Liposuction
Suction-assisted lipectomy, or liposuction, is a technique to remove unwanted fat deposits from specific areas of the body, including the chin, neck, cheeks, abdomen, buttocks, hips, thighs, knees, calves, and ankles. This procedure is not a substitute for weight reduction, but rather a method of removing localized fat that doesn't respond to exercise or dieting, nor is this a method for removed dimpled skin known as cellulite.
Liposuction can enhance your appearance and your self-confidence, but it won't necessarily change your looks to match your ideal, or cause other people to treat you differently. Before you decide to have surgery, think carefully about your expectations and discuss them with Dr. Weiss.
The best candidates for liposuction are of relatively normal weight but have pockets of excess fat in particular areas. You should be physically healthy, psychologically stable, and realistic in your expectations. Most important, having firm, elastic skin will result in a better final contour. (Hanging skin won't reshape to your body's new contours, and may require an additional procedure to surgically remove the excess skin. This procedure will leave visible scars.)
During your initial consultation with Dr. Weiss, he will evaluate your health and determine where your fat deposits lie. He should also explain any alternative body-contouring methods that may be appropriate for you, such as abdominoplasty or tummy tuck. You should be frank with your doctor about your expectations as he should be equally honest with you about what you can expect, explaining the procedure in detail, and explaining its risks and limitations. He should also explain the anesthesia he will use, the type of facility where the surgery will be performed, and the costs involved. During this consultation, be sure to tell the doctor about any large weight losses or gains you've had at any time. You should also inform your surgeon if you smoke, and if you're taking any medications, vitamins, or other drugs. Don't hesitate to ask the doctor any questions you may have, especially those regarding your expectations and concerns about the results.
Dr. Weiss will give you specific instructions on how to prepare for surgery, including guidelines on eating and drinking, smoking, and taking or avoiding vitamins, iron tablets, and certain medications. If you develop a cold or an infection of any kind, especially a skin infection, your procedure will have to be postponed.
If your procedure is not too extensive - that is, the amount of fat and fluid removed does not exceed an amount your doctor will define based on your health, body size, and surgical procedure - liposuction can be performed under local anesthesia, which numbs the area, combined with a sedative to make you drowsy. You'll be awake but relaxed, and will feel minimal discomfort. If your doctor plans to suction a large area, or to treat several sites, you'll probably have general anesthesia. In that case, you'll sleep through the operation.
Liposuction usually takes an hour or two, but the time required may vary considerably - from thirty minutes to several hours, depending on the area and amount being suctioned.
To begin the procedure, the surgeon makes a small incision, just large enough to allow the insertion of a hollow tube called a cannula. The opposite end of the cannula is attached to a machine that creates a strong vacuum. The surgeon manipulates the cannula deep within the fat layers under the skin, breaking up the fat and suctioning it out. Sometimes additional incisions are needed to remove all areas of fat.
If you've had local anesthesia, you'll feel some vibration and friction during the procedure. You may also feel a stinging sensation and the cannula moves closer to the muscle.
You'll lose fluid along with the fat during liposuction, and it's crucial that this fluid be replaced to keep your body from going into shock. You'll be given fluids intravenously, and if needed you may also receive a blood transfusion (usually the blood you donated in advance).
After surgery, a drainage tube may be inserted beneath your skin for one to three days to remove any fluid buildup that occurs. You will need to wear a snug elastic dressing, girdle, or body stocking over the treated area to control swelling and bleeding and to help your skin shrink to fit your new contour. You may need to wear this garment continuously for two to three weeks, then just in the daytime for a few weeks more, depending on your surgeon's instructions.
Healing is a gradual process.
Liposuction is a highly effective technique. Dr. Weiss will tell you to start walking around as soon as possible (to help prevent blood clots from forming in your legs), but to avoid more strenuous activity for two to four weeks. Any stitches will be removed in five to ten days, or dissolve, and you should be back at work in two to three days, or as much as two weeks after your surgery. When you resume activity depends on the extent of your procedure, how you feel, and what your doctor recommends.
While most of the swelling and discoloration will be gone a month or two after surgery, some swelling can remain for six months or more. Your surgeon will schedule follow-up visits to monitor your progress and to see if any additional procedures are needed.
ique for giving you a new body contour with very little scarring. The results can be permanent, providing you eat sensibly and exercise regularly. If you do gain weight, you'll probably gain it more uniformly throughout your body, not just in the former bulges.
