Liposuction Liposuction is the process of removing fat tissue from a specific part of the body -- most commonly the abdomen, flanks, lateral hips, and inside thighs -- by suctioning it out through a small canulas (metal tube) that is inserted under the skin. It should be stressed that liposuction is not a means of weight loss.
Patients should be within 10-20 percent of their ideal body weight and have good skin elasticity -- to allow the skin to retract after the fat is removed -- to be a good candidate for liposuction. Generally, younger patients do better than older (over 50) patients.
The Procedure Each area of the body to be worked on is done separately. Scarring is minimal since the incision required to insert the canulas is relatively small. Fat removal is typically limited to 5,000 grams (12 pounds) per session, as excess removal can be dangerous.
Each area of the body will generally take around an hour to complete, and several areas can be done during the same session as long as the 5,000 gram limit is not reached.
A girdle-like garment must be worn for about a month after the surgery in order to minimize swelling and allow the skin to redrape itself, but you can generally return to work after 7-10 days.
Drawbacks Scarring is minimal with a liposuction procedure, and complications are rare as long as it's not overdone. You will have some swelling and bruising, and your skin over the worked on areas may be numb for several weeks.
A touch up procedure is occasionally required, but can usually be done in office at no charge. However, if anaesthesia is required, then the touch up must be done in a surgical center.
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