Who Can Benefit From Liposuction?
Liposuction is a type of surgical correction of body shape and contours. The treatment aims to reduce the focal accumulation of subcutaneous adipose tissue using laser or suction – extraction of fatty tissue fragments. The primary indication for the procedure is limited deposits of fat cells that should be removed.
According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) report, liposuction in 2018 was the second most frequently performed aesthetic procedure after breast augmentation.
Medical evaluation is an essential element of safe liposuction and achieving the expected results. It consists of a thorough (and documented) medical history and physical examination, such as evaluating the skin and subcutaneous fat compartment, its size and distribution, and laboratory analyses, depending on the patient’s general health and age.
The art proficiency and the surgeon’s “aesthetic eye” determine not only the outcome and safety of the procedure; an experienced doctor can predict cosmetic effects and accurately assess the possibilities created by a specific aesthetic unit.
The most suitable candidates for liposuction are patients with relatively normal body weight (or slightly overweight) who have realistic expectations about the treatment effects. In other cases, the surgeon makes a qualifying decision during the in-person consultation.
Let us emphasize that liposuction is not a treatment for obesity. Without exercise and healthy eating habits, long-term improvement will not be achieved – the results of the procedure may turn out to be temporary despite the permanent fat removal. Fatty deposits may return, accumulating in different parts of the body and consequently producing undesirable body deformities. Liposuction should be treated as a motivating factor to change your lifestyle for the better.
The Ideal Candidate for Liposuction
Assessment of a candidate for liposuction may require a thorough examination. During the consultation, the patient’s expectations related to the procedure are also addressed.
Patients seeking liposuction should be in good general health. Ideally, potential patients have a better chance if they qualify for Class I and II according to the American Surgical Society classification. Class I means completely healthy, while class II includes people with mild symptoms of systemic disease that may be associated with minor functional limitations. Good candidates include those with focal, well-defined deposits of fat that do not respond to diet and exercise.
Education about the importance of a pro-health, active lifestyle, and good eating habits is an integral part of the procedure. Often, excellent help for the patient is the analysis of their nutrition model and physical activity parameters.
Recommendations after Liposuction
After liposuction, you will receive detailed post-op care instructions regarding the recovery period – in written and oral form, including wound management and the rules of using the compression garment.
The recovery period may be a source of moderate discomfort, depending on the type of liposuction you underwent. Typically, at least one day after the procedure, serous or serous-blood discharge from the cannula insertion site may occur.
Your doctor will most likely recommend 1-2 days of rest at home and a sparing routine. You might find it necessary to apply an antibiotic ointment, oral antibiotic, or painkillers. After liposuction, suitably fitted compression garments should be worn for the period indicated by the surgeon, which will enhance the aesthetic effects, reduce the risk of bleeding, extravasation, and hematomas, and speed up the healing process.
General Surgical Techniques
The liposuction procedure is similar in different anatomical areas. The treatment begins with the preparation of the site and patient anesthesia. Using a scalpel or punch, the surgeon makes small, shallow incisions at the suction cannula insertion points.
Are there any side-effects of liposuction?
Most of the side effects that can occur after liposuction are mild and tend to resolve naturally without intervention. Blood loss can contribute to the rare and severe side effects of nontumescent liposuction.Pain symptoms begin to subside after 1-2 days. There may be some swelling and bruising, which change from scarlet to yellow over time. Ecchymosis and residual swelling may persist for several weeks. Infections after liposuction performed correctly according to the procedures in sterile conditions are extremely rare.Minimal scarring may develop at the cannula insertion site, very rarely wide hypertrophic or keloid scars. After the procedure, hematomas usually self-absorb, and the irregularities of the skin surface are most often corrected by wearing compression garments.
What Are the Effects of Liposuction?
Immediately after the treatment, you may not notice any significant aesthetic effects. In general, patients begin to see an improvement in contour and a reduction in circumference after a few weeks when the swelling subsides. Liposuction is a method suitable for healthy people with thriving goals in mind and without diseases that could contribute to postoperative complications.
The best liposuction results can be obtained in patients with limited fatty tissue deposits and suitable skin parameters. The effects are long-lasting or even permanent. Still, you should be aware that any weight gain will negatively affect the outcomes of the procedure or contribute to excess body fat in other areas. In rare cases, it may be necessary to make corrections to improve the overall aesthetic effect. Many patients combine liposuction with other cosmetic procedures, such as tummy tuck or Brazilian butt lift, to achieve the desired result.
Traditional liposuction does not reduce the skin surface, so the treatment’s final aesthetic effect depends on the individual’s skin ability to contract. Inelastic, saggy skin and flabbiness of the deeper muscles translate into more unfavorable results of the procedure. Many patients combine liposuction with other cosmetic methods, such as tummy tuck or Brazilian butt lift, to achieve the desired result.
Slight asymmetry or post-treatment unevenness are usually temporary, which improve and level out within a few months.
What’s Next?
Liposuction is a procedure that is relatively well tolerated by patients. The surgical treatment reduces limited fatty tissue build-up and improves body contours. In patients who follow the principles of a proper diet and lead an active lifestyle, it proved to be an effective and minimally invasive treatment of removing fatty tissue deposits that are resistant to other methods.
Smart Lipo is a favorite treatment of all who cannot afford to be excluded from everyday life for an extended period. It has many advantages over other methods of liposuction, including shortened recovery time. The laser beam heats the skin from the inside, which stimulates the fibroblasts to produce collagen and improves your skin’s tone. It prevents the appearance of the “kangaroo bag” effect. Once the fat has liquefied, it is easy to eliminate it for good. Smart Lipo guarantees a quick return to full professional, physical, and social activities, becoming the most popular treatment among men and women.
Your health is your most precious thing to consider before undertaking any body enhancement procedures. It is essential that you understand what a given clinic has in its offer besides the price and variety of services. The quality of the treatments – the level of training and experience of the staff, the scope and form of periprocedural care – are all critical factors to consider when choosing the right place for your unique needs. Well-performed liposuction is a new silhouette without sacrifices.
Among the postoperative recommendations the patient received, there are also specific guidelines on exercise and eating habits that improve liposuction’s aesthetic effect and extend its longevity. You might consider discussing the diet plan and training program in the pre-and postoperative period with your doctor or dietitian and personal trainer. In this way, you will avoid errors affecting the durability of the treatment results. For instance, an excessively restrictive diet before liposuction paradoxically increases the risk of a yo-yo effect after surgery. Weight gain may result in fat overgrowth in other areas since liposuction aims to remove fat cells, reducing the risk of reaccumulation of fat at that site.
