Liposuction

Liposuction is a surgical procedure to remove excess fat from certain areas of the body; it is usually performed under general or spinal anesthesia and involves several small incisions of about 3–4 mm, a few hours of surgery, and a few days of recovery. The duration of the procedure and recovery depend on the amount of fat removed, the areas treated, the technique used, the surgeon’s skill, and the patient’s overall health.

Liposuction performed on obese individuals for the purpose of weight loss often yields harmful results. The patient must fully understand that liposuction is a method of body contouring, not weight loss; it helps eliminate fat deposits that cannot be removed through exercise or diet.

Since it is a major surgical procedure performed under anesthesia, it is recommended that the patient consult a plastic surgeon who is a specialist and well-versed in the technique.

Today, there are methods for dissolving fat using lasers, which are often combined with traditional liposuction. However, these new methods are not always the most effective and require further testing.

There are numerous areas that can be treated with liposuction. In general, women tend to accumulate fat on the outer thighs (the so-called “saddlebags”), inner thighs, hips, and flanks, while men tend to accumulate fat on the abdomen and flanks. Of course, this is not a hard-and-fast rule; both sexes can accumulate fat in various areas.

The concept of LIPOSCULPTURE involves the process of effective body contouring by removing excess fat from certain areas and transplanting it to other areas that are deficient or have depressions.

The areas that can be treated with liposculpture are:

1. 1. • the abdomen
      • posterior flanks
      • hips
      • outer and inner thighs
      • inner knees
      • calves
      • ankles
      • arms
      • breasts (in men with gynecomastia, but also in women)
      • jaw area
      • neck
      • buttocks

Liposuction can also be performed under local anesthesia for very small fat deposits (for example, under the chin or on the neck); in these cases, the doctor may choose to perform the procedure manually, using a syringe connected to a smaller cannula. A consultation with a specialist is absolutely essential. The doctor will examine you, determine exactly which areas need to be treated, and order a complete set of tests. It is important that you stabilize your body weight approximately 2 months before the procedure, so any diet or weight-loss regimen should be attempted and finalized several months in advance. Certain medications must be avoided for at least 2 weeks before surgery: aspirin and derivatives containing acetylsalicylic acid, ibuprofen, vitamin E, spirulina, and ginkgo biloba (all of which increase the risk of bleeding). Alcohol should also be avoided. Before the surgery, the surgeon will mark the areas to be treated with liposuction. Initially, a large amount of saline solution and diluted epinephrine is injected (2–3 times the estimated volume of fat to be removed). The procedure is performed using special cannulas of various diameters that are inserted through minimal incisions; the cannulas are connected to a special suction device that removes the fat deposits. The incisions are then sutured or left open, depending on the surgeon’s preference. Depending on the treated areas, various compression garments will be applied and must be worn for at least one month after surgery. It is recommended that you stay overnight at the hospital or clinic, depending on the extent of the procedure. Normally, after surgery, there will be bruising and swelling in the areas that underwent liposuction; these areas will also feel numb because the nerves in those areas have been stretched. All of this is completely normal, as is some mild discomfort. For about a week after surgery, the scale will show a few extra kilograms. This is no cause for concern; it is completely normal, as it takes time for the infused fluid to be reabsorbed. Most patients can return to work within 48 hours and resume their daily activities in about a week.

Below is a complete list of instructions that patients must follow after liposuction surgery:

1. 1. It’s important to have someone at home to help you during the first two days, as it will be difficult for you to move around.
   2. It is recommended that you move around as much as possible, and when you are in bed, move your legs as often as possible. Keep your legs elevated on pillows. Do not cross your legs—this increases the risk of blood clots.
   3. Take deep breaths as often as you can to oxygenate your lungs.
   4. Start with a light diet, then gradually return to your normal diet.
   5. Avoid excessive physical exertion for the first 3 weeks after surgery.
   6. Wear the recommended compression garment AT ALL TIMES FOR AT LEAST 2 WEEKS. You may remove the garment to shower. Put it back on afterward. It’s a good idea to have someone help you the first time you take it off; some patients don’t feel very well the first time they remove the compression garment.
   7. Do not get out of bed suddenly. You may feel dizzy. Sit on the edge of the bed for 5–10 minutes before getting up.
   8. You can wash the corset and put it back on once it’s dry.
   9. Don’t expect to see immediate weight loss. In fact, in the first few days, you’ll actually weigh more due to fluid retention. Even in the end, you won’t notice a big difference on the scale. The difference will be in your body shape, not your weight.
   10. Swelling and bruising are completely normal after surgery; they will gradually subside.
   11. You can massage the surgical areas, which will improve circulation and soften the tissues. Massage can begin 2 weeks after surgery.
   12. It is normal to experience itching or numbness in the areas where liposuction was performed. These sensations will subside over the next 2–3 months.
   13. Avoid physical exertion and lifting objects for the first 3 weeks.
   14. Do not expose the scars to the sun for at least 6 months; protect them with sunscreen that has a minimum SPF of 20 and provides both UVA and UVB protection.
   15. Therapeutic massage can be beneficial after liposuction, starting in the 3rd or 4th week post-surgery. It can be performed by professionals 2–3 times a week for 3–4 weeks. Therapeutic massage aids lymphatic drainage and promotes faster resolution of swelling. Circular massage with oil-based vitamin E is also recommended.

The results of liposuction are not immediately apparent; they begin to become visible after one week, when the swelling starts to subside, but will continue to improve over the following months. The final result will only be evident after 3–6 months. This is important to understand, and the patient should be advised to be patient and to maintain a healthy lifestyle with plenty of exercise and a balanced diet. Liposuction permanently removes excess fat deposits from specific areas of the body. Since the procedure effectively removes the fat-storing cells, if the patient gains weight, the fat will no longer accumulate in the same areas because the cells where it used to be stored are no longer present. Newly accumulated fat will be deposited in other areas. It is therefore preferable to maintain an appropriate level of exercise and diet after the surgery, as this is the only way to effectively sustain the results achieved through the procedure.These may include irregularities in the liposuctioned area, the need to repeat the procedure for areas that were not sufficiently treated, or the removal of too much fat, resulting in depressions. Other complications are those that can occur with any other surgical procedure (bleeding, infections, thrombosis, embolisms, and complications related to anesthesia).