THE LIPOSUCTION BLOG

The term "body contouring" has been use in Plastic Surgery to refer to procedures designed to improve the general appearance of the body shape. Traditionally body contouring has been used to describe breast augmentation, tummy tuck, thigh and buttock lift and arm lift and other surgical procedures.

With the advent and popularization of liposuction, the term body sculpting or liposculpture was used to describe the use of liposuction to improve body contour with the use of liposuction as opposed to surgical procedures which required skin removal.

While I have been reluctant to use the term sculpture to describe some of the results achieved with traditional liposuction, the results I am achieving with the new Aspire® SlimLipo® laser liposuction unit are truly refined and worthy of the use of the term laser body sculpting.

Notice in the pictures below the appearance of the "six pack" area of the abdomen of the patient. Using the SlimLipo® procedure I was able to melt fat and tighten skin so that the contour of the abdominal muscles is clearly seen after the procedure. This type of result was impossible using traditional liposuction and or abdominoplasty surgery. The term laser body sculpting certainly is appropriate in this case.

I am achieving truly remarkable laser body sculpting results with the new Slimlipo® laser fat melting, skin tightening laser liposuction unit. Laser body sculpting is possible on the neck, waist, abdomen, thighs, hips, buttocks, arms, and other body areas where excess fat and or loose skin is troubling you. We are just beginning to appreciate the many uses and benefits of this exciting new laser liposuction and skin tightening technology.

Dr. Seckel

Concord, Massachusetts

Boston, Massachusetts

By: Dr Brooke R. Seckel

A fat loss plan involving eating the right food and following a strict exercise routine will lead to a permanent reduction in weight.

However, in spite of this, there may be isolated areas of the body harboring fatty tissue that don’t respond to a diet or exercise. These areas may be the face, the neck, the side of the hips, the buttocks, the top of the leg, and the thigh. For those people wanting to get rid of these pockets of fat then Liposuction may be the answer.

Liposuction is not a method of achieving weight loss – it’s a method of reshaping the body contours of a person. Of getting rid of those unsightly bumps on a body that make a person look overweight; of giving a person a new lease on life and the confidence to face the future feeling a lot better.

It should be mentioned that Liposuction is a surgical procedure, and like all surgical procedures carries an element of risk The level of risk should be explained to the patient in the preliminary interview with the surgeon.

Liposuction covering a small area of the body can be carried out with a local anesthetic in the surgeon’s premises, or in the case of larger areas of the body with a general anesthetic and as an overnight patient in a hospital.

The theory behind the procedure is quite simple – areas of the body affected by isolated pockets of fatty tissue have a small tube inserted under the skin and the fatty tissue is sucked out using a small vacuum device. The affected area may be injected with a solution that partially liquefies the fat making removal easier.

Not everyone is able to have Liposuction. Diabetics for example are precluded; the patient should not be overweight; and they should have firm, elastic skin that can reshape itself after the fat has been removed. The latter would prevent older people from undergoing the procedure. A plastic surgeon may only agree to operate after the patient has tried to get rid of the fat by dieting and exercising.

For a grossly overweight person, suffering from obesity, who cannot lose any fat after trying diets and exercise, there is another, more complicated,  procedure for achieving permanent weight loss. This is called Gastric Bypass Surgery.

This is a course of action that involves re-arranging the digestive system of the patient. Part of the stomach and part of the small intestine are bypassed, allowing the food to pass into the lower, and smaller, area of the reduced stomach. Thus a much smaller amount of food is held in the stomach giving the person the feeling of being full, of not needing any more food.

This minor operation can result in dramatic and permanent weight loss particularly for those who are grossly overweight. The whole body quickly adapts to having to deal with less food in the stomach, and weight loss is both immediate and noticeable.

However, as with all surgical procedures, there is an element of risk involved. But the surgeon would make the patient fully aware of these.

The surgeon should also make the patient fully mindful of the need for a radical change of life-style involving a more nutritious diet, and undertaking a regular exercise program on a daily basis. A person not prepared to make these changes to their life should not contemplate this operation.

However once an overweight person can visualize the benefits that Gastric Bypass Surgery brings, there shouldn’t be any problems in adapting to a changed life-style.

By: Gareth Black

lizzabet1015 asked:

I have not had children yet, but I plan to have at least 2 kids a few years down the road. Based on experience is it better to wait to get Liposuction after the kids? Or does it work so that fat will not return to your stomach after you have lipo and after having kids? Anyone know for sure?

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MBA Grad Student asked:

Have you had facial liposuction on the chin/neck area? If so, are you satisfied with the results, and how much did you have to pay for the procedure?

