This extremely popular surgery, in fact the most common surgical cosmetic procedure in the US, is to extract excess fat deposits. It is performed in order to enhance one's appearance by improving body contours and proportion.
About the Procedure
First, your doctor will put you under general anesthetic so that you will be asleep throughout the procedure. If you prefer intravenous sedation, then discuss that possibility with your doctor beforehand.
Your doctor will next make a few small incisions and infuse a sterile liquid solution to reduce bleeding and trauma. He will then place, through these incisions, a thin hollow tube or a cannula; this is in order to loosen the excess fat. When that is complete, he will suck the fat out of the body.
Length
The surgery takes from one hour to 1.5 hours depending on the extent of the procedure. Many patients go home on the day of the surgery, but some stay in hospital for one or two days.
Benefits
Liposuction enhances one's self-confidence by slimming and reshaping areas of person's body affected by excess fat deposits. This also improves body contours and proportion.
Who is an ideal candidate?
An ideal candidate would realize that this kind of surgery is not miraculous; it does have its limitation. The candidate would want a new body shape as well as a boost in self-confidence. They should have tried dieting or exercise before liposuction to lose weight and fat deposits with little or no response. They should have no life-threatening illnesses or medical conditions and be a non-smoker.
Who is not an ideal candidate?
People who are very overweight or who have large areas of fat deposits are not good candidates.
Recovery
After the surgery, your doctor will give you a special garment to wear in order to cover the treatment areas and help to control swelling and compress the skin for your new body contours. He may also insert small temporary drains in the incisions to extract any excess blood or fluid.
During the recovery period, it is advised not to wear tight clothes for the first couple of months as this may effect the fat in some certain areas.
Preparing your surgery
Before the actual surgery, your doctor may ask you to do the following:
• Have a laboratory test
• Have a medical evaluation
• Quit smoking
• Avoid Aspirin or other certain drugs
He will also explain to you about the procedure and recovery.
Anesthesia
General anesthetic or intravenous sedation
Risks / Complications / Side effects
As with other major surgeries like this, there are a number of possible to risks and side-effects to bear in mind; these include:
• Infection
• Blood clots
• Skin damage
• Nerve damage
• Blood vessel damage
• Lung damage
• Muscle damage
• Bleeding
• Scarring
• Fat clots
• Uneven contours
• Discoloration
• Swelling
• Poor wound healing
After your surgery
If you adhere to a healthy diet and plenty of exercise, you will, after surgery and recovery, continue to maintain your new enhanced appearance. You will have follow-up visits in the months after surgery to check on your progress.
Post operative care
There is the possibility of revisionist surgery if a complication arises.
Price range
USD 700-4,500