LIPOSUCTION

Liposuction is a surgical technique that improves the body's contour or shape by removing excess fat deposits located between the skin and muscle

A good candidate for liposuction is defined as any person who is of average body weight but has fat deposits on certain areas of the body which do not respond to dieting and exercise. The candidate should have realistic expectations and must be in good health and should have maintained a stable weight for atleast 6 months.

Fat cells removed by liposuction do not grow back. However the remaining fat cells can grow in size if the patient does not maintain the same balance between exercise and diet as he/she was maintaining before the operation.

The shape of the body will change if the patient puts on weight after the surgery due to a shift towards the positive between diet and exercise. However the size increase in the operated will be less than if it were not operated.

e.g. Liposuction of front of the tummy. If weight gain occurs then the entire torso/trunk will increase in size but the front of the tummy will not protrude as much as it would have if surgery had not been done.

The most frequently treated areas for women are the abdomen, hips, outer thighs, anterior thighs, inner thighs, arms, buttocks, cheeks and neck. In men, who comprise about 15% to 25% of liposuction patients, the most commonly treated areas include the chin and neck area, abdomen, flanks ("love-handles"), and breasts (gynaecomastia/male boobs).

It depends on the amount of fat sucked out. Usually the patient is sent home the following day. Routine daily household activity can be done in 1 week. Driving and exercising in 4 weeks. In case the amount of fat sucked out is less than 2 Litres same day discharge may be considered. Most patients can return to a desk type job within a week if the amount of fat sucked out is less than 4 Litres.

Soreness is usually present 2 to 4 days after liposuction and then decreases steadily. Oral pain killers relieve the pain significantly and the patient can be mobile on the very next day after liposuction.

A pressure garment is a tight body glove which helps the skin to contract. Yes, you need to wear a pressure garment after your liposuction for a period of 8 to 12 weeks. The pressure garment helps to give your body a good contour after the fat has been removed as the overlying skin has to conform well over the underlying tissues. The pressure garment can be custom made as per your size and can be worn under your clothes.

The appearance of skin after liposuction depends on the skin’s elasticity. Skin with good elasticity should look smooth and natural after liposuction. Scars are not a common problem with modern liposuction which uses very small cannulas (microcannulas) and thus only very small incisions are required.

A “TUMMY TUCK” or Abdominoplasty is a major surgical procedure which involves liposuction and excision of a large part of lower abdominal skin and fat with or without tightening of abdominal muscles. Hence for a tummy tuck the cut is made from one hip bone to the other on the lower part of your abdomen which will be ultimately hidden below the undergarment.

Liposuction is done using thin cannulas and there are few small cuts made, through which the cannulas can be inserted in your body and fat can be sucked out. Liposuction is a lesser invasive procedure than tummy tuck, provided you are an ideal candidate for the procedure.

The choice between liposuction and tummy tuck can be made during the consultation with your plastic surgeon.