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Liposuction is a surgical procedure designed to remove small pockets of excess fat that are resistant to diet and exercise. There are several types of liposuction procedures available, Tumescent liposuction involves the injection if a large amount of anesthetic into the area being treated.Lipo selection uses the same concept without disturbing the surrounding tissue. In ultrasonic assisted liposuction (UAL), sound waves are used to liquefy the fat before it is removed. Ultrasonic liposuction is not really a very new technique. Ultrasonic liposuction can be performed with either the traditional, wet, or tumescent methods. “Ultrasonic” means high-pitched sound. The use of ultrasound waves helped to make certain liposuction procedures easier, but not faster.

Main advantages to an ultrasound assisted liposuction (UAL) procedure are typically: less tissue damage, less bleeding, and large volumes of fat removed. Commonly involved areas are the anterior part of the neck (under the chin), upper arms and armpits, male chest/breasts, trunk, abdomen, waist, hips, thighs, inner knees, calves, and ankles. The use of UAL allows safer removal of larger amounts of fat than with standard liposuction. This increase in safety is due to the reduced amount of blood removed with UAL. There are also different risks and precautions necessary for an ultrasound liposuction surgery. Since ultrasound is a high-energy disturbance, the risk of burns and nerve damage is increased. UAL causes blood clots in the small blood vessels.

Internal UAL produces heat and elevates the temperature of targeted fatty tissue. Ultrasonic liposuction also has complications such as nerve damage but probably causes less bleeding and irregularity. Usually the incisions required for this technique are bigger to accommodate some sort of skin shield that protects the adjacent areas of skin from being burned by the probe. Injury to peripheral nerves is possible with UAL. Patients who have had internal UAL appear to have an increased incidence of prolonged numbness consistent with injury to sensory nerves. The scars from liposuction are small and strategically placed to be hidden from view, even in a bikini. However, other cosmetic problems may occur, even it your surgeon is very skilled.

The high-frequency ultrasonic vibrations will weaken all generations of internal ultrasonic cannulae. The ultrasonic waves damage the probe with each use, and even the newest probes must be rejected after as little as twenty operations. Such mounting costs can be prohibitive and are always passed onto the patients. An emerging generation of devices uses an external ultrasound diffuse to treat areas before engaging in a more traditional liposuction procedure. Though these devices avoid the chance of a local tissue burn, it requires a large amount of ultrasound energy to pass down through the skin and can damage the outer layers of the body. The results of such external systems are currently under debate, with some doctors claiming success while others say it’s just a gimmick.

By: Juliet Cohen

So many ladies and even men are obsessed with the idea of having an ideal body that they are going to go to nearly any length to achieve what they contemplate an ideal body. The reality is though that although the liposuction cost has gone down a great deal since the procedures first appeared, it is still an amazing amount of cash to spend on something that a lot of people would see as unneccessary. The liposuction price is still going to be adequate to where you’ll be forced to finance the procedure if you haven’t already been saving the cash for it.

If you end up financing the process, the total liposuction cost will actually increase thanks to the financing fees that you will be paying in the long game. When it comes to the liposuction price, you have got to know the precise amount you’ll be asked to pay will depend on what part of the body you are getting done and what quantity of fat needs taken out.

Because of the liposuction cost concerned, some have no alternative but to try and about it the old fashion way. Of course, there are those people who have tried a large amount of dieting and exercising and still are having difficulty getting fat removed from certain parts of their body. Due to this disappointment, these people may care less what the liposuction price is as they are willing to pay anything to have their problem fixed.

If you do not have a certain doctor in mind, see if you can find referrals from family or pals that may have gone through the surgery before. Not all doctors are true so this is why you need to concentrate more on how good of a doctor he is rather than is rather than the liposuction cost.

Once a person decides that he desires to consult a doctor with regard to a liposuction process, they generally talk more on the liposuction price is rather than how qualified the doctor really is for this type of surgery. Firstly, you wish to ensure that you’re going to a doctor that is really anxious about your overall health then just taking your money.

The liposuction price is going to rely on how much you need done but before you go arranging any surgery, you want to think on it. There might be a very good chance that with a change in your diet and a little more exercise thrown into your daily running order that you can conquer the fat issue rather than getting surgery.

Once you know how much precisely the liposuction cost is going to be for the type of process you need done, it is time to start making plans to get the funds. If you are ready to wait a little you can save the cash up yourself so that the liposuction price is completely covered by your account. If that is not a choice for you or you are not willing to wait then there’s always the option of a loan.

In the end, it is all about what you can afford and what you are willing to spend when it comes to the total liposuction cost. When you have ultimately made your call and you are done with the surgery, you will be glad that you did not let the price tag stop you from your dreams.

If you would like more info about the cost of liposuction then visit this internet site about Liposuction Costs or these great articles and guides about the Liposuction Average Cost and financing.



By: Carri Grant

What Are the Major Risks and Potential Complications of Liposuction?

Like any non-cosmetic major surgery, liposuction has potential risks and complications. Therefore, you should consider it as seriously as you would any major surgery.

What Are the Common Minor Complications, or Consequences?

