If you are considering liposuction...
The most suitable candidates for liposuction
All operations involve risk
Planning the operation
Preparing for the operation
Where will the Surgery Take Place?
Kinds of Anaesthesia
The Operation
After the operation
Back to Normal
Your New Appearance
If you are considering liposuction...
Liposuction- equally well known as fat suctioning, liposculpturing, liposhaping- is the technique of removing undesirable fat deposits from certain parts of the body. These parts of the body are the chin, neck, cheeks, upper arms and the upper breasts, abdomen, thighs, hips, knees, calves and ankles. Fat suctioning operation does not replace weight loss, rather, it is a method used for the removal of localised fat which does not respond to diet or exercise. If you are considering fat suctioning operation, this brochure will provide you with basic information about the procedure- when it works, how it is done and what kind of results you may expect. Because answers to many questions depend on the patient herself and the surgeon, you may not find the answers to all of your questions in this brochure. Please consult your doctor when in doubt. Top
The most suitable candidates for rhinoplasty
Liposuction improves your appearance, increases your self confidence; however, the outcome may not exactly correspond to your ideal. Consider your expectations very thoroughly before you decide on the operation and discuss with your surgeon.
Overweight or not, the most suitable candidates for liposuction are those with excess accumulation of fat in certain parts of their body. You have to be physically healthy, psychologically stable and realistic in your expectations. A firm and elastic skin is of utmost importance for an improved appearance of the body following liposuction. If this is not the case, your physician may inform you on alternatives which will yield better results.
Liposuction is not recommended if the area to be operated on has recently undergone a surgical procedure, if blood flow is weak in this area or if there is a heart or lung problem. You also have to understand that liposuction by itself cannot heal the bumpy skin known as cellulite.
Women may have fat suctioned from underneath their chin, from their hips, thighs and abdomen, underarms and the breast area. Top
All operations involve risk
Normally, liposuction is safe provided that the patient has been carefully selected, surgery is performed under fully-equipped circumstances and the physician has received sufficient training on plastic surgery.
Even so, there may be some rare cases of serious trauma formation, particularly when fat is suctioned from more than one part of the body and over wide areas all during the same operation. Other rare but possible complications are fluid accumulation (requires drainage) and skin scarring. Even though heavy complications are rare, infection and excessive loss of fluid may cause serious discomfort. You may reduce risk by choosing a privileged plastic surgeon credentialed to perform liposuction in an accredited hospital and by following his recommendations.
Scars stemming from liposuction are tiny and strategically invisible even in a bikini. However, there may be other cosmetic problems even in the case of a very skilled surgeon. These may be undulations of skin on treated area, sagging of skin or colour changes which may become permanent in the event of sun exposure. Asymmetry (uneven edges or shape) may sometimes necessitate a second procedure.
Men request fat suctioning mostly from underneath their chin and around the waist area. In men, fat suctioning operation may sometimes be performed for the reduction of the enlarged breast tissue, known as gynecomasty. Top
Planning the operation
On your first visit to the surgeon, he will make a general assessment of your health, determine the location of your accumulated fat and carefully review your skin tone. Your doctor should explain other body shaping methods that may be suitable for you- for instance, abdominal plastic surgery- and discuss with you the most beneficial options or a combination of applicable procedures.
Be honest with your doctor about your expectations. Your doctor should be equally honest with you, explain the procedure in detail and mention the risks and the limitations involved. Furthermore, your surgeon should inform you on the kind of anaesthesia he is planning, the kind of facility you will be operated in and the cost of the operation.
During your visit, make sure to inform your surgeon of any significant weight gain or weight loss you have experienced at any time. If you are smoker or if you are on any kind of medication or vitamin regimen, your surgeon should also be informed of this.
Please do not hesitate to share with your doctor your concerns regarding your expectations and the outcome of the procedure. Top
Preparing for the operation
Your surgeon will be giving you special instructions about how to prepare for the operation, eating and drinking rules, smoking and vitamins, iron tablets and about starting or interrupting the intake of certain medications. If you develop a cold or any kind of infection, particularly a skin infection, your operation should be postponed. Top
Where will the Surgery Take Place?
