A Guide to Liposuction

Posted on July 28, 2010 by admin

A Guide to Liposuction

Getting a perfect body is not an easy task. And even for people that take diets very seriously and that exercise and undergo fitness programs on regular basis are unable to get rid of that extra little bit of fat that does not seem to move at all. This is where treatments like liposuction come in handy.

Liposuction is a treatment that will help you get rid of any kind of extra fat from any part of the body however, the most common areas that get treated are the hips, abdomen, thighs and buttocks and the face as well.

What is involved in the procedure?

The procedure to remove the fat by liposuction is done with a cannula or a steel instrument which is used to suck the excess fat which is deposited between the skin and the muscles on the specific area which is being treated. The patient is given anesthesia in the area, however this depends very much on the kind of treatment that is being given and the area as well. The patient may have to stay in the hospital overnight if the area being covered is large, otherwise, if you are having a small procedure, you may be discharged the same day.

What should you know about the procedure?

It is very important to find the right kind of surgeon with the proper experience to have these kinds of treatments done. Once you have come across a person you can trust, it is important to take a consultation with him and get all the information you require like the risks involved, the kind of treatment you will need depending on your skin type, how will this treatment affect the rest of your system, especially if you suffer from any kind of chronic disease or take any kind of medications on regular basis, and also whether you take any herbal medications and vitamins. Your doctor may advice you to stop taking some of these medications for some time until the treatment is done.

Who is considered to be a good candidate for liposuction?

A person who is very realistic about the outcome of these kinds of treatments and who is very open to the outcomes of the results will be considered to be the best candidate for the treatment. Also, the person should have a general good health, have good skin conditions which allow the skin to be elastic and should not be overweight. Also, he or she will be a person that has been trying very hard to get rid of this extra weight but has not been successful as the fat has not responded to the diet and exercise.

Age is not really considered to be a concern when it comes to this kind of treatment, however, the results may vary due to the fact that elder people will have skin which is not so elastic anymore and younger people will have better results from this point of view.

However, people with cellulite will not be considered to be very good candidate for this kind of treatment as the suction may actually aggravate the skin conditions and therefore liposuction is normally not done in people that have cellulite or other skin problems as well.

What is the recovery time after the treatment?

Normally, this is a very simple procedure and although you may experience swelling and soreness around the area where the treatment was done, you should be able to return to work within a few days and become totally normal within two weeks time maximum. Results will vary depending on the amount of fat removed and the area and also on the ability of your body to cope with the changes.

Can this be considered to be a permanent treatment?

Liposuction is a treatment that will get rid of the extra fat cells in a specific area of the body permanently. It has also been found that once you have undergone the treatment, if you start to put on weight, you may not be putting on weight in the same area again. However, this does not mean that you will not put on weight again and that you will not have to take the necessary measures to make sure you keep on a balanced diet and exercise regime to make sure you don’t put on weight again and you maintain your body shape.

Are there any risks involved in the procedure?

Like all kinds of surgeries, liposuction also carries the small amount of risks involved in a surgery like infections and skin discoloration; however, it has been found that if this procedure is done in the right environment with the right kind of equipment and professional intervention, the risks in this procedure are very minimal. Some of the facts that good surgeons will avoid would include long procedures and to avoid removing excessive amount of fat.

Is this a procedure that is covered by insurance?

Normally, liposuction is considered to be a cosmetic surgery and therefore it is not covered by any insurance policies. However, you can always try and find out from your insurance company whether they have any clause which covers these treatments. It is also important to find out from the clinic you have chosen for this operation the fees and how they need to be handled to have all the right information.

It is important to be able to have all the information necessary to be able to choose the right cosmetic surgeon which will be able to guide you through the whole process right from the consultation point to the actual treatment to the measures that you need to take after the treatment is done. It is also important to note that the actual results of a liposuction may take months to be seen and therefore, it is important to know when you should start your normal routine and your fitness and exercise routine to allow your body to heal and shape in the way you want it to be.

