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Candidates: Liposuction
is a procedure for women and men who are of relatively normal weight but have deposits
of localized fat in certain areas of the body that do not respond to dieting or
exercise. Liposuction is the way to eliminate them. Liposuction is not a treatment
for obesity. Candidates of almost any age can benefit from this procedure, providing
their skin is elastic enough to retract to the normal position. Patients with loose
flaccid skin might have to undergo a combined procedure, which involves skin resection.
Patients who also have depressions in their bodies can benefit from liposculpture.
Fat can be injected to improve contour.
Objective: To improve cheeks, jowls, neck, arms, breast, back, abdomen, waist,
hips and buttocks, inner and outer thighs, knees, calves and ankles. It can also
be used to treat the male breast enlargement, or gynecomastia. It can be performed
on several areas of the body at the same time, or together with other aesthetic
plastic surgery.
Incisions and technique: Fat is removed through a small hollow tube, called
cannula, inserted through one or more small incisions near the area to be suctioned.
Incisions are usually 4 to 8-mm long and are often hidden in skin folds or lines.
For liposculpture the aspirator was substituted by disposable syringes connected
to the cannula to aspirate the excess fat. With syringe liposculpture and we can
measure precisely how much fat is aspirated and there is the possibility of re-injecting
fat. Fat can be injected in the face to smooth folds and wrinkles and in the body
to improve contour of areas such as buttocks, thighs, hips, legs, ankles and hands.
Superficial liposculpture allows us to remove more fat and improve body contour
of patients with a more flaccid skin tone. For fibrous body areas an external ultrasound
machine may be used to "melt" the fat before aspiration.
Length: 1 to 3 hours.
Anesthesia: Local with sedation. Tumescent anesthesia made the procedure
safer.
In/Outpatient: Usually outpatient. Extensive procedures may require short
inpatient stay.
Risks: Significant complications from liposuction are infrequent. Potential
complications are asymmetry, rippling, and pigmentation of the skin, bleeding, infection
and problems with anesthesia. Temporary numbness of the skin and hematomas (blood
accumulations) are possible mild complications. Irregularities of the skin can happen
in some patients, but can be treated if necessary. More serious complications involve
loss of fluid or blood that can provoke shock, although this is now very rare with
the tumescent anesthesia. Infection is very rare.
Recovery: Walking a mile: two days. Temporary mild pain, especially in the
first 48 hours can be treated with analgesics. Swelling, soreness, numbness, bruising
usually last a few weeks. Dressings are applied on the small incisions. There will
be a leak of the anesthetic fluid through the incisions in the first 24 hours. Dressings
will be changed daily. Shower is allowed after 24 hours. You may have to wear a
girdle for a few weeks. Stitches will be removed between the 5th and 7th day. Back
to work: 2 to 3 weeks. Exercise and sunbathing: 4 to 6 weeks or more. Fading and
flattening of the little scars: 3 months to 2 years.
Duration of Results: If the weight remains the same results should be permanent,
especially when combined with diet and exercise.
Details: Liposuction improves body contour and increases self-confidence.
The results may take a few months to show because there is the possibility of fluid
retention following surgery with prolonged swelling. Occasionally, a secondary procedure,
or "touchup" may be indicated to improve certain areas, most times under
local anesthesia. A special massage, called manual lymphatic drainage helps with
the swelling and bruising in the post-operative period, increasing comfort.
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