Liposuction

Liposuction (lipoplasty, fat modeling) is one of the most popular cosmetic surgical procedures available to men and women today. It is a body sculpting technique that removes stubborn fat deposits and can be carried out on almost any part of the body.

Liposuction body procedures are in no way limited. Some people choose to remove small amounts of fat from their face or large amounts of fat from their abdomen and thighs. Liposuction employs an aspirator (suction device) and a cannula (hollow tube) to remove the fat.

Liposuction is often done at the same time as other plastic surgery procedures such as breast reduction, tummy tuck or face lift. It is not a weight loss surgery but a method of fat removal that can give your body slimmer contours. You need to be close to your ideal weight in order to be a good candidate for liposuction. Patients should also be healthy and secure individuals.

Since liposuction first started being carried out 20 years ago, the procedure has been refined and various liposuction techniques have been developed. The technique used on a patient will depend on how much fat they want removed and the body location they want it removed from.

Although liposuction is a common cosmetic surgery, it can still be a rather expensive one. More and more patients are choosing to travel overseas for treatment because the cost of liposuction abroad is more inexpensive.

Patients can combine treatment with an amazing holiday and save money. Many facilities cater for their medical tourists by offering them attractive packages that include transport, accommodation, treatment and aftercare.

Liposuction can help an individual achieve the silhouette they desire but it will not dramatically change their whole body shape. Patients need to exercise regularly and eat well to maintain the results of liposuction.

It is important to have realistic expectations of this treatment and what it can and can’t do for you. Save in mind that the complete results of your liposuction will not be obvious for a few weeks and can even take a couple of months. However, you will be able to resume your regular life before this time.

A Good Candidate for Liposuction

The correct reason for wanting to have this treatment is necessary because liposuction is something that requires careful consideration. When you first go for your consultation with a plastic surgeon, he or she will explain the procedure to you and make sure you understand the entire process.

The surgeon will also try to establish if you are a good candidate for liposuction by making sure you understand and accept the liposuction risks and side effects. To be a good candidate for liposuction you need to have realistic expectations of what this treatment can help achieve for you. You must understand that liposuction is not a weight loss treatment but a body sculpting method. You also need to be close to your ideal weight and more concerned with targeting specific fat deposits.

As you approach the liposuction procedure, you should have lost most of the weight you wanted to. Your weight should have been stable for at least six months before treatment.

Obese and overweight patients cannot undergo liposuction. They are at surgically risks and there are limits to the amount of fat that can be removed from an individual. Men and women are both good candidates for liposuction but women tend to have softer, less fibrous fat deposits that make them easier to remove.

Old and young individuals are good candidates for liposuction as long as they have elastic skin. Older patients may not be operated on because liposuction will leave them with saggy and loose skin. Younger patients need to be at least 18 and emotionally mature enough to have treatment.

A person wanting treatment for cellulite or stretch marks is not a good candidate for liposuction because this treatment will not give them the results they desire. Indeed, patients with these conditions may experience drastic conflicting results.

You need to be a healthy, non-smoking individual on a healthy diet and exercises regularly. Patients with particular conditions such as diabetes, heart or lung disease will not be good candidates because it is dangerous. Patients on medications that may affect their treatment or liposuction recovery may have to explore alternatives.

A good candidate for liposuction is emotionally stable and does not have severe body image issues. The surgeon needs to know that you want treatment for the right reasons and are not doing it because of pressure from people around you.

Areas of the Body for Liposuction

Men and women approach liposuction differently. The liposuction body area procedures that women choose to focus on include: abdomen, breasts, hips, thighs, arms, buttocks and parts of their face.

The liposuction body area procedures that men tend to focus on include: abdomen, flanks, breasts (male breast reduction) and parts of their face.

Types of Liposuction Body Area:

Abdominal Liposuction Both men and women endure abdominal liposuction. It is usually carried out in conjunction with a tummy tuck or abdominal etching. Generally, this liposuction body area procedure is easier to perform on women because the abdominal fat is softer and less fibrous than a man.

Leg and Ankle Liposuction Fat around your legs and ankles is particularly difficult to get rid of. This is because it is usually a result of your genes and not necessarily acquired by putting on weight. If you find that dieting and exercise does not help remove the fat in this area, superficial liposuction is a good way to target leg and ankle fat deposits.

Arm Liposuction This liposuction body procedure is particularly common amongst women. Women are often concerned that their arms look too fat and saggy. Rather than getting an arm lift which can leave behind unpleasant scars, they choose to get arm liposuction. Plastic surgeons remove fat from the entire circumference of the arm rather than just certain areas. This leads to a more natural result.

Back Liposuction Some Individuals have fat deposits on different parts of their back. Liposuction is carried out on these areas. Plastic surgeons have to be very careful with this liposuction body procedure because too much or too little can easily lead to irregularities.

Female Breast Liposuction Breast reduction is carried out on women with large breasts and usually involves a combination of liposuction and surgery. Women who have large fat deposits in their breasts (rather than excess breast tissue) can choose to get female breast liposuction.

Male Breast Liposuction Male breast reduction is a plastic surgery procedure that also involves a combination of liposuction and surgery. If a man has more fatty tissue than glandular tissue in his breast area, he can undergo male breast liposuction. If he has the condition gynecomastia, traditional surgery is introduced.

Buttock Liposuction This particular liposuction body area procedure uses a small cannula so that the results are smooth and accurate. Buttock liposuction targets fat deposits in the buttock area but it does not lift the buttocks – that is another plastic surgery procedure called a buttock lift.

Face and Neck Liposuction Some men and women feel that they have fat deposits around their face and on their neck. This type of liposuction targets these smaller areas using tiny cannulas and can be an alternative to the traditional face lift, which is a much more invasive procedure.

Male Flank Liposuction Men desiring a more streamlined profile choose this liposuction body area to target their ‘love handles.’ One of the problems with male flank liposuction is that men tend to have very fibrous fat which is much harder to remove than soft fat.

Thigh Liposuction Thigh liposuction is very popular with women and relatively easy to carry out because of the large deposits of soft fat in the area. Too much fat removal is not recommended because it results in awkward looking irregularities. Liposuction is often performed around the knees as well so that the contours are continued. Thigh liposuction is usually carried out in stages so leg swelling can be avoided.