Liposuction and Liposculpture
by Dr. Blau
Having a fit and well-proportioned body is the goal of many young people. Liposuction surgery is an important option to consider in achieving an optimal body shape, especially when there is a disproportionate amount of adipose tissue in certain areas of the body. A better word to describe liposuction when performed by an experienced plastic surgeon is Liposculpture. Liposuction is the most popular cosmetic procedure in the world, and according to the American Society of Plastic Surgery about 500,000 Americans undergo liposculpture every year. Dr. Blau has authored a number of articles about liposuction surgery (click here).
Common Areas for liposuction
Common areas of localized fat deposit include the trunk, extremities, face and neck areas. These areas cannot generally be improved by diet and exercise, but they can be corrected by liposuction surgery.
Localized buildup of excess adipose tissue may exist due to hereditary factors, a lack of weight control measures such as diet and exercise, and other causes.
In my practice, which serves patients from
Motivation before and after liposuction
Looking fit is a common, universal goal and liposuction is merely one tool for achieving this ideal. The excitement of planning the liposuction procedure may motivate some people to start losing weight. Others may have to to see the benefits from the liposuction surgery first before becoming motivated. In either case they may achieve their desired outcome from planning or getting the liposuction surgery. I recall a 32 years old female patient from
About Liposuction
Alternative names for liposuction are lipectomy, Lipoplasty and liposupture. All these names mean fatty tissue removal. Tumescent liposuction is the wet method and the tumescent solution facilitates the fat suction by decreasing the amount of blood loss.
Liposuction is not the ideal cure for extreme obesity, nor is it the perfect answer to eliminate cellulite. Liposuction is optimal when used to dissolve localized fat deposits in areas that are resistant to diet and exercise.
There are several methods of liposuction: syringe liposuction, ultrasound liposuction, Lazar liposuction and others. My opinion is that the patient’s condition and the surgeon’s experience are ultimately much more important than the kind of instrumentations that are used to perform the liposuction surgery.
The art of liposuction surgery lies in determining how much can and should be suctioned in a particular patient without causing aesthetic defects. My passion for art, deep knowledge of anatomy, and over 25 years of experience performing liposuction surgery always help me to achieve the best possible results.
Candidates for liposuction
Young people with good skin elasticity and firmness are ideal candidates for liposuction surgery. Obese and elderly people with significant amount of excess skin and/or poor skin elasticity (wrinkles and/or cellulites) may achieve only limited amount of improvement after liposuction (But they will appear thinner with clothes).
Results can be very rewarding for the serious post liposculpture candidates that are willing to keep up with proper diet and exercise. Those liposuction patients that will be making the effort to keep such a healthy life style should do well. Therefore a serious commitment is needed to maintain and even improve the new body shape.
In many cases some improvement in body contour can be seen immediately, and when swelling subsides over the next few months the final shape will be evident if the patient maintains a healthy life style.
It is important to mention that certain areas that appear depressed or concave can usually be improved significantly by using the adipose tissue obtained from liposuction as filler to correct these skin irregularities. In other words fat transfer from an area of abundant tissue excess (bulge) to another area with significant lack of tissue (depression) can be performed as part of Liposuction surgery.
Consultation prior to your liposuction
Your consultation will be comprehensive and everything should be completely understood and clear prior to surgery. Dr. Blau is very patient, compassionate and understanding and will discuss all the important details for 30 to 60 minutes. Upon your request you will also be shown before and after liposuction pictures of previous patients. Upon booking the liposuction surgery a comprehensive and informative booklet will be mailed to you for additional review of all the information that was discussed during your consultation.
LIPOSUCTION SURGERY
All the liposuction surgery details that are discussed preoperatively and the detailed booklet that you will get will help you to understand the process and make an intelligent decision. Every step of the way should be clear at this point. Dr. Blau will perform the surgery in our fully accredited facility (www.jointcommission.com). Usually the board certified anesthesiologist will call you a few days prior to surgery. On the morning of the surgery marking of the areas targeted for liposuction will be done together with you. The liposuction surgery will last 1 to 3 hours. After the surgery you will be transferred to the recovery room for 1to 3 hours.
Areas of Improvement post liposuction
Liposuction of the abdomen, waist, and back: Probably the most popular areas for liposuction. The majority of patients will enjoy the surgical outcome. I have found that the results of the “mid back bulges” liposuction can be dramatic at times (see patient) in suitable candidates (consult your plastic surgeon). Patients with reasonable amount of skin excess and fairly good skin elasticity should benefit from abdominal and waist liposuction (If there is a large abdominal apron, Abdominoplasty, tummy tuck may be necessary).
Liposuction of the hips and thighs: Seen almost exclusively in women, and usually after weight loss. In some people it can be congenital in nature.
Should the skin laxity be substantial, “thighs reduction surgery” may have to be considered. The outer thighs “saddle back deformity” or “violin deformity” is suitable for major liposuction without the need for skin excision, this is due to the skin quality and thickness in this particular areas.
The nature of the inner thighs skin is different (thinner), and therefore one should be cautious not to perform major liposuction without weighing the need for future skin tightening.
Liposuction of the arms and neck areas
These areas are visible and when using good judgment the surgical results may be especially fulfilling. Caution should be taken to hide the tiny incision and the removal of the adipose tissue must be done in the uniform fashion possible. Prior to the arm and neck liposuction one should talk about alternatives like neck lift (face lift, facial rhytidectomy) and arm reduction (Brachioplasty), should the excess skin require it. This of course should depend on the amount of skin laxity and elasticity. Patient’s age is also a factor.