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Thigh Liposuction

Posted on July 23, 2010 by admin

Thigh Liposuction

Thigh liposuction can help a person get the thighs they desire. A pair of shapely thighs can give a person a psychological boost and more of an incentive to get in the gym and exercise regularly. Some people have thighs that can rub together and that causes chaffing, which can be painful and not to mention quite annoying.

In the initial consultation you and the surgeon will discuss the changes to the body that you would like to make. The surgeon will explain the thigh liposuction procedure in depth with the patient. The surgeon will make a physical examination of the patient and ask for all medical history. This is a very important process to help ensure that there will not be any complications during surgery that could have been easily avoided. The doctor will check you weight, height, muscle tone and fat deposits.

Prior to the surgery, the surgeon will highlight precisely all the areas where the fat is to be removed from. The patient will get an IV to make sure that fluid levels in the body remain constant during the procedure. The surgeon will make a little incision in the patients skin, most likely it will be near the crease of he buttocks area. A tube called a cannula is inserted through the incision. It is used to break up the fat and to help sculpt the area. The fat is then removed with a vacuum.

Thigh liposuction typically will take between one and two hours to complete. In most cases this is an outpatient surgery. It can be inpatient if you have medical problems or are getting a large amount of fat removed at once. The surgery can be performed under general anesthesia, or local anesthesia. Local anesthesia can have light or heavy sedation. If the procedure is expected to take a long time, they will typically use general anesthesia.

After the surgery you will feel tired of maybe two days. This feeling can be compared to what you would feel after a long workout. The you will be given a compression garment that may have to be worn for as long as six weeks after the surgery. This garment is to help reduce swelling and pain from the surgery.

The swelling and bruising after liposuction can last up to three weeks. In most cases, you should be able to return to work in a few days.

When liposuction is performed the fat cells in the area are permanently removed. This is great and you will not regain weight in that area. You typically won’t see the full benefits of thigh liposuction until sic to twelve months after the surgery. However, you will notice visible results from your surgery within a few weeks.

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Hip Liposuction

Posted on July 23, 2010 by admin

Hip Liposuction

Healthy diet and exercise is the best way to slim down and loose problem areas such as flabby arms, stomach pooches, and wide hips. But sometimes due to genetics and other problems, these problem areas do not go away. At one point, the most anyone could do was accept the problem areas for what they were: qualities that were not going away. But today, with cosmetic surgery, seemingly permanent problem areas can quickly become great assets. The plastic surgery procedure that eliminates problem areas best is liposuction. In fact, liposuction is one of the most popular plastic surgeries in the world. Liposuction may very well be called, the miracle slimming solution.
One of the most popular areas to have the very popular cosmetic procedure is in the hip area. Essentially, anyone with excess fat in the hip area who has tried to eliminate the problem area through diet and exercise is a good candidate for receiving plastic surgery on the hips. The procedure effectively uses suction to draw out the fat cells leaving the hips smaller and firmer as though the area had been trimmed and toned down through exercise. With new medical technology hip liposuction can also completely sculpt the hip area, including the inner and outer thighs for more seamless and smoothed hips. The procedure is performed when a licensed and experienced plastic surgeon first injects an emulsion that loosens the fat cells and shrinks the blood vessels to cut down on bleeding. The surgeon then takes a thin tube attached to a suction devise and inserts it under the skin. The doctor then proceeds to push the suction tube back and forth to suck out the fat and sculpt the area.
Afterwards the hip liposuction surgery, the patient faces several weeks of recovery. However, after a few days to no more than two weeks, the patient may resume moderate activity such as returning to work. For at least four weeks the patient will have to wear a compression garment over the newly suctioned hips. There will usually be a lot of bruising that will fade in two weeks or less. Swelling will occur as well and will often go down after about two months. Pain will also occur, but it will last no more than two weeks and can be kept at bay through medication and keeping strenuous activity to a minimum.
As with any major invasive surgery, receiving liposuction does pose risks. Like most surgical procedures, some of them include post-surgery infection and allergic reactions to the components used during the surgery. Specific to liposuction, risks and side effects include irregularities and unevenness of the contouring (thus causing the hips to look strangely dimpled and bumpy and unevenly sagging), and skin and muscle damage. Such side effects can usually be avoided if a patient seeks an experienced surgeon trained and licensed in cosmetic procedures. There is also the risk of uneven contouring should the patient gain weight, but this can be avoided if the patient keeps a healthy diet and exercise routine.
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Knee Liposuction

