Liposuction is a procedure designed to reshape specific areas of the body by removing excess fat deposits. It can be done in almost any area with excess fat, improving your body contours and proportions almost immediately. The fat that is removed can be used to sculpt other areas of the body, such as the buttocks.
Typical areas that have excess fat deposits (that are treatable by liposuction) include the thighs, hips and buttocks, abdomen and waist, upper arms, back, inner knee, chest area, calves, and ankles.
The average duration of the procedure is 3 hours, depending on the areas of the body where the procedure is done. It can also be combined with other plastic surgery procedures for improvement of different areas. Regional anesthesia is used and recovery time is 7 to 10 days.
Who is a candidate?
Ideal liposuction candidates are within 30% of their ideal weight and have firm, elastic skin and good muscle tone. They should have realistic expectations about the range of cosmetic outcomes from the procedure, and typically are bothered by excess fat deposits that do not respond to diet or exercise.
Who is not a candidate?
Candidates who smoke or have serious conditions that interfere with the regular healing process are not good candidates for a liposuction.
Preparation
Like other procedures, liposuction requires certain general surgery procedures such as preoperative blood testing, medications, and cessation of smoking or use of pain relievers and anti-inflammatory drugs.
Recovery
Patients typically experience swelling or bruising, and are required to wear a compression garment or elastic bandages to control swelling and help contour the body during the healing process. There may be bruising, swelling and soreness for a few weeks, but patients generally return to work within two weeks of surgery.
Risks
As with any surgery, there are risks of complications related to infection or adverse reactions to anesthesia. A proper assessment of every patient, along with complete lab work, will help prevent postoperative complications. After healing, scars are handled with special treatments to minimize their appearance.
Average US cost