Liposuction

WHO IS A GOOD CANDIDATE?

Liposuction is a procedure that removes excess fat from areas of the body including the chin, arms, armpit areas, stomach, flanks ("love handles"), hips, thighs, and legs to give these areas an improved shape and contour and to get rid of areas of stubborn fat that are not resolved by diet and exercise. It is NOT a weight loss procedure.

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Different methods of liposuction exist on the market (e.g. Vaser, which is ultrasound assisted), but they all operate on the same principle of fat removal.

THE PROCEDURE

Liposuction is done either under sedation or general anesthesia in an ambulatory surgery center. During surgery, several 3-4mm holes are made in the skin, and through this fluid containing an anesthetizing agent and epinephrine (to shrink blood vessels and lead to less bleeding) is injected into the tissues. Metal rods of various lengths and thicknesses called cannulas are then used to remove fat and sculpt the targeted areas. The fat is collected into a canister and either discarded or can be used to augment other parts of the body such as the lips, breasts, and buttocks. Dr. Kayan also uses a special cannula at the end of the case to smooth out all the liposuctioned areas to try and avoid any dents or divots. All incision sites are closed with dissolvable sutures. The procedure takes about 1 hour if limited areas are done, and longer if multiple areas are done and/or if a position change is needed during surgery (e.g. if fat is taken from both the front and the back of the body).

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RECOVERY

After surgery, patients will need to wear a compression garment 24/7 for 4-6 weeks. Pain is mild to moderate for most patients, and most are up and moving even on the day of surgery. Certain movements such as bending at the waist and twisting are to be avoided for 4-6 weeks. Showering can be resumed after 24-48 hours, and patients can go back to work in as little as 3-5 days post operatively. Final results are not visible until at least 3 months after surgery because swelling can come and go and there may be some hardened areas of scar tissue that will take several months to resolve. Massage of the hardened areas is encouraged several times per day as early as it is tolerated as this can help the scar tissue soften faster. A wooden or plastic massage roller is often helpful for this task.

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It is true that fat cells are gone forever after liposuction and don't "grow back," however if you gain weight after liposuction, the fat cells that are still in your body can grow larger.