Liposuction surgery is the removal of unwanted bulges created by excess localized fat deposits. A suction tube is inserted through tiny nicks placed in an inconspicuous location and removes the unwanted fat by a high-pressure vacuum. There are no incisions made.

The most common areas treated are the upper outer thighs known as “saddle bags” or “riding breeches”, the tummy, followed by the flanks and love handles in men. Other areas that are also treated are facial accumulations of fat, double chins, hips, buttocks, thighs, knees, and ankles. For men, this procedure can be used to correct gynecomastia (enlarged breasts).

Athletic individuals who are already on an exercise program and of normal body weight are considered ideal for this treatment. However anyone with an accumulation of fat that they can pinch can be a candidate. Usually, they have done just about everything possible to lose the unwanted, localized fat accumulation. In general, the most important thing is that they have realistic expectations of what they can achieve. Age, by itself, is not a significant factor. Many patients who are in their 60’s and even 70’s have had the procedure done and have been delighted with the outcome. The patient should be in good general health without significant heart or lung problems. This technique is not a substitute for weight loss. There is a limit to how much fat that can be removed safely at one time.

Contrary to sensationalistic misrepresentation in the lay press, liposuction surgery has been shown to be a very safe procedure with very few complications. A 1984 review article of over 5,000 cases of liposuction surgery published in the Journal of Cosmetic Surgery revealed no serious complication and a very low percentage of minor problems (i.e. temporary swelling, irregularity, numbness, etc.). As of January 1989, there haven’t been a single significant complication reported anywhere in the world from liposuction done with local anesthetic.

All cases performed in the office under local anesthesia with an option to take oral medication for relaxation. If medication is taken the patient is not allowed to drive home.

The recovery time varies with how many areas are treated and the type of activity the patient intends to resume. Most patients are performing duties after one or two days, but in rare cases, five or six days of recovery time may be necessary.

We apply a dressing and a compression garment which you remove the next morning. Special compression garments are worn under clothing for at least one week. These garments are made specifically for this procedure.

Once puberty is reached, no new fat cells develop. The fat cells either swell or shrink in size depending upon weight gain or loss. When fat cells are removed from a treated area, they do not return. If you gain weight, fat will be deposited somewhere, but generally not in the areas of liposuction surgery. Liposuction surgery is indeed the only true spot reducer. Long-term body weight, however, is not influenced by liposuction.

Skin is a dynamic organ that has elasticity and in most cases is able to shrink and accommodate the new body contour. Those who are poor candidates for liposuction surgery because of decreased skin elasticity can have the excess skin removed if they so desire at a later date. In my experience, this is almost never necessary.

Yes. There is a maximum limit to the amount of fat that can be extracted during the operation. In some instances, you may want to repeat or have more removed at another time. I generally will not retreat an area for three months but other areas can be treated in as little as 2 weeks.

Any surgery involves the risk of infection, bleeding, scarring or serious injury, however, tumescent liposuction has an amazingly good safety record. One of the reasons that tumescent liposuction is so safe is that neither general anesthesia nor significant IV sedation is required. A recent survey involving over 15,000 patients who had tumescent liposuction without general anesthesia revealed no serious complications, no serious infection, no hospitalizations, no blood transfusions, and no deaths. The greatest risks of liposuction are those associated with general anesthesia. By eliminating general anesthesia, the risks of liposuction are dramatically reduced. Patients can minimize the risk of surgical complications by not taking medications or over-the-counter preparations that might adversely affect the surgery. Patients should inform the surgeon of any medications being taken either regularly, or occasionally, including herbal remedies and dietary supplements.

Tumescent liposuction using microcannulas is the least likely to cause any significant or noticeable post-surgical irregularities of the skin. By magnifying the fatty compartment, the tumescent technique permits more accurate removal of fat, with greater assurance that the liposuction cannula will not inadvertently approach too near the undersurface of the skin and thereby cause irregularities. Thus the tumescent technique helps to minimize the risk of post-surgical irregularities or rippling of the skin. Liposuction might improve pre-existing irregularities of the skin such as dimpling or cellulite, but prospective patients should not assume that there will be a significant improvement. It is unrealistic to expect perfectly smooth skin. Patients should expect that their skin will have approximately the same degree of dimpling and irregularities as existed before tumescent liposuction surgery. A casual observer should not notice any evidence of surgical irregularities of the skin. However, it is possible that a noticeable irregularity of skin may result. If an irregularity occurs, it may require a corrective procedure for which there will be a fee to cover the operating room and nursing staff expenses. Because skin tends to lose some of its elasticity with increasing age and with cumulative sun exposure, older patients may notice an increase of fine wrinkles in areas such as the upper abdomen and neck after liposuction.

Incisions for liposuction may result in scarring. Tiny (3 to 4 millimeter) round holes in the skin, called adits, are used for inserting the cannulas through the skin and into the fat. Typically, when adits heal they become virtually invisible. Although you may be able to find them upon close examination, most other people would not be able to see them. Some patients may experience hyperpigmentation (darkening) that usually fades after several months. Some patients may have a genetic predisposition for persistent discoloration at incision sites. Anyone who has previously experienced hyperpigmentation or hypopigmentation (pale or light colored scars) of the skin in the past might expect to also experience it with liposuction adits or incisions. Certain areas of the body, such as the back or upper flanks, may be more likely to have pigmentation changes.

Liposuction of the thighs, while improving the silhouette, does not necessarily eliminate the subtle “puckering” of the skin often called “cellulite”. Cellulite results from the pull off fibrous tissue that connects the skin to underlying muscle. While tumescent liposuction may reduce the degree of cellulite, it is unlikely to eliminate it. Liposuction should not worsen cellulite.

Liposuction can produce some irregularities of the skin which can be visible under certain conditions of lighting. In general, the smoothness of the skin is much improved after microcannula liposuction. These are usually rather subtle and imperceptible to the casual observer. It is reasonable to expect significant improvement, but the results are rarely perfect.

Liposuction is not an appropriate treatment for obesity. Liposuction is not a substitute for a prudent diet, good nutrition, and regular exercise. Obese patients may be good candidates for limited liposuction if their goal is simply to improve the shape of certain limited areas of the body. Obesity is associated with an increased risk of surgical complications.

Normal healing after tumescent liposuction involves a limited but definite degree of soreness, swelling, bruising, itching and lumpy firmness. A temporary mild numbness, itching or burning of the skin may persist for 2 to 10 months. Most patients can actually see some improvement of their silhouette immediately. However, because of the slow resolution of post-surgical swelling, the ultimate results following liposuction usually require 12 to 20 weeks to be achieved.

Although the results of liposuction are often quite spectacular, it is not realistic to expect perfection. It is impossible to guarantee the precise amount of improvement that will result from liposuction. Patients should not have unrealistic expectations. Although patients can usually expect to achieve at least 50 to 75% improvement, it is unreasonable to expect 95% improvement or near perfection. For the perfectionist, or for liposuction of a very large area, maximum improvement may require a second procedure for which there would be an additional fee. Patients who would be satisfied with a 75% improvement would be reasonably good candidates for liposuction. The “75% improvement” is intentionally a vague measure. It indicates a definitely perceptible improvement, but something short of perfection. If a 75% improvement would make a patient happy, then it is likely that these expectations will be met. Our patients generally achieve more than a 50% improvement.

The fat cells that are removed by liposuction do not grow back. If the patient later gains or loses weight, the change tends to be distributed proportionately over the entire body. For the best results, the patient’s post-op weight should be less than the pre-op weight. Although one can expect some changes with aging, provided that the patient does not gain large amounts of weight, the patient’s new, more pleasing silhouette is relatively permanent.