Liposuction
Liposuction
Beyond healthy diet and regular exercise, liposuction diminishes or removes bulges of fat to refine your figure. Because liposuction is safe and effective in permanent removal of fat, it has become popular for both men and women. Most common sites for fat removal are the hips, thighs, buttocks, flanks, abdomen, and neck. Best results are achieved if your skin retains youthful elasticity. This can be evaluated during consultation. Liposuction may be performed under local anesthesia for single or small areas, but general anesthesia is recommended for several areas or larger amounts of fat removal. Recovery lasts days to weeks, and scars are minimal. Liposuction is not a procedure to lose weight. Because only fat is removed, liposuction does not correct sagging skin after weight loss or aging. These problems are more suited to dermolipectomy, the removal of both skin and fat. Dermolipectomy scars are longer than after liposuction, but shape and proportion of the abdomen, breasts, thighs, and upper arms can be improved significantly.
Dr. Laverson answers Liposuction Questions
If I am overweight, should I lose it before liposuction, or have the procedure and lose it afterward?
This is our most common question, and the answer depends on your individual situation. Dr. Laverson supervises a POWERFUL and EFFECTIVE weight loss program that is absolutely guaranteed, provided you are otherwise healthy and follow the program. The best part: It’s not that difficult. Dr. Laverson lost 40 extra pounds that he was burdened with for years on the program (in three to four months). He and his staff are available 24/7 for support. We are passionate about patients getting the body they want, not only for quality of life related to your appearance and identity, but to promote general health. Excess fat weight is associated with chronic medical problems, and can be overcome for life with easy to adopt changes in your routine. Weight loss is more a mental than a physical battle, and we’re here to help. Dr. Laverson prefers to perform liposuction on areas you don’t like despite normal or near normal body weight. If you remain overweight following liposuction, you’ll not be pleased with the result. Patients who are overweight request liposuction in multiple areas. If you lose weight first, liposuction may only be needed in one or two areas instead of five or six, or maybe not at all!
What is “tumescent” liposuction, and why does Dr. Laverson prefer this over VASER®, SmartLipo®, and other popular techniques?
Tumescent liposuction reduces post operative bruising, swelling and pain. Blood loss is minimized during tumescent liposuction due to the effects of medication in the tumescent solution. Tumescence indicates that excess fat is suffused with a large amount of sterile salt water containing medications during a preliminary step prior to removal of your fat by suction. Injected fluid swells fat compartments. They become firm, or “tumesced.” Expanded fat compartments allow the liposuction cannula to travel smoothly beneath the skin as fat is extracted. Benefits of tumescence before liposuction (the “tumescent technique”) include added precision in fat removal and body contouring, facilitation of larger volumes of fat removal, diminished blood loss, and with local anesthetic, extended pain relief after surgery. Dr. Laverson has evaluated several other techniques for liposuction. He prefers tumescent because of the predictability of results, his ability for both debulking larger volumes and for sculpting finer contours, and the improved safety profile by avoiding unnecessary discharge of ultrasound or laser energy beneath the skin surface near nerves, blood vessels, and organs that can be directly or indirectly affected.
Why do patients wear a compression garment after surgery?
Swelling and often some bruising are expected after liposuction. Dr. Laverson will measure your body in advance of your procedure, and order a high quality custom fitted compression garment to control swelling, stabilize the treated area, and facilitate smooth fat distribution for your best possible body shape. Wear the garment around the clock (except when showering) for two to three weeks following your liposuction procedure. Many patients see little difference, or are even larger during the first one to three months after liposuction. Between two and six months afterward, you will progressively see better results, provided you’re not gaining body fat from overeating. Improvement continues until about one year after liposuction when all of the swelling should be gone.
Can I still gain weight after liposuction?
We are born with a certain number of fat cells. During liposuction, fat cells are removed with the surgery. The remaining fat cells get bigger when you get bigger and get smaller when you get smaller. If you maintain your weight, the fat should not come back to the liposuctioned areas. If you put on weight, it will more likely be distributed evenly over the body and less likely to go to your ‘trouble zones’.
Will I still have cellulite or rippling after liposuction
Liposuction is a body contouring procedure to improve the shape, size, and appearance of your body. This includes a smooth skin surface. Your age, skin elasticity, history of weight loss, the amount, area, and location on your body of liposuction all influence the final outcome. Dr. Laverson incorporates judgment and techniques to avoid “cellulite” and rippling, but as swelling resolves and the treated area deflates after liposuction, rippling, wrinkling, skin sagging, and surface irregularities develop. Often, this is mild, and not problematic. The development of loose skin over an area of liposuction can be difficult to predict, and even more so if ultrasound (e.g. VASER®) or laser energy (e.g. SMART-LIPO®) is performed. No promises can be made in advance regarding cellulite. Liposuction improves the overall shape of the body in addition to making it smaller, but if significant rippling and skin sagging develop, secondary procedures such as dermolipectomy (surgical removal of excess skin and fat) may be indicated.
How much will my post-op appointments cost?
There is NO charge for post surgical visits.