Posted on July 23, 2010 by admin

Knee Liposuction – An Introduction

If you are one of the millions of people who suffer from that insufferable, and seemingly indestructible pocket of fat on your inner knee, then this article is just what you need to read. We will be discussing the cosmetic surgery procedure, knee liposuction; what it is, how it is done, what the risks are, and whether it might be right for you. After you invest a few moments to read this overview, you will have a better understanding of this procedure.

The inner thigh and knee area is one of the toughest parts of the body to get rid of that extra fat from. It is not uncommon for people to find that, no matter how hard they exercise and diet, and no matter how trim the rest of their body looks, they just cannot lose that last stubborn pocket of fat on the inner knee. These folks are the perfect candidates for knee liposuction; the surgical procedure for removing that fat pocket and restoring the proper shape of the leg.

The actual process of knee liposuction is normally done in the doctor’s office, and involves a very small instrument, called a cannula, being inserted through a small incision in the crease of the knee. A vacuum pump allows the surgeon to gently remove fat cells from the inner knee and inner thigh area. Because the instrument is very small, the normal recover time from the surgery is rather short. The patient will usually need to wear a brace on the knee for one or two weeks, and, although they may experience some stiffness for a month or two, they are usually able to use the joint normally after only a few weeks.

While the final effects of a well done knee liposuction procedure, a properly shaped leg without the previous fat pocket, are well worth the relatively minor inconveniences of recovery, they are not without risks. It is imperative that the surgeon make small incremental, changes to the area, and check his progress frequently to keep from removing too much of the fat. If too much fat is removed, the leg will be misshapen and lumpy which, of course, is the exact opposite of the desired result.

A good surgeon who is qualified to perform knee liposuction is well aware of the risks associated with the procedure. As with any medical procedure, you should always research the doctor you are considering, to determine their experience level and qualification to perform your cosmetic surgery. Just because a doctor is the cheapest, does not mean they are the best deal. Ask questions.

Now that you have a better understanding of what the procedure is, you are in a much better position to decide if it might be right for you. Your surgeon will be happy to consult with you on this question and help you determine if knee liposuction is in your best interest.

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Arm Liposuction

Posted on July 23, 2010 by admin

Arm Liposuction

Arm liposuction is almost exclusive to women; very few men ask to have this procedure done. Many women are unable to achieve the results that they’re looking for with exercise alone and turn to arm liposuction to help sculpt the perfect arms when exercise fails them. Arm liposuction can help reduce unsightly skin that hangs down and give arms a more toned and healthy appearance. Arm liposuction can also include the anterior and posterior fat pads, located near the arm pit on both the front and back.

The time it takes for arm liposuction depends on the technique that the surgeon uses as well as the amount of fat that needs to be removed. The typical time for the procedure usually runs one to two hours. The surgeon will make small incisions above the elbows as entry points for the cannulas. There are a few phases when having arm liposuction. For one, you the surgeon will usually visit you in your room and put marks on you to indicate where the incisions will go. Your IV will be started and you will be cleaned up with an antibacterial solution to prevent infection. Anesthesia is the next step. Most arm liposuction patients are treated with a local anesthesia to numb the arms. Shortly after anesthesia starts, the arm liposuction procedure will begin. Once it’s completed, a dressing is applied.

Immediately following the procedure, you’ll be taken to the recovery area where your vitals and your pain can be monitored. You may feel nausea, pain or even chills from the anesthesia. In recovery they’ll ask about your pain and discomfort and do what they can to make you feel better. Most surgeons will recommend that you get up and start walking as soon as you feel steady enough to do so. You can usually go home within a few hours after the procedure is done.