Changes in Skin Sensation. This is a normal consequence of liposuction that occurs in everyone to a different extent. You may experience “paresthesias,” which is an altered sensation at the site of the liposuction. This may either be in the form of an increased sensitivity (pain) in the area, or the loss of any feeling (numbness) in the area. This sensation is permanent in very rare cases. However, in almost all patients it goes away within the first two to four months after surgery. Massaging the area helps increase circulation, and facilitate return of normal skin sensation.

Swelling. This is also a normal occurrence that occurs in every patient. Compression garments and post-operative massage help to minimize this, as well as reducing its duration to less than two months.

Bruising: There will be bruising in many areas that are liposuctioned, as well as in adjacent or dependent areas. For example, people who have abdominal liposuction experience swelling and bruising in their genitalia. This is not because these areas are actually liposuctioned. However, bruises usually move downward due to gravity, and can thus temporarily accumulate in the genitalia. Some bruising can last a long time or even lead to permanent skin pigmentation. Sun tanning immediately after surgery can cause these bruises to become permanent skin stains.

Skin Irregularities or Wrinkles: The extent of this depends on the elasticity of the suctioned skin areas. People who have many stretch marks, cellulite, or skin dimples have poor elasticity and therefore will have more skin irregularities or wrinkles. Usually, post-operative massage helps to smooth these areas.

Asymmetry: No two halves of the body are identical. Therefore, following surgery, there may appear to be very slight differences between the contour and size of the two sides. Scoliosis or other spine derangements can magnify body asymmetry.

Muscle Spasm: It is very common to get temporary muscle spasm or cramps in the areas that were worked on. This usually resolves quickly by itself or can be helped by gentle heat and massage.

Pain and Discomfort: You should expect to have pain or discomfort similar to a feeling of having worked out too hard. Some of this may feel like a stabbing pain in the liposuctioned areas, and in adjacent areas. This can usually be managed by pain medications, and it generally lasts for a few weeks. Rarely, and in people with Fibromyalgia, or other forms of chronic pain syndrome, there can be a worsening of the patient’s baseline pain.

Depression, emotional, or sexual changes: There have been reported incidents of post-liposuction depression similar to postpartum depression. While this is usually temporary, patients need to address it with their physician.

Seroma or fluid collection: After surgery, there may be a pooling of serum, the straw colored liquid from your blood, in areas where tissue has been removed. While this can be a common problem with Ultrasound Assisted Liposuction (UAL), it rarely occurs with standard Tumescent Liposuction. Your surgeon can alleviate these by draining them with a small needle in an office procedure.

Rare and Severe Complications:

Infections. Infections may happen after any surgery and may rarely occur after surgery. Because we routinely prescribe an antibiotic to all patients we have never yet seen a patient who has developed post-operative infection after liposuction. Extremely rarely, infections may be serious or life threatening such as in cases of necrotizing fasciitis (bacteria that eat away at the tissue) or with toxic shock syndrome, a serious, sometimes fatal infection caused by a bacteria, that is associated with surgery (such as is sometime caused by the use of tampons).

Embolism. This is also extremely rare and is lessened by early postoperative mobility so that blood does not have time to become stagnant in calf muscles. Fat embolism may occur when fat is loosened and enters the blood through blood vessels ruptured (broken) during liposuction. Pieces of fat get trapped in the blood vessels, gather in the lungs, or travel to the brain. The signs of pulmonary emboli (fat clots in the lungs) may be shortness of breath or difficulty breathing. If you have the signs or symptoms of fat emboli after liposuction, it is important for you to seek emergency medical care at once. Fat emboli may cause permanent disability or, in some cases, be fatal.

Visceral Perforations (puncture wounds in the organs). During liposuction, the physician is unable to see where the cannula, or probe, is. It is possible to puncture or damage internal organs during liposuction. This may happen, for instance, if the intestines are punctured during abdominal liposuction. When organs are damaged, surgery may be required to repair them. Visceral perforations may also be fatal.

Skin Necrosis (skin death). The skin above the liposuction area or at the site of stab wound incisions may become necrotic or “die.” This is more prevalent with Ultasound Assistant Liposuction. When this happens, skin may change color and be sloughed (fall) off. Large areas of skin necrosis may become infected with bacteria or microorganisms.

Burns. During Ultrasound Assisted Liposuction, the ultrasound probe may become very hot and can cause burns.

Fluid Imbalance. Fat tissue, which contains a lot of liquid, is removed during surgery. Also, physicians may inject large amounts of fluids during liposuction. This may result in a fluid imbalance. While you are in the physician’s office, surgical center or hospital, the staff will be monitoring you for signs of fluid imbalance. However, this may happen after you go home and can result in serious conditions such as heart problems, excess fluid collecting in the lungs, or kidney problems as your kidneys try to maintain fluid balance.

Toxicity from Anesthesia. Lidocaine, a drug that numbs the skin, is frequently used as a local anesthetic. You may have