Liposuction

Liposuction is known as the surgical procedure that allows us in the most effective way a body remodeling through the removal of subcutaneous fat accumulations.

Fat cannot always be eliminated with diet and exercise

These accumulations of fat are usually hereditary and cannot be eliminated with a healthy diet and physical exercise alone. The definitive solution is to remove them through liposuction surgery.

What is liposuction used for?

We choose the liposuction technique in cases of abdomen and hips with excessive fat accumulation, in buttocks with poor shape and size, in legs with poor contour definition, as well as in the jowl region.

Process

Preoperative

During the first consultation the plastic surgeon will evaluate your general condition, existing fat deposits and skin tone and firmness. Alternative methods of improving body contour, such as abdominoplasty, will be explained to you, and the options or combination of procedures that are best for you will be discussed. You will be given instructions on how to prepare for surgery, including rules about food and fluid intake, smoking, or taking or stopping medications, vitamins and iron supplements. If you have a cold or infection of any kind, especially a skin infection, surgery may be postponed. Also, make sure that a family member or companion can take you home when you are discharged and that, if necessary, they can help you for a couple of days.

Surgery

The technique, which is always performed in an operating room, consists essentially in the aspiration of the fat by introducing a cannula connected to a vacuum machine or a special syringe, depending on the case, and making numerous tunnels in the previously marked area.

The duration of a liposuction usually ranges from 1 to 2 hours, the time is variable (from 30 minutes to several hours) depending on the area and the amount. Initially, a small incision is made, enough to introduce the cannula. The surgeon moves the cannula between the fatty deposits under the skin, breaking up the fat and suctioning it out.

This new technique introduces a variant that affects the level of fat aspiration, the caliber and shape of the cannulas.

Very fine cannulas are introduced through a small incision of 3-4 mm, which connected to an aspirator extract the excess fat at a superficial level. This procedure is performed taking into account some areas of the body that are key to achieve a harmonic remodeling of the curves.

The procedure is performed under general, local or epidural anesthesia depending on the extent of the area to be treated or the amount of fat to be aspirated.

Postoperative

After the operation the tissues are edematous, taking 3-4 weeks to reduce its volume, so the results can be considered definitive until 3 months after the intervention. A girdle, stockings or elastic bandage will be placed over the treated area to control swelling and bleeding, and to help the skin to adapt to the new contour. It is usually necessary to wear it for 2 to 3 weeks, and then only during the day for a few more weeks, depending on your plastic surgeon’s instructions. Antibiotics may also be given to prevent infection.

Healing is a gradual process. Your plastic surgeon will instruct you to start walking as soon as possible (to prevent venous thrombus formation in the legs), but do not engage in strenuous activity for 2 to 4 weeks. The stitches will be removed in 5 to 10 days, and you will be able to return to work in 2 or 3 days, or at the most, 2 weeks after the surgery, depending on the extent of the liposuction and your surgeon’s recommendations. Swelling and bruising will disappear in the first month or two after liposuction; however, minimal swelling may remain for 6 or more months.

Additional information

Liposuction is a safe technique, as long as the patient is well selected, the operating room is well equipped and it is performed by a qualified plastic surgeon. However, complications can occur in some cases, especially when large amounts of fat are removed at one time. Another infrequent, although possible, complication is fluid accumulation (which must be drained) and skin injury. Although serious complications are very rare, infection and excessive fluid loss may occur and require appropriate treatment.

Conclusions

The advantages of this technique are the presence of minimal scars, little pain, no need for prolonged immobilization, possibility of treating several areas of the body in a single intervention, resumption of normal activities in 4-5 days and the possibility of being associated with other interventions such as breast volume reduction or dermolipectomy. Among the techniques used today for the reduction of localized adiposity, liposuction allows to achieve a better volumetric reduction and a more detailed sculpting of the body contour, being able not only to reduce fat volume, but also to improve curves and volumes to create a new silhouette. Today we can undoubtedly propose an effective and safe surgical procedure with brilliant aesthetic results.

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