Liposuction Fact, Fiction and Fantasy

Liposuction was the aesthetic surgical procedure performed most commonly in the USA last year, second only to breast augmentation as borne out by figures released by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons this year (246,354 procedures, up 5 percent from 2016).

This treatment modality has revolutionised body contouring in the 21st century with multiple innovations being added to enhance patient results. Although it has lost its mantle of mystery, many misconceptions still exist about liposuction. These include :

Liposuction is dangerous

Although every surgery is not without risk, liposuction is no more hazardous than any other cosmetic procedure provided; an experienced plastic surgeon performs the surgery for the right indication. Newer sophisticated techniques methods have evolved over the last few years, resulting in safer, improved results. These include Laser liposuction, as well as SAFE liposuction techniques using Power-assisted liposuction (PAL) handpieces.

Liposuction is not for “older” people

Provided that patients are in good general health, there is no contraindication to performing this surgery as liposuction is a safe and effective treatment. Skin quality will determine the extent to which the skin will redrape following liposuction. Energy-based therapies (EBT) such as Laser combined with the liposuction can assist with skin contraction following the procedure. Velashape a non-invasive skin tightening EBT can also help in the postoperative period.

Liposuction can help you lose weight

Liposuction is not a treatment to lose weight but a body contouring technique that plastic surgeons perform on exercise and weight resistant fatty pockets in patients within roughly 30 percent of a healthy weight range. That being said, frequently in individual patients who do not meet these criteria debulking fat pockets can improve contour which improves a patient’s looks, a patient that looks better, feels better, exercises better, eats better, and subsequently loses more weight and maintains this weight loss. Liposuction is then essentially a psychological boost to those patients struggling with weight loss.

Liposuction will fix lax skin

Liposuction cannot tighten lax skin with reduced skin elasticity, and patient selection is all-important to exclude those who expect this result. In these wit excess fat and skin, a skin resection operation with fat removal combined with a tummy tuck may be necessary to improve patient outcomes.

Fat deposits removed will return after liposuction

Liposuction is a permanent procedure provided patients maintain their exercise and eating routines following liposuction. Those areas liposuctioned do however retain some fat cells which increase in size if weight is regained. If patients do put on weight, less weight will be regained in the liposuctioned areas giving the impression that fat has moved from the liposuctioned areas to other areas.

Liposuction is always the solution to belly fat

Liposuction cannot treat belly fat but will only address subcutaneous fat lying in the layer between the skin and the muscle of the anterior abdominal wall. Liposuction cannot remove intraabdominal or visceral fat which only by diet and exercise can remedy.

Liposuction is only for women

More men are seeking liposuction body contouring procedures. Liposuction was one of the top five cosmetic operations sought by men in the USA last year. Men commonly request treatments for the chest, abdomen and the flanks.

You can get back into your groove right after liposuction

The downtime from liposuction varies depending on how many areas your plastic surgeon treats. The cannulae insertion sites each about 3 mm in length are left open to allow the drainage of fluid in the first 24 hours after which they close spontaneously. This significantly reduces swelling and bruising. Patients are also advised to use Arnica cream to minimise bruising, and at two weeks after surgery Velashape a skin tightening noninvasive treatment is recommended to improve skin tightening. The most common after-effects include swelling, bruising, and pain at and around the treatment areas.Generally in my practice patients need to wear garments for two weeks and can resume normal activities at six weeks.

Liposuction can treat cellulite

Unfortunately liposuction does not treat cellulite which is not merely an irregular pocket of fat but is caused by fibrous bands from the deeper tissues attaching to the dermis of the skin with small fatty pockets of fat pushing up giving the characteristic bumpy and cobbled appearance. Liposuction only removes deeper fatty tissue and thus does not affect the dermal appearance of cellulite.

Liposuction is the “easy way out.”

Liposuction ideally treats exercise and diet-resistant fatty pockets to contour and streamline areas in people of normal Body Mass Index (BMI). It is thus not a weight-loss operation. Newer etching techniques using Power-Assisted Liposuction (PAL) with special cannulae can accentuate shadows and highlight other areas that enhance the aesthetics of especially the abdomen.

To conclude, Liposuction is an effective, safe, minimally invasive technique to improve Body Contour provided an experienced, qualified Plastic Surgeon performs this procedure using state of the art equipment to enhance the clinical result.

Share this article