Liposuction

Liposuction is a procedure designed to sculpt out fat from areas of fatty accumulation that don’t respond well to diet and exercise.  It is not a substitute for diet and exercise and it is important to remember this in deciding to have liposuction.  The procedure involves making very small incisions in areas of the body that are hidden and then inserting a tube, or canola, into the incision and then directing it to the area or areas to be sculpted.  The fat deep to the skin is then suctioned out of the canola into a collection device connected to a special machine that creates a strong vacuum that generates the suction.

Various areas of the body can be treated—most commonly the neck, abdomen, hips, thighs knees and upper arms.  The success of the procedure depends on the quality of the skin over the fatty area.   Tighter skin with no stretch marks contracts best once the underlying fat is removed.  Looser, thinner skin or skin with stretch marks doesn’t always contract as well.  This will result in improvement but still some loose skin.

Risks from liposuction are, fortunately, rare but include bleeding, infection, blood clots forming in the veins in the legs and even fat traveling to the lungs causing severe breathing problems.  The most common concern with liposuction is a contour deformity after the procedure.  Depending on the amount of fat and the quality of the overlying skin, there can be areas after liposuction that remain full or the opposite—a depression can result.  Again, the best results are from liposuction of relatively small areas of fat with good overlying skin tone.  

Liposuction does not usually change the appearance of cellulite in the skin.  It will improve the contour of the fat beneath the skin with cellulite—but not the cellulite appearance itself.  The more fat to be removed, the less consistent the result because of the variance in the contour that results after large diffuse amounts of fat are removed.  Again, liposuction should not be considered a form of weight loss.

The procedure itself is normally done in the operating room as an outpatient.  Usually anesthesia is used unless the area to be suctioned is very small.  After the procedure, a compression garment is applied to help the skin to re-drape over the now reduced area of fat.  You usually wear that garment for a few weeks.  Dr. Topol uses a form of tumescent liposuction which infuses fluid into the fatty tissue prior to liposuction to minimize pain and bleeding afterward.  Immediately after the procedure you will notice an improvement in your contour.  This improvement will actually continue to improve over the next 6 weeks or so as the swelling fluid is released from the tissue that was treated.

Provided your expectations are realistic you will be pleased with your results from liposuction.  If you have a question or wish to schedule a consultation with Dr. Topol, please give our office a call or send us an e-mail.