|
 For
some people, even though they've reached a desirable weight through
diet and exercise, a few stubborn fatty areas refuse to go away.
Liposuction is a type of cosmetic surgery designed to sculpt the
body, selectively removing areas of fat.
Liposuction
can be performed on almost any area of the body; most commonly,
the arms, love handles, buttocks, hips, thighs, and knees. This
might explain why liposuction is so popular. Today both men and
women are choosing liposuction as a way to attain their ideal body
shape.
|
Liposuction
|
| Surgical
removal of local fat deposits (as in the thighs) especially
for cosmetic purposes by applying suction through a small
tube inserted into the body. |
|
Who
is it for?
Liposuction
is best for healthy people, close to their ideal weight, who have
a specific part of their body that is out of proportion to the rest
of their body.
People
who are overweight probably won't benefit from liposuction, because
it is not a method of weight loss, even though with improved techniques
up to twenty pounds of fat can be removed in one procedure. The
fat cells removed by liposuction do not grow back over time. If
the weight is later gained back, it tends to be redistributed over
the entire body proportionately.
What
happens during liposuction?
Liposuction
is usually performed as an outpatient procedure, with the patient
under mild sedation. The length of the surgery depends on how much
fat is removed, but generally it lasts from two to three hours.
A small incision is made, than a small hollow tube, called a cannula,
is inserted under the skin.
The
cannula is moved back and forth, creating Swiss cheese like tunnels
through the fat tissue, and suctioning the loosened fat into a vacuum.
Afterwards, elastic garments are placed around the surgical area,
collapsing the tunnels that were made during surgery. This helps
the skin shrink and conform to the new shape. The best results are
seen in younger people who have more elastic skin and therefore
better skin tone.
There
are two common types of liposuction performed currently. In the
tumescent technique, a saline solution, containing the anesthetic
lidocaine, and adrenaline is injected into the area of the body
where the fat is to be removed. The tumescent solution numbs the
fat under the skin and constricts blood vessels for several hours,
allowing fat to be removed with little blood loss.
The
amount of tumescent fluid used, as well as the amount of fat that
can safely be removed at one time, is calculated based on body weight
and other factors. This method is best for removing fat from areas
below the waist and from the head and neck.
The
ultrasonic liposuction method uses an ultrasonic probe to produce
sound waves that pulverize the fat cells, breaking them apart, allowing
the fatty fluid to be suctioned out. The ultrasound liposuction
technique works well on areas where the fat is more dense and fibrous
like the back, flanks, and male breast tissue.
How
safe is liposuction?
People
should be cautious when considering liposuction because it is surgery,
and can involve rare, but serious complications. However, when done
properly by a board-certified plastic surgeon, liposuction is a
very safe surgical procedure. Be aware, that any doctor with a medical
license can perform liposuction, even non-surgeons. To find a board-certified
plastic surgeon in your area, you can contact the American Society
of Plastic Surgeons at http://www.plasticsurgery.org/.
It's
important to ask your surgeon what procedure he or she is using,
and if you're a good candidate for liposuction. People with poor
circulation like those with diabetes, heart disease, and peripheral
vascular disease are not good candidates because of possible non-healing
and infections. The risks of liposuction increase if multiple sites
are treated during one procedure or if a large amount of fat is
removed.
The
most common problems following liposuction are skin imperfections,
sagging of the skin if it is not elastic enough to shrink after
the procedure, or asymmetric appearance due to uneven fat removal.
If cellulite is present before liposuction, it will probably exist
after the procedure as well.
Copyright
© 2000 PersonalMD.com. All rights reserved.
|
Feature Archives