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Plastic Surgery
> Body
Liposuction before
and after photos
About Liposuction
One of the two most requested cosmetic surgery procedures,
liposuction surgery is an ideal way to permanently remove
fat pockets and cells that exercise and dieting leave
untouched. Liposuction surgery is typically performed on the
legs, hips, stomach, buttock, arms, knees and ankles-problem
areas for most candidates. Liposuction surgery is performed
under anesthesia.
The concept of liposuction is surprisingly simple.
Liposuction is a surgical technique that improves the body's
contour by removing excess fat from deposits located between
the skin and muscle. Liposuction involves the use of a small
stainless steel tube, called a cannula (from the Latin word
for reed, tube, cane). The cannula is connected to a
powerful suction pump and inserted into the fat through
small incisions in the skin. Fat removal is accomplished as
the suction cannula creates tiny tunnels through the fatty
layers. After surgery, these tiny tunnels collapse and thus
result in an improved body contour.
During the liposuction surgery procedure,
an incision is made in the area to be contoured, a tube is
inserted, and excess fat and fat cells are suctioned out.
The end result is a more toned, tighter physique and a more
shapely body. If you are interested in liposuction surgery,
please contact us to find out
more.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
ABOUT LIPOSUCTION
Who are the best candidates for
liposuction
in Austin?
The best candidates for
liposuction are healthy patients with localized deposits of
fat and good skin elasticity.
Should I diet and exercise to
lose weight before or after liposuction?
Liposuction is an excellent way
to change body contours, but it is most effective when the
treatment can be focused on a few problematic areas.
Liposuction is best used as a treatment for diet-resistant
areas of fat rather than diffuse collections of fat.
Is liposuction a replacement
for diet and exercise?
Liposuction is not a
replacement for diet and exercise. The number of pounds of
fat that should be removed through surgery is limited. When
somebody is excessively overweight, diet and exercise should
be their first priority.
What happens if I gain weight
after liposuction?
When fat cells are removed
through liposuction, those cells never return. If the
patient consumes more calories than are burned, however,
those extra calories are stored as fat in the remaining
cells. The areas treated with liposuction will never be as
prominent as they would have been, but the patient will
likely have a generalized increase in size. Weight gain
after surgery should be avoided.
What are the available
techniques for liposuction?
Tumescent liposuction,
ultrasonic liposuction and power-assisted liposuction are
the three main classifications of liposuction techniques.
What is tumescent liposuction?
Tumescent liposuction is the
pretreatment of the fatty tissues with a dilute solution of
local anesthesia and adrenaline. This was a major advance
approximately fifteen years ago because it substantially
reduced blood loss and improved patient comfort. Following
the tumescent treatment, any of the techniques may be used
to remove the fat.
What is the most common
technique for suctioning fat?
The most commonly employed
method for removing fat is the basic suction-assisted
liposuction. The surgeon's own arm movement transmits force
to the rigid suction cannula and disrupts clusters of fat
cells. The vacuum suction device then removes the loose fat.
Although this rudimentary technique is still the most
commonly used worldwide, it has a number of disadvantages.
It is inefficient at removing fat and requires many more
passes of the cannula. This results in more trauma to the
surrounding tissues, less precision sculpting and longer
operations. Recovery is prolonged and the complication rate
is higher. The basic suction technique is inferior to
power-assisted liposuction.
What is ultrasonic liposuction?
Ultrasonic liposuction
transmits high-energy sound waves to fat cells, causing the
cells to rupture. This liquefied fat is then removed through
the basic suction-assisted technique. The ultrasound energy
may be transmitted from an external or an internal source.
Ultrasonic liposuction was first used in the early 1990's
and was a major advance in treating fibrous areas (such as
the chest or flanks) and previously treated areas. However,
there are several important disadvantages to ultrasound that
make it inferior to the newer technique of power-assisted
liposuction. The ultrasound is a high-energy system and is
more likely to damage the adjacent tissues such as the skin
and nerves. Its complication rate is higher. It also is more
time-consuming than other liposuction techniques and extends
the length of operations.
What is power-assisted
liposuction?
Power-assisted liposuction is a
new and exciting technique that was first used in the late
1990's. The suction cannula is powered so that it vibrates
while it suctions. The vibration is a low-energy way of
gently releasing clusters of fat cells from the surrounding
tissues. Imagine a ripe orange tree. If you shake the tree,
the ripe fruit falls to the ground, but the leaves and
branches stay intact. Similarly, power-assisted liposuction
shakes the fat cells loose but the nerves, blood vessels and
skin remain intact. The low-energy vibration is a very
efficient way of removing unwanted fat deposits. This
results in shorter operations and less trauma to the
surrounding tissues. The incisions are smaller and the fat
sculpting is more precise. Most importantly, the
complication rate is less than with the other liposuction
techniques.
Is there any scientific
evidence to demonstrate that power-assisted liposuction is
superior to the other techniques?
I have done multiple scientific
studies comparing hundreds of patients who have had
power-assisted liposuction or ultrasonic liposuction. This
evidence clearly shows that the complication rate of
power-assisted liposuction is substantially lower than with
ultrasonic liposuction. Also, our patients who have had both
techniques performed at different times prefer the faster
recovery following power-assisted liposuction.
Which technique of liposuction
is best for me?
This decision should be made in
a personal consultation with your plastic surgeon that
specializes in liposuction. Research and experience have
shown that power-assisted liposuction should be the first
choice for most patients.
Is liposuction safe?
Liposuction is safe when
performed by a well-qualified plastic surgeon. Make certain
that your surgeon is experienced with the latest techniques
in liposuction. Plastic surgeons generally have a lower
complication rate with liposuction than with any other major
cosmetic surgery procedure.
Does liposuction hurt?
Patients who have liposuction
do experience discomfort, but the newer techniques have
reduced it. The areas to be sculpted are treated with a
long-acting local anesthesia solution that minimizes pain in
the hours following the operation. Power-assisted
liposuction is much less traumatic to the body and allows
patients to recover more quickly with less pain.
How much time do I need to take
off from work?
Most patients are able to
return to work within a few days of liposuction surgery. For
patients who have many areas treated or who have physically
active jobs, it is better to rest for at least one week
after surgery.
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