Liposuction Frequently Asked Questions
Liposuction as a procedure can help patients lose excess and unwanted fat from specific areas on the body, removed through a narrow vacuum tube inserted to a small and inconspicuous incision. The procedure allows the surgeon to sculpt and contour areas with stubborn fat deposits, and the results can be dramatic with positive results for patients. Dr. Siwy has over 30 years of experience in helping patients achieve the plastic surgery results they want, and her expertise in liposuction makes sure that patients have all of their questions answered before they undertake the procedure.
If you’re interested in liposuction, contact Siwy Plastic Surgery and we’ll be able to set up a consultation where we answer your questions and provide you with insight on how we can help you achieve and maintain the results that will make you happiest. However, if you’re only looking for information and not ready to take the next step you might still be curious on some of the aspects of liposuction. Below is some of the main information you should know if you’re researching the procedure with Dr. Siwy.
What You Need to Know About Liposuction
Who are the candidates for liposuction?
It’s a common belief among many people that liposuction is a weight loss procedure, where huge quantities of fat are removed from all over the body and the patient is totally sculpted by the surgeon. In fact, this isn’t true. The ideal candidate for liposuction are the individuals who are at a generally healthy weight but who want to remove stubborn areas of fat from areas where traditional weight loss methods haven’t worked. These areas of fat can be located on many different parts of the body.
The ideal types of fat to be removed by the liposuction procedure are deposits of subcutaneous fat, which is the fat that lies between the skin and a layer of muscle underneath. Visceral fat, or fat which is between the muscle and the abdominal organs underneath, is much more difficult to remove and is not an ideal type to address with liposuction. The type of skin that a prospective patient has will also determine how ideal of a candidate they are for liposuction. For those with a high level of skin elasticity, or the amount the skin can be manipulated without sagging, they are more likely to be an ideal candidate. For those with looser skin, the results of the procedure might mean they have uneven looking results that would be more difficult to achieve the desired effect of the procedure.
Are there different types of liposuction?
Generally, the principles of liposuction stay the same. A small incision is made in the skin, and then a small vacuum tube will be inserted into the incision to suck out fat cells that don’t respond to traditional weight loss techniques. Once the surgeon sucks out all of the fat cells from a specific area that can be reached through an incision, they will continue to repeat the process along the lines of however many different incisions and rounds are needed. Liposuction can be used to remove fat from multiple different areas of the body, all of which can house hard-to-remove deposits of fat. These areas of the body include the abdomen, hips, buttocks, thighs, knees, upper arms, chin, cheeks, and neck.
Does liposuction require general anesthesia?
As a surgical procedure, the possibility of general anesthesia with liposuction is always present. In some cases, there will only be local or regional anesthesia, but in others, general anesthesia will be required to complete the liposuction procedure. All of this depends on the area of the body that the procedure is being done to.
For areas of the body close to vital organs and sensitive areas that can be easily damaged, general anesthesia may be used to make sure that the patient doesn’t move during the procedure and the proper measures can be undertaken to ensure success of that patient’s liposuction. For areas away from those, then it might only be local anesthetic that is applied during the procedure. The use of general anesthesia during the procedure will fall under the judgement of the medical team. Dr. Siwy has decades of experience in making sure that her procedures go well for patients, and depending on the facts of each unique case, she and her team will be able to recommend the course of action that will work best.
When can I return to work after liposuction?
Liposuction is generally an outpatient procedure, so patients will be able to go home to rest and recover. In all cases, but especially in the case of general anesthesia being used, the patient will be monitored after waking up from the procedure. In almost all cases, patients are allowed to go home the same day of the procedure. Also, in most cases, the patient will be able to resume working a few days after the procedure. These are small incisions, and won’t prevent those who don’t have to undertake physical labor for their job from getting their responsibilities done.
Your care and recovery after surgery will depend on where the procedure was done, the amount of fat removed and other variables after a consultation with Dr. Siwy, but in most cases patients are recovered fully within a matter of weeks.
Can I still gain weight after liposuction?
Liposuction does remove fat from the body, but it doesn’t mean that the body isn’t capable of making that fat come back. If a patient doesn’t continue to eat right, exercise, and otherwise pursue a healthy lifestyle after the procedure, then fat can always come back. Again, liposuction isn’t meant to serve as a dramatic weight loss tool and it certainly won’t stop the body from producing new fat in the future. If you want to remove specific areas of fat from the body, though, liposuction can be the answer to get the appearance you want.