Liposuction

Liposuction involves removing fat cells from beneath the skin. This is accomplished with a vacuum-like device to which small, thin cannulas are attached and inserted through small incisions in the skin. This permanently removes the fat cells in the areas suctioned. The procedure can be done in this office under local or with use of the tumescent technique that involves injecting large volumes of fluid with local anesthetic and epinephrine in it to provide anesthesia and diminish blood loss. General anesthetics or intravenous sedation can also be used but will require the use of a surgery center/operating room and involve additional costs. If you have a low threshold for pain, are extremely anxious, have some health problems, or you have large areas to suction, your procedure should be done in a surgery center/operating room.

Your post-op course will involve wearing a compression garment for several weeks, often until all bruising is resolved. You will be allowed to shower a few days after and can resume most activities that you can tolerate as long as you are wearing your garment. Most people can have the procedure done on Friday and return to work on Monday. You will experience some discomfort and numbness in the areas suctioned but these sensations should resolve with time. There is a gradual tightening of the skin over the ensuing months. Risks and complications of the procedure are reviewed in the “Informed Consent” form, which will be reviewed with you during your consultation.

There are many devices marketed to do liposuction. The traditional vacuum suctioning employed by myself is the gold standard. Still, technology has created devices that vibrate, produce ultrasound waves to liquefy fat, inject water to facilitate removal and have reciprocating heads to actually ‘bite’ the fat out. I have tried VASER and ultrasonic liposuction without any appreciable effect on outcome or patient comfort and subsequently do not use them as it only adds to the cost of providing the service. I believe but cannot prove that ultrasonic liposuction increases your risk for a fat emboli and even death.

Liposuction does permanently remove fat but you can still store your extra calories in areas that have been treated should you experience a significant weight gain. With weight gains, you will deposit your fat in other untreated areas first before depositing in the areas suctioned.

Liposuction can be combined with other procedures but risks for complications and even death do increase. The estimated mortality rate of having liposuction alone is 1 in 47,000 but it drops to 1 in 7300 when combined with other surgery and to 1 in 3300 when combined with a tummy tuck. The overall risk is still rather small but it does increase with added procedures.