Are you struggling to reach your ideal body shape although you eat well and exercise regularly? If you need some help to achieve your goals, you might want to consider liposuction. Liposuction will get rid of stubborn fat and make you look slimmer and more toned. But how does liposuction work?
What Is Liposuction?
Liposuction is a fat reduction procedure that removes stubborn pockets of fat resistant to diet and exercise. Getting rid of fat from specific areas recontours the body and improves overall body shape.
Tumescent liposuction is the most popular liposuction technique, but there are other approaches that utilize the power of ultrasound, laser, and radiofrequency technology.
Liposuction is not a weight-loss technique, as ideal candidates should already be at or near their goal weight.
Common areas for liposuction include the abdomen, hips, thighs, and upper arms.
How Does Liposuction Work?
Tumescent liposuction is a safe, effective procedure, which involves injecting a tumescent solution into the treatment areas at the start of surgery. The solution consists of a local anesthetic and epinephrine.
The tumescent solution causes the fatty tissue to become swollen and firm and temporarily shrinks the blood vessels. This helps to minimize blood loss during the operation and reduce swelling and bruising after surgery.
Once the tumescent solution is administered, a cannula (small, thin tube) is inserted in the targeted area through a small incision. The cannula is moved back and forth to loosen the excess fat. When this is complete, a vacuum suction connected to the cannula is used to extract the fat.
Liposuction Options
Laser-assisted lipo and ultrasound-assisted lipo are two of the other liposuction options available. Laser-assisted lipo uses laser energy to liquefy the fat, while ultrasound-assisted lipo uses the power of ultrasound to break down the fat. The liquefied fat is also removed using suction, as is the case with tumescent liposuction.
What To Expect After Liposuction?
After liposuction, patients will experience some bruising, swelling, redness, and pain. However, pain medication is prescribed to reduce discomfort. Much of the swelling should resolve within four weeks.
A compression garment is usually worn for 1-2 months after liposuction to minimize swelling and help with healing. The compression garment also provides support for the new body contours.
Patients are encouraged to walk around after liposuction but exercising should be avoided for at least 3 weeks.
When Will You See Results?
Results are not seen immediately after liposuction, as it typically takes a few weeks for the swelling to resolve. However, most patients notice an improvement in body contours about 1-3 months after surgery.
How Long Will The Results Last?
The results of liposuction are long-lasting because the fat removed during treatment is gone for good. However, the remaining fat cells will get bigger if patients gain a lot of weight after surgery. Consequently, it’s best to adopt a healthy lifestyle and get regular exercise after liposuction to maintain the results.
Who Is A Good Candidate For Liposuction?
People within 10-20 pounds of their ideal weight with a few stubborn bulges they have been unable to shift with diet and exercise are generally good candidates for liposuction.
Candidates should also be generally fit and healthy and have firm, elastic skin because liposuction does not tighten the skin. Therefore, people with a lot of loose skin are not good candidates for the procedure as they could end up with contour irregularities. Liposuction candidates should also have realistic expectations about surgery.
If you have a few areas of unwanted fat that you’ve been unable to shift with diet and exercise, liposuction will get rid of those unwanted bulges and reshape your body.