There will likely be swelling in your arms. For some, the swelling may be persistent and may be an issue for several weeks. Some people may find they need some help at home for a day or two following their procedure. Many people are able to return to work or their normal activities within 5 days to a week. It often can take as much as 3 to even 6 months to fully heal see the full results of your arm liposuction procedure. Rarely bleeding and/or infection may occur, there may be skin irregularities. These complications are uncommon but can occur.

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Neck Liposuction

Posted on July 23, 2010 by admin

Liposuction of the Neck

The procedure for liposuction in the neck area, is to remove fat from underneath the chin. It is used to reduce the look of a double chin. Most of the time this is done on an out-patient basis, but it depends on your health and the amount of fat there is to remove, you may have to stay in the hospital a couple of days.

Before your surgery, the doctor will mark the area where the fat is going to be removed. You will then be given an IV in your arm to make sure the fluid levels in your body stay at a healthy level during the surgery. Liposuction in the neck is preformed with a narrow tube called a cannula that is connected to a vacuum. The doctor will make a tiny incision under the chin or behind the ear lobes. The cannula is then inserted and is used to break up the fat and sculpt the neck area. The high pressure vacuum sucks out the unwanted fat. The surgery normal takes about an hour and is done under a local anesthetic. The pain during the operations is usually minimal, but you may feel pressure, movement or a vibrating sensation.

The type of people who would benefit from this procedure are ones that have fat pockets that are resistant to diet and exercise, have firm, elastic skin, do not fluctuate in their weight, have had no other surgeries in that area, are psychologically stable and ones that do not smoke.

Liposuction is a commonly performed surgery, but with all surgeries there are risks. Some of those risks are dimpling, lumpiness, scarring, discoloration and sagging skin. More serious complications include blood clots, infection, excessive fluid loss and fluid build-up in the lungs. To reduce some of the risks, it is important that you follow the doctor’s instruction, before and after surgery.

This type of procedure is not easy for most people to recover from. Immediately after the surgery you will have to wear a support garment for one to three weeks to make sure your neck stays firmly shaped. Also you may suffer from a sore neck, burning, swelling, numbness, crusting, bruising and bleeding. To relive the discomfort you may want to ask your doctor to prescribe medication. If you have stitches they will be removed in one week to ten days. Within two to three weeks the side effects should subside and you should see visible results from your surgery. It may take up to six months to a year to see the full effect, depending on how much fat was removed.

If you are considering having liposuction on your neck, it’s best to do as much research as you possible can on finding the right doctor for your procedure. Once you have found the right doctor, talk to him about any concerns you might have, so you will be completely happy with the results.

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Back Liposuction

Posted on July 23, 2010 by admin

Upper and Lower Back Liposuction Information

Liposuction of the upper and lower back is a cosmetic surgical procedure used to contour the body by removing excess fat.

The procedure is performed with a small incision made on the body where fat is to be removed. An instrument called a cannula is inserted into the incision where the fat deposits are located and breaks up the fat along with the area being shaped and contoured. Once the fat is broken up, a high-pressured vacuum will suction away the unwanted fat and the incision is closed.

Most people can benefit from liposuction of the upper and lower back. To be an ideal candidate, one must have realistic expectations about the outcomes of the surgery, be in good health, exercise regularly, are bothered by stubborn body fat, and are looking for reshaping not weight loss. Also, a good candidate will be well informed of the procedure, and does not have a medical condition such as diabetes or poor blood circulation.

After upper and lower back liposuction, the area of treatment will be bruised and swollen, but this subsides within three weeks. To speed the healing process, your doctor will encourage engaging in light activity as soon as possible, to reduce the chances of any post-operative complications. The typical full recovery time can last a few days to months, but depends on the size of the area treated. In less than a week, you should be able to return to work if it is in usually deskbound. You should continue to wear your compression garment until your doctor says it’s no longer necessary. The pain and discomfort after surgery is usually minor, and can be relieved with pain medication. After a couple weeks the compression garment can be removed and within six weeks most patients should be able to resume all normal activities. Liposuction of the upper and lower back varies from patient to patient, but most return to normal over the next several months.

