Answers To Common Liposuction Questions

Who are the best candidates for liposuction?
Should I diet and exercise to lose weight before or after liposuction?
Is liposuction a replacement for diet and exercise?
What happens if I gain weight after liposuction?
What is the most important decision for a patient when considering body sculpting?
What are the available techniques for liposuction?
What is tumescent liposuction?
What is the most common technique for suctioning fat?
What is ultrasonic liposuction?
What is power-assisted liposuction?
Which technique of liposuction is best for me?
Is liposuction safe?
Does liposuction hurt?
How much time do I need to take off from work?

	Who are the best candidates for liposuction? The best candidates for liposuction are healthy patients with localized deposits of fat and good skin elasticity. Should I diet and exercise to lose weight before or after liposuction? Liposuction is an excellent way to change body contours, but it is most effective when the treatment can be focused on a few problematic areas. o
Liposuction is best used as a treatment for diet-resistant areas of fat rather than diffuse collections of fat.

What happens if I gain weight after liposuction?

When fat cells are removed through liposuction, those cells never return. If the patient consumes more calories than are burned, however, those extra calories are stored as fat in the remaining cells. The areas treated with liposuction will never be as prominent as they would have been, but the patient will likely have a generalized increase in size. It is best that weight gain be avoided after surgery.

What is the most important decision for a patient when considering body sculpting?

Choosing a surgeon is the most important decision a patient makes when choosing to have body sculpting. The patient should make sure that the surgeon is experienced in liposuction and has done a large number of cases. 

What are the available techniques for liposuction?

Tumescent liposuction, ultrasonic liposuction and power-assisted liposuction are the three main classifications of liposuction techniques.

What is tumescent liposuction?

Tumescent liposuction is the pretreatment of the fatty tissues with a dilute solution of local anesthetic and adrenaline. This was a major advance approximately fifteen years ago because it substantially reduced blood loss and improved patient comfort. 

What is the most common technique for suctioning fat?

The most commonly employed method for removing fat is tumescent liposuction. The surgeon's own arm movement transmits force to the rigid suction cannula and disrupts clusters of fat cells. The vacuum suction device then removes the loose fat. This technique is still the most commonly used worldwide, and has been found to be the safest as well. 

What is ultrasonic liposuction?

Ultrasonic liposuction transmits high-energy sound waves to fat cells, causing the cells to rupture. This liquefied fat is then removed through the basic liposuction technique. The ultrasound energy may be transmitted from an external or an internal source. Ultrasonic liposuction was first used in the early 1990's and was a major advance in treating fibrous areas (such as the chest or flanks) and previously treated areas. However, there are several important disadvantages to ultrasound that make it inferior to tumescent technique. The ultrasound is a high-energy system and is more likely to damage the adjacent tissues such as the skin and nerves. Its complication rate is higher. It also is more time-consuming than other liposuction techniques and extends the length of operations.

What is power-assisted liposuction?

Power-assisted liposuction was first used in the late 1990's. The suction cannula is powered so that it vibrates while it suctions. This technique has its disadvantages and high rate of complication and is inferior to tumescent technique.

Which technique of liposuction is best for me?

This decision should be made in a personal consultation with your plastic surgeon that specializes in liposuction. Research and experience have shown that tumescent technique should be the first choice because of its extreme safety and desirable results.

Is liposuction safe?

Liposuction is safe when performed by a well-qualified surgeon who is experienced with the latest techniques in liposuction. Plastic surgeons generally have a lower complication rate with liposuction than with any other major cosmetic surgery procedure. Dermatologic cosmetic surgeons have the best record when it comes to safety and complications.

Does liposuction hurt?

Patients who have liposuction do experience discomfort, but the tumescent techniques have reduced it. The areas to be sculpted are treated with local anesthetic solution that minimizes pain in the hours following the operation. 

How much time do I need to take off from work?

Most patients are able to return to work within 2-3 days of liposuction surgery. For patients who have many areas treated or who have physically very active jobs, it is better to rest for at least one week after surgery.