LIPOSUCTION

Liposuction

Liposuction enables us to remove pockets of fat from those troublesome areas that do not respond to diet or exercise such as the:

• Abdomen
• Arms
• Buttocks
• Calves and ankles
• Chest and back
• Hips and thighs
• Neck

What is liposuction?

Liposuction enables us to remove pockets of fat from those troublesome areas that do not respond to diet or exercise. The extent of liposuction is limited by the possible loss of body fluids and blood. This is the reason why this procedure should not be considered as a general method for weight loss. The correction of body contours is not done only by removing fat but also by removing connective tissue fluid.

After the procedure the skin starts to conform around the treated area, depending on its elasticity. If the skin is not elastic enough, we can remove the excess skin with an additional procedure (a tummy tuck or a thigh lift) to achieve a visually pleasing result. All the additional methods will be explained to you separately, if required.
The removal of fat cells is permanent. But if you gain weight, the remaining fat cells can still grow and contribute to weight gain, so it will be noticeable even in treated areas.

Am I a Good Candidate?

You’ll want to have realistic expectations. Liposuction won’t get rid of cellulite, so if you hoped you’d come out of surgery without any, you’re out of luck.

Liposuction is a surgical procedure, and with it comes risks. So you need to be in good health before you get it. That means you must at least:

• Be within 30% of your ideal weight
• Have firm, elastic skin
• Not smoke

Our doctors don’t recommend the procedure if you have health problems with blood flow or have heart disease, diabetes, or a weak immune system.

How to prepare for liposuction surgery?

To keep the risks of surgery as low as possible, it is important to follow these recommendations.
Talk to your doctor about all the medicines you take. Medicines that interfere with blood clotting (which are often contained in pain killers or drugs for flu) may cause bleeding. Ask your doctor, which medicines you are allowed to use before your surgery.

Nicotine causes slower blood circulation, so it may cause disruption or disorders in the circulation in treated area. In combined with some methods of birth control (contraceptive pills) it increases the risk of blood clotting and thrombosis. You should give up smoking at least two weeks before the surgery and avoid consuming nicotine at least until the wound has healed.

What happens during liposuction surgery?

The surgery can be performed under local anesthesia, along with intravenous sedation, or general anesthesia depending on your health, the extent of the procedure and whether you are having other procedures at the same time. All the details and risks of those methods will be explained to you separately.
Sometimes, if the chosen method recalls, an injection is made to the area about to be treated in order to prepare fat cells for liposuction.

Incisions are rarely longer than a couple of centimeters and they are hidden in the natural junctions on your body or places that can later be covered by clothes, so the scars will not be noticeable. Next, a special instrument is inserted into the adipose tissue. With this instrument a surgeon removes unwanted fat by liquefying the fat via sound waves (ultrasonic assisted liposuction) and/or a vacuum pump (tumescent liposuction).

After liposuction surgery you will need to wear an elastic compression garment (which resembles a girdle) to avoid swelling and pain and help the skin conform to your new figure. All the stitches dissolve on their own and they will not have to be removed. With longer incisions, we will need to insert small tubes to drain the fluids from the incision.

What to expect during recovery?

It is very important for every patient to help maintain the results of liposuction. Please make sure to follow these suggestions for better recovering.
You should try to walk as soon as one day after surgery to reduce swelling and prevent blood clots from forming.

You will need to wear a special garment the first weeks or months after surgery, which will help to reform the tissue.
Avoid any kind on physical effort the first three or four weeks after surgery. You should give up sports for two months. These limits may vary, depending on the scale of your surgery. Specify the time of recovery with your doctor.
Do not sunbathe for long periods, two or three weeks after surgery, because this will slow down the recovery. It also can cause the scars to turn permanently brown.
Discuss options for continued care (massage, ointments) with your doctor.

What should I expect from liposuction surgery?

The number of fat cells in an adult stays constant. After puberty weight losses and gains depend on how much the fat cells expand in size and nutrition. Liposuction permanently removes fat cells. As the number of fat cells is constant, the surgery has permanent results. But the changes in body contour are still possible.

Liposuction surgery results depend among other factors on your general health, weight and hormone balance. Weight gain, especially caused by nutrition, can lead to expanding fat cells even in the treated area. Temporary wavy irregularities or lumps, which usually disappear in one year, can also occur. On rare occasions corrective surgery is called for.
Like every aesthetic surgery you may need corrective surgery if the results of the first surgery are not as expected or because of impaired wound healing, infection, bleeding or aesthetically unsatisfying results.