Liposuction of the upper and lower back is a common surgical procedure. The majority of these operations are successful, but like all medical procedures upper and lower back liposuction does involve a certain amount of risks. Expected possible complications include bruising, numbing, and discomfort. Some patients may experience dimpling, scarring, lumpiness, discoloration, or sagging skin in the treated area. To correct these problems, follow-up surgery may be needed. More serious complications include infection, blood clots, damage to the skin or nerves, excessive fluid loss, damage to vital organs, scarring, fluid build-up, or an allergic reaction to medication or anesthesia. A combination of any of these increases the risk of serious complications, including death. Before and after surgery, all instructions should be following from the doctor in order to minimize these risks.

The after effects of upper and lower liposuction and visible results may not be seen until after six months to a year. Liposuction is not a substitution for weight loss. To maintain their new figures, patients should exercise frequently and maintain a well-balanced diet.

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Chin Liposuction

Posted on July 23, 2010 by admin

Chin Liposuction: A Procedure to Get Rid of the Double Chin

Having a double chin can dramatically affect the way a person looks. To get rid of a double chin many people are having chin liposuction done. Chin liposuction is a procedure where a man or a women can have excess fat removed from their chin. This procedure is especially helpful for people, who cannot get rid of their double chins no matter how much dieting or exercise they do.

During the chin liposuction procedure, small incisions are made in the chin. A tiny tube called a cannula is then inserted to remove excess fat . Frequency’s from the cannula help the fat to break down. Eventually the fat is pulled away in a machine that is similar to a vacuum.

Today, some people prefer to have chin liposuction done by a laser. With this method lasers are used to vaporize fat cells. The skin around the fat cells tightens during this processes. While many people prefer the laser method, it is not always as effective when there is a large amount of fat that needs to be removed. Both the traditional chin liposuction and laser chin liposuction procedures take anywhere from thirty to sixty minutes to be completed.

The recovery time for the chin liposuction is rather short. People who have the chin liposuction procedure done are advised not to engage in any strenuous activities for about three weeks. However, many people, who have the procedure done, return to work the day following the procedure. Chewing foods can be difficult for a couple of days after the procedure. People, who had the incisions on the inside of their mouth, will want to avoid eating raw foods for a few days to avoid the risk of infection. During the first few days after the procedure is done the patients face will be swollen. The swelling usually subsides within a week. During the first few days after the procedure it is a good idea to wear compression bandages to hold the treated area into place. With a week the stitches from the procedure should be able to be removed. Some doctors recommend that the treated area not be exposed to the sun for up to a year to help reduce the appearance of scaring.

The risks associated with chin liposuction are very minimal. Since a local anesthetic is used patients don’t need to worry about all of the risks that are associated with general anesthesia. There is a small risk of infection or lumpy skin with this procedure.

Anyone who is good health can be a candidate for chin liposuction. Many people who are considering having a full face lift like to see if they can get the results that they want without having such an invasive procedure done. People who want to have this procedure done should not have any medical conditions that would interfere with the surgery. Cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and asthma are just a few of the medical conditions that could interview with this procedure. Candidates for chin liposuction should also be mentally stable.

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Abdominal Liposuction

Posted on July 23, 2010 by admin

Abdominal Liposuction

A patient desiring abdominal liposuction has excess fat tissue removed from his or her abdomen, what is commonly known as the midriff, roughly from the area of the pelvic bones to the rib cage. Many patients feel this excess fat hinders mobility as well as being unsightly. When traditional exercise regimens fail, a patient may opt for a surgical solution.

A patient is administered general anesthesia when undergoing abdominal liposuction. They are put to sleep under the care of an anesthesiologist. Once the desired state of anesthesia is reached, a surgeon makes a small incision and inserts a cannula to remove the required amount of abdominal fat. A cannula is a tube with one open end that removes the undesired fat while the other end is connected to a suction device that collects what is removed.