Most patients are very satisfied with the results of their liposuction - they feel more comfortable in a wide variety of clothes and more at ease with their bodies. As long as your expectations are realistic, you should be happy with your new shape.
Liposuction can enhance your appearance and your self-confidence, but it won't necessarily change your looks to match your ideal, or cause other people to treat you differently. Before you decide to have surgery, think carefully about your expectations and discuss them with Dr. Weiss.
The best candidates for liposuction are of relatively normal weight but have pockets of excess fat in particular areas. You should be physically healthy, psychologically stable, and realistic in your expectations. Most important, having firm, elastic skin will result in a better final contour. (Hanging skin won't reshape to your body's new contours, and may require an additional procedure to surgically remove the excess skin. This procedure will leave visible scars.)
During your initial consultation with Dr. Weiss, he will evaluate your health and determine where your fat deposits lie. He should also explain any alternative body-contouring methods that may be appropriate for you, such as abdominoplasty or tummy tuck. You should be frank with your doctor about your expectations as he should be equally honest with you about what you can expect, explaining the procedure in detail, and explaining its risks and limitations. He should also explain the anesthesia he will use, the type of facility where the surgery will be performed, and the costs involved. During this consultation, be sure to tell the doctor about any large weight losses or gains you've had at any time. You should also inform your surgeon if you smoke, and if you're taking any medications, vitamins, or other drugs. Don't hesitate to ask the doctor any questions you may have, especially those regarding your expectations and concerns about the results.
Dr. Weiss will give you specific instructions on how to prepare for surgery, including guidelines on eating and drinking, smoking, and taking or avoiding vitamins, iron tablets, and certain medications. If you develop a cold or an infection of any kind, especially a skin infection, your procedure will have to be postponed.
If your procedure is not too extensive - that is, the amount of fat and fluid removed does not exceed an amount your doctor will define based on your health, body size, and surgical procedure - liposuction can be performed under local anesthesia, which numbs the area, combined with a sedative to make you drowsy. You'll be awake but relaxed, and will feel minimal discomfort. If your doctor plans to suction a large area, or to treat several sites, you'll probably have general anesthesia. In that case, you'll sleep through the operation.
Liposuction usually takes an hour or two, but the time required may vary considerably - from thirty minutes to several hours, depending on the area and amount being suctioned.
To begin the procedure, the surgeon makes a small incision, just large enough to allow the insertion of a hollow tube called a cannula. The opposite end of the cannula is attached to a machine that creates a strong vacuum. The surgeon manipulates the cannula deep within the fat layers under the skin, breaking up the fat and suctioning it out. Sometimes additional incisions are needed to remove all areas of fat.
If you've had local anesthesia, you'll feel some vibration and friction during the procedure. You may also feel a stinging sensation and the cannula moves closer to the muscle.
You'll lose fluid along with the fat during liposuction, and it's crucial that this fluid be replaced to keep your body from going into shock. You'll be given fluids intravenously, and if needed you may also receive a blood transfusion (usually the blood you donated in advance).
After surgery, a drainage tube may be inserted beneath your skin for one to three days to remove any fluid buildup that occurs. You will need to wear a snug elastic dressing, girdle, or body stocking over the treated area to control swelling and bleeding and to help your skin shrink to fit your new contour. You may need to wear this garment continuously for two to three weeks, then just in the daytime for a few weeks more, depending on your surgeon's instructions.
Healing is a gradual process.
Liposuction is a highly effective technique. Dr. Weiss will tell you to start walking around as soon as possible (to help prevent blood clots from forming in your legs), but to avoid more strenuous activity for two to four weeks. Any stitches will be removed in five to ten days, or dissolve, and you should be back at work in two to three days, or as much as two weeks after your surgery. When you resume activity depends on the extent of your procedure, how you feel, and what your doctor recommends.
While most of the swelling and discoloration will be gone a month or two after surgery, some swelling can remain for six months or more. Your surgeon will schedule follow-up visits to monitor your progress and to see if any additional procedures are needed.
ique for giving you a new body contour with very little scarring. The results can be permanent, providing you eat sensibly and exercise regularly. If you do gain weight, you'll probably gain it more uniformly throughout your body, not just in the former bulges.
Most patients are very satisfied with the results of their liposuction - they feel more comfortable in a wide variety of clothes and more at ease with their bodies. As long as your expectations are realistic, you should be happy with your new shape.