If you’ve been dieting and exercising to no avail, then you may be a candidate for liposuction. This body sculpting treatment is great for creating the look you have been trying to achieve, but because this is an invasive surgery, there are some things you should know before you book your appointment.
Here’s a guide that will properly prepare you for your first liposuction procedure.
What exactly is liposuction?
Liposuction is a surgical procedure that breaks down and removes subcutaneous fat cells in the body. This is the fat that lies right underneath the skin.
Unlike commonly thought, liposuction is not a method of weight loss nor it is meant to treat cellulite. Rather, it is a method of sculpting pockets of fat that are resistant to exercise and dieting efforts. Patients can generally only expect to lose between two to five pounds after the treatment.
Liposuction isn’t used to treat cellulite, as cellulite is not just fat. Cellulite is fat that’s been pushed through the muscle that lies directly underneath the skin, and is mixed with fibrous strings of muscles. This treatment cannot be used to target this type of fat, as it is too dangerous because the fat is intertwined with muscle. However, this procedure can make areas of cellulite look diminished if liposuction is used to target areas around the celulite.
Who can get liposuction?
People of any age, as long as they have been deemed healthy enough for the surgery, can get liposuction to target their chin, neck, abdomen, flanks, top and bottoms of arms, shoulders, muffin tops, and the breast area on both men and women.
What complications are associated with liposuction?
Depending on the areas are targeting, you can expect the use of anesthesia. Because of this, there are some extra complications associated with the treatment, which can include:
- Swelling
- Excessive bruising
- Tissue death (necrosis)
- Asymmetry
- Deep vein thrombosis
- Changes in skin sensation
- Scarring and/or skin discoloration
Fat clots — where fat enters into the bloodstream and clogs a vein
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Nerve and blood vessel damage
Before you sign up for liposuction, make sure to have a detailed conversation with your surgeon about any additional risks and complications that can come with this type of surgery.
What can I expect the day of the procedure?
Liposuction is generally an outpatient procedure, so you will need a family member or a friend to drive you to and from your surgery.
When you first meet with your doctor on the day of the procedure, they will take photos of you and mark the areas of the body they are to work on. You will be attached to IVs to regulate your fluid levels during surgery, and anesthesia will be administered. After the procedure itself, which does not take too long depending on the areas you are getting done, you’ll head to a recovery area and wrapped in a compression bandage to help the swelling go down.
How is the procedure performed?
The liposuction procedure is relatively simple: small incisions are made into the skin and a tool called the cannula is inserted into the fat pockets. The doctor will use an up and down scraping motion to suction the fat out of the body.
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What is the recovery time?
It is generally recommended that you take a week off of work to fully recover. You won’t be able to be very active due to the pain and swelling, so you can expect to take anywhere from four to six weeks off from exercising. It is also common to wear a compression bandage in the area for about a week or so after the date of the treatment.
To learn more about how this type of body sculpting treatment can help you, contact professionals who offer liposuction in Westchester.
