People who stay in shape and eat a healthy diet usually can remain near their ideal weight. But sometimes, some parts of the body may retain fat that is difficult to shed with diet and exercise alone.

For those patients, liposuction can offer dramatic improvements in sculpting the body to meet your aesthetic goals. You could be a candidate for liposuction if one or more of the following statements applies to you:

• You have extra pockets of fat on your abdomen, thighs, chin, neck, or chest that don’t respond to a balanced diet and exercise. Liposuction is an effective way to eliminate those hard-to-lose bulges and give you the contours you have dreamed of.
• You feel as if some areas are not in proportion with other parts of your body. Removing extra fat from those areas is one thing you can do to make your body look better.
• You have elastic skin and don’t have any sagging. This is because the skin must be able to ‘bounce back’ when fat is removed. If you have sagging skin in the abdomen, you may need to have a Beverly Hills tummy tuck
• You are close to your ideal body weight. However, liposuction isn’t intended for weight loss; it’s best to remove localized fat deposits.

If you think liposuction is right for you, keep reading to learn about your options with this procedure.

Kinds Of Liposuction: Standard Liposuction

This is the oldest form of the procedure. First, your plastic surgeon makes incisions in the target area and then removes the fat by inserting a cannula that sucks out the tissue.

This traditional form of liposuction may be used on the abdomen, legs, arms, back, rear, and thighs. But this procedure is not the best choice for small areas, such as the chin, because it is the most imprecise type of liposuction.

Some patients still ask for traditional liposuction because it is the most affordable, but there is more bruising and swelling. Also, traditional liposuction isn’t as precise, so you may experience more lumpiness and dimpling.

Tumescent Liposuction

This is considered the goal standard in the liposuction field. During tumescent liposuction, your board-certified plastic surgeon makes small incisions in the target area and injects epinephrine and lidocaine to reduce bleeding and swelling.

These chemicals are placed into the fat tissue to be removed. Then, the fat and solution are removed with a small cannula.

This procedure has been perfected over many years and is usually the procedure of choice. There is some swelling and bruising for a few weeks after the session, but this fades after a month.

Ultrasound-Assisted Liposuction

This method uses ultrasonic waves to break up and dissolve the fat before it is removed with a cannula. This type of liposuction can be more effective with denser fat in the male’s chest and on the hips and back.

Recovery is about the same as with the tumescent procedure, but some patients report minor blisters and burns.

One advantage of ultrasound-assisted liposuction is it can remove a larger amount of fat.

Laser-Assisted Liposuction

This form of liposuction is similar to the ultrasound version, but your surgeon employs a laser to liquefy the fat.

The surgeon puts a laser probe into the target area that is attached to a cannula. When the laser is activated, it breaks down the unwanted fat into a liquid. Then, the fat is removed with a cannula.

Any fat that your surgeon doesn’t remove is slowly flushed out of the body, so it’s one of the most efficient types of liposuction. In addition, it uses the smallest cannula, so it’s ideal for performing detailed sculpting, such as on the abdomen.

Keep in mind that this type of liposuction needs a longer recovery, and patients sometimes experience burns.

Is Liposuction Right For You?

Hundreds of thousands of patients undergo plastic surgery every year, including liposuction, breast lifts, Beverly Hills Brazilian butt lifts, and Beverly Hills breast augmentations.

However, not every patient is a good candidate for liposuction. If any of the following statements apply, you may want to consider another procedure;

• You have loose, sagging skin in the desired treatment area. This problem is common in people who were pregnant or recently lost a lot of weight. If you have sagging skin in the abdomen, removing fat will only accentuate the problem. Your plastic surgeon may recommend that you have a tummy tuck before liposuction.
• You still want to lose a lot of weight. Liposuction can enhance your shape and make you look slimmer. But it won’t help you lose weight. Most liposuction procedures will not remove more than two or three pounds of fat. So, focus on losing weight with diet and exercise first, then talk to your plastic surgeon about the next steps.

Request A Plastic Surgery Consultation

Thinking about liposuction in Beverly Hills? Dr. Nicholas Lahar is proud to serve Beverly Hills patients in his plastic surgery practice. During your consultation, he will review the options and your goals to determine if you’re an ideal candidate for plastic surgery.

References

Liposuction Overview. (n.d.). Accessed at https://www.americanboardcosmeticsurgery.org/procedure-learning-center/body/liposuction-guide/