Rhinoplasty procedure is performed in a hospital setting; it may be on a one-day surgery basis or may require one night of hospitalisation. Top
Kinds of Anaesthesia
If the size of the surgical procedure is not too large- if the amount of suctioned fat and fluid is not in excess of the amount determined by your doctor for your size and the surgical procedure-liposuction may be performed with local anaesthesia. The part of the body in question is put to sleep, combined with a sedative which will make you drowsy. You will be awake but relaxed and may experience the slightest bit of discomfort.
If your doctor is going to be performing the procedure over a wide area and if he wants to work on more than one part of your body, then you will probably have general anaesthesia. In this case, you will be asleep throughout the surgery.
The most suitable candidates for fat suctioning operation are those who are normal weight with excess fat accumulation on a certain part of their body such as the hips, thighs and calves.
The surgeon inserts cannulas into the little incisions on the top layer of the skin. On the other end of the tube stands the vacuum-pressure unit which sucks out the fat.
The tight slip-on worn around the body following the operation helps reduce swelling. Top
The Operation
The time needed for liposuction may vary greatly - depending on the body part and the amount of fat to be suctioned, it may take anything from 30 minutes to several hours.
To start the operation, the surgeon makes a small incision to allow the insertion of the empty tube called cannula. The other end of the cannula is connected to a machine with strong suctioning motion or to a special syringe. The surgeon pushes the cannula deep down into the fat layers underneath the skin and manipulates the fat outward to be suctioned out. Sometimes it may be necessary to make additional incisions in order to remove the entire fat.
If you are on local anaesthesia, you may feel the motions of the procedure. You may also feel some pain as the cannula approaches the muscle.
During the fat suctioning operation, you will lose fluid along with fat. It is very important to replace this fluid. You will be given fluid intravenously. Top
After the operation
You may be put on subcutaneous drainage tube for one-three days in order to drain any fluid which may accumulate in the aftermath of the operation. In order to control swelling and bleeding and help the skin shrink back in accordance with the new body contours, a long body stocking or corset has to be worn around the part of the body which has undergone the procedure. In accordance with your surgeon's recommendations, you have to wear this corset or stocking for a period of two or three weeks. Your doctor may also prescribe antibiotics to prevent infection.
Do not expect to look beautiful or feel wonderful right after the operation. You may weigh even heavier for a while because of the fluids you have been given. There will be swelling and redness in parts of the body which have undergone liposuction and you will have a burning sensation. Even though you will be feeling stiffness and pain for a couple of days, this may be brought under control through the medications that your surgeon will prescribe. There may be temporary loss of sensation in the parts of your body which have been treated; do not worry, you will be recovering from that.
It is not unusual to feel depressed during the days and weeks that follow the surgery. Just remember that this is expected and that it will pass once you start to look and feel better. Top
Back to Normal
Healing is a progressive process. Your surgeon will require you to start walking as soon as possible (in order to prevent the formation of blood clots in your legs); however, he will ask you to refrain from challenging activities for a period of two-three weeks. The sutures are removed or disappear within 2-3 days after the operation and you may go back to work within two weeks the most. The activity you may engage in upon your return to work depends on the size of your operation, how you feel and what your doctor has recommended.
Most of the swelling and colour changes will disappear within one or two months following the operation, however, some of the swelling may last for 6 months or more. Your doctor will be making an appointment with you to monitor your progress and determine whether or not any additional procedures are necessary.
In case of any unexpected developments in between appointments- for instance, excessive bleeding or a sudden increase in pain- or if you have any questions about what to do or not, do not hesitate to call your doctor. Top
Your New Appearance
Liposuction is quite an effective procedure which gives you new body contours with minimal scarring. The results will be permanent so long as you are careful with your dietary habits and exercise regularly. If you gain weight, the fat will spread evenly around your body and not accumulate in the suctioned areas.
Many patients are satisfied with the result of their liposuction operation- they feel comfortable in a variety of clothes and they are at peace with their body. So long as your expectations are realistic, you will be happy with your new shape.
The more you heal, the more proportionate your appearance will become.
Slimmer body contours will make you feel more confident and comfortable.
To healthy days.......... Top |
