9 Things You Should Know Before Getting Liposuction
You’ve heard about liposuction, and think you may be interested in this fat-targeting procedure. But what should you know before getting liposuction? Today we’ll cover 9 things you should know before making the decision to target pockets of fat with liposuction.
1. Liposuction is Not for Weight Loss
If you are looking for overall weight loss, this is not the right time for liposuction. Lipo is best for targeting stubborn pockets of fat that you cannot get rid of with diet and exercise.
If you want to lose weight, your best option is to get close to your ideal weight before getting liposuction. Then you can get the most out of your procedure since we can truly target the remaining fat and create the contours you’re looking for.
2. Liposuction works on many parts of the body
While you may think of liposuction as a treatment for targeting a stubborn pouch on your abdomen, there are many areas of the body that people slim down with liposuction. For instance, we treat excess pockets of fat on the:
- Hips
- Flanks
- Love handles
- Thighs
- Calves
- Back
- “Bra rolls”
- Breast area - for men and women
- Knees
- Upper arms
- Chin
- Abdomen
- Buttocks
3. Liposuction can be a minimally invasive and gentle treatment
Many people think of liposuction as an invasive and aggressive surgical procedure. However, we offer a type of liposuction that uses ultrasound to break up the fat before we remove it.
This means that when we remove the fat, we can use very small incisions and micro-cannulas (thin tubes). Because of the techniques we use, our liposuction is a minimally invasive treatment that generally results in a shorter recovery, less bruising, and less discomfort than traditional liposuction.
4. Liposuction does not always require a very lengthy recovery
If you’re learning all you should know before you have liposuction, you’ve probably read about some long and difficult recovery periods. In many cases, the longer and more uncomfortable liposuction recoveries are what follow aggressive and invasive liposuction.
The most modern and innovative liposuction techniques are much more gentle.
Your recovery time will depend on:
- How much fat we remove
- How many sites we remove fat from
- Where those fat-reduction sites are
When people get fairly large areas of liposuction, they should expect weeks until they can resume normal activities.
However, people who have small amounts of fat removed are often surprised to find how quickly they are able to return to activities like a sedentary job, running errands, and cooking. Some of our patients even have liposuction on a Thursday, and are back at work on Monday.
5. The fat removed during liposuction can be used for another procedure
You know that liposuction removes fat, but did you also know that it’s possible for us to use that fat to add definition and volume to another part of your body?
This is an especially popular option for people who want to add shape to their butt with a procedure called the Brazilian Butt Lift (BBL). During a BBL, our plastic surgeons take fat from one part of your body, process that fat, and then inject it carefully into your buttocks. This leaves you with a more round, shapely, and full butt, all without the use of any synthetic materials.
The fat from liposuction can also be used as facial filler to diminish the appearance of wrinkles or acne scars, and to create a more youthful look.
6. Liposuction can be used for sculpting, not just fat removal
There’s a big difference between simply ‘removing fat’ and using the fat removal process to sculpt someone’s silhouette. Our micro-contouring tools allow us to truly create an enhanced shape on any part of your body. Additionally, our surgeons have the expertise to remove the right amount of fat, in the right way, to create an improved shape - rather than just a thinner shape.
7. Liposuction can be dangerous in the wrong hands
When we talk about everything you should know before getting liposuction, it’s important to also talk about the risks. Liposuction is a very safe and effective procedure when performed by a highly educated, experienced surgeon. However, some people offer liposuction but do not have the skill, technology, or attention to detail to perform this procedure well. If liposuction goes wrong, it can result in bleeding, disfigurement, infection, or death of cells. It is critical that you seek out a very well qualified surgeon, like the ones at Athenix, to give yourself the best chance for a safe and successful outcome.
8. Not everyone is a candidate for liposuction
Liposuction is a good choice for many people with a range of different goals, however there are some people who are not good candidates for this procedure. Specifically, someone who is looking to lose weight overall is not going to benefit appropriately from liposuction. There are also medical conditions that can make liposuction dangerous. These conditions include diabetes, circulatory diseases, vascular problems, and blood clotting disorders. Finally, patients are able to have the safest and most successful procedure if they do not smoke.
9. Like all procedures, liposuction has risks
Every surgical procedure - even those that are minimally invasive - have some level of risk. We like VASER® liposuction because it is safer than other fat removal techniques. The traditional liposuction surgeries have a higher risk of damaging skin, blood vessels, and nerves resulting in a longer recovery time as well as more bruising and swelling. With VASER® there is less trauma to the body, which allows for a better patient experience. When you come in for a consultation, we will make sure you understand both the benefits and the risks of any procedure you are considering.
