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Liposuction
surgery has now become the most commonly performed operation
in Plastic Surgery. This procedure is used to improve your
figure in either one specific area, or in several areas.
Modern liposculpture is a both a scientific procedure and an
artistic one, incorporating a concern for the patient's
well-being and health during and after surgery with a genuine
artistic sculpting of tissues.
Who Will
Benefit From The Procedure?
Patients
seeking liposuction for improvement of body contour have
generally tried multiple diets and exercise programs, to no
avail. Certain problem areas remain. It is important to
realize that suction lipectomy is not a method of weight
reduction in itself, as relatively little weight of fat is
removed from the body when the surgery is performed safely.
The procedure is designed specifically to improve body
contour. Therefore, it is important for you to be at or close
to your "set point" weight.
To be safe,
the surgeon must not exceed the safe limits of fat removal or
administration of local anesthetic, and always consider the
health of the patient before proceeding with the procedure.
Liposuction
will not change the appearance of the skin. Skin which is
loose, dimpled, wrinkled, or having multiple depressions or
waves prior to surgery, will not be improved following
surgery. In general, patients with firm elastic skin with
minimal wrinkling and redundancy, with well-controlled and
stable weight, and with limited areas of fatty tissue excess,
can expect the most favorable results. Localized deposits of
excess fat in the hips and "saddle bag" areas, as well as
inner and outer thigh areas, are usually quite improved
following the procedure.
Given the
same effort and diet as before the surgery, patients maintain
a slightly lower weight, with much less trouble from the
"trouble spots". It is the obligation of the patient to
continue to watch their diet and exercise as much as possible.
The
Surgical Procedure
The procedure
varies between 1 and 3 hours, depending upon how much work is
to be done in various areas of the body. Liposuction is
generally performed in an outpatient operating suite.
Incisions for the procedure are generally one quarter inch in
length and are placed in inconspicuous skin folds with minimal
or no shaving of hair. Modern liposculpture is nearly
circumferential, rather than just in the problem areas.
What To
Expect After Surgery
The initial
week is the period during which any pain, swelling and
bruising appear to be at their maximum. Between week one and
week two, it is not uncommon to feel somewhat fatigued and
during approximately the third week even mildly depressed.
Resumption
Of Physical Activities
You will
generally be able to begin resumption of your normal
activities in three to six weeks. Patients are back to work in
3-6 days. |
