What is liposuction and liposculpturing?

Liposuction is a cosmetic surgerywhich is performed to remove the excess fat from the deposits situated between the skin and the muscle to give you a perfect body contour. Liposuction is performed on the following areas:

• Abdomen
• Buttocks
• Back
• Neck
• Upper arms
• Thighs
• Hips

Liposuction can be performed alone or along with other plastic surgery procedures, such as a facelift, breast reduction or a tummy tuck.

Liposculpturing involves the removal of small amounts of fat and reshaping the remaining fat to mirror the underlying muscles. For example, liposculpturing helps to give a 6-pack look to a normal healthy individual. Liposuction and liposculpturing procedures are used according to the need and requirement of the patient.

What are the types of liposuction?

Liposuction can be performed in different ways. Depending on the procedure followed, it is of various types:

• Tumescent technique: In this technique, local anesthesia is injected into the fat area before liposuction is performed. It is considered as the most efficient and safest method of liposuction by the physicians.
• Ultrasonic Assisted Liposuction (UAL): This technique uses the ultrasound energy to melt the fat which is then removed. This procedure is efficient and less traumatic compared to other procedures.
• Laser-Assisted Liposuction (LAL): This technique involves the use of low energy waves to melt the fat in the body. It is more reliable as it is associated with less inflammation, fewer burns and scars.
• Power assisted liposuction (PAL): This technique uses power to drive the mechanical cannula through the fat, making only smaller incisions. The technique facilitates quicker removal of the fat.
• Twin Cannula Assisted Liposuction (TCAL): The technique involves the use of 2 cannulas attached to a pressurized vacuum pump for removing the fat. This technique leaves fewer scars after the surgery.
• Liposelection: This technique is similar to the UAL, which is performed on delicate body areas like arms, chin, neck and inner thighs. Here, the emulsified and melted fat is removed through specialized grooved probes and cannula. There is no harm to the surrounding tissues.

Which individuals are suitable for the surgery?

Not all the individuals are suitable for liposuction or liposculpturing. Healthy individuals with excessive subcutaneous fat which is unresponsive to exercise and diet are the ideal candidates for liposuction and liposculpturing. You may be an ideal candidate if you:

• have a steady weight or anything between 20%of your ideal bodyweight
• have a healthy skin with good elasticity
• have a stable mental health at the time of the surgery

Which individuals not suitable for the surgery?

Liposuction is not for weight loss, nor a treatment for obesity. People wishing to remove their stretch marks are also not the suitable candidates for liposuction.

In certain situations the skin is inelastic and loose. Liposuction in these areas will then tend to leave the skinmore loose and it may be recommended that a skin excision be carried out to correct this, either at the same time as the liposuction, or as a second procedure. This is most likely in the abdomen, after pregnancy or weight loss, the buttocks or the neck. Dimples and wrinkles of the skin, sometimes called cellulite will not be improved by liposuction.

How should I prepare for the surgery?

You need to look for a surgeon who is well established in the liposuction with a good experience.The type of surgery selected, patient safety and comfortand the quality results are more important to select a good surgeon.

Clarify your doubts and communicate your requirements about the surgery. This can help the doctor to select a specific procedure for the liposuction which is tailored for you. You should not expect any drastic decrease in the weight, or should not look for slimming figure immediately after the surgery. The results will be obtained gradually after a few months of the surgery.

Before 3 days of the surgery, stop taking medications that increase the risk of bleeding. You should keep yourself away from smoking.

On the day before the surgery, you need to keep your stomach light, finish your supper early and avoid taking food and water from 12 hours before the surgery.

What will happen during the surgery?

The surgery is performed on an outpatient basis. The anesthesiologist gives you either general anesthesia or a local.The surgeon uses a small stainless steel tube, called as the cannula to make small tunnels in the fat deposits. Thecannula would be connected to a suction pump which facilitatesthe removal of the fat. Depending on the type of the surgery selected, the concerned procedure is followed.

What is the aftercare of the surgery?

You need to keep away from work for a few days. You may be able to perform normal activities after a few weeks. You should not perform exercises for about 3 weeks. You may experience pain and swelling after the surgery.

Your physician may suggest you to wear elastic compression stockings for a few weeks after the surgery to prevent the swelling. Use pain medications and antibiotics to deal with pain and to prevent infection. You need to have a proper diet and exercise after the surgery to prevent gaining fat bodies.

What are the postsurgical considerations?

You will have a body with perfect contour after a few months of the surgery. If you gain weight after the surgery, the new fat does not get deposited in the areas which are treated but gets deposited elsewhere. You cannot expect a drastic decrease in the weight after the surgery; you may be losing about 5 kg of weight.