The desired benefit for the patient is that he or she is quickly free of excessive abdominal fat that exercise could not remove. This is usually done as a same day surgery, meaning that the patient returns home in the evening. As a relatively simple procedure, there are few side effects and recovery time is speedy. Patients are advised to resume regular exercise once their physician recommends it, but the results of abdominal liposuction produce an outcome that may not have been possible through exercise alone. The advice of a board certified surgeon is key to achieving a successful outcome.

The recovery from abdominal liposuction varies from patient to patient. Pain associated with the procedure is usually minimal, requiring no more than over the counter pain relief like Tylenol to deal with the accompanying soreness that follows. Most patients report that the pain is no more than they would experience after an intense exercise session. There will be bruising and swelling, but these quickly resolve as the patient’s body adapts to its new shape. The size of the cannulas used and the amount of tissue removed also affects recovery. Smaller cannulas cause less stress to the body while a large amount of removed fat places more stress on the body. Your surgeon can advise you best of what to expect following surgery.

As with any surgery there are risks. The anesthetist will explain the risks of general anesthesia. Your surgeon will explain the risks of his or her particular approach to the abdominal liposuction but they are minimal compared to more extensive and invasive procedures.

Patients experience long term benefits from abdominal liposuction that outweigh the short term effects of recovery. With less body mass and a smaller percentage of body fat, patients enjoy improved health and less risk of progressive diseases caused by being overweight. Diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol risks are lowered. In addition to these gains in long term health there are cosmetic benefits that come from removing excess abdominal fat. Self-esteem and self-image are boosted because this is a voluntary procedure that reinforces the body image the patient already has of his or herself.

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Buttock Liposuction

Posted on July 23, 2010 by admin

Buttocks Liposuction

Buttock Liposuction is a fairly common process. The procedure is started with the plastic surgeon marking the areas that want to be touched up. You are then given anesthesia so you can stay relaxed. This will help the process go quickly and smoothly with little complication. A small incision is made near the split in the cheeks. A cannula, the tube that sucks the fat out, is inserted into the opening of the skin. It breaks apart the fat deposits making it into a liquid-like form, whereby it is easier to sculpt.

The Super-Wet Technique is performed by injecting saline, which also contains the anesthetic and adrenaline. Because it makes the fat into a vast fluid, it reduces bleeding and swelling. The Tumescent Technique is similar but there is a larger amount of liquid injected. Most buttocks liposuction takes an hour or two depending on the amount of sculpting needed.

The benefits are very clear once you see the end product. The lower body will be newly formed, which helps many people with their self-esteem. It is also easier for them to stay active and exercise more often. It will be a much better experience at a clothing store because you will be more prone to having items fit.

Do to all of the movement of the doctor sucking the fat out and the anesthesia, there is a period of about two days where you will feel extremely tired. You will be very sore and can experience some swelling or even bleeding. You can ask your doctor for some prescription medicine to make the pain ease a little. You will need an antibiotic to stop the risk of infection. There may also be stitches, but they will most likely dissolve into your skin in a week. Otherwise, the doctor can remove them in the first ten days. The pain in the buttocks region should go away in the first three weeks so you can do light work. After six weeks, you should be back to a normal schedule. You will have to wear an article of clothing that will compress the area operated on, which should be worn until you are completely healed.

The best clients for buttock liposuction need a variety of qualities like having obvious deposits of fat and slightly stretchy skin as to not harm you too much. It is not directed for people that just want to lose weight or people that fluctuate. You also cannot smoke, have a mental disorder, or have any medical problems. Some risks are blood clots, infection near incision, and even drug overdose.

The overall effects of the surgery may not be seen for up to six months, but some alterations should be seen within a few weeks. Depending on how much fat is removed, will expand the amount of time it takes for the skin to go back to normal. From then on, there will be no chance of gaining fat in the buttocks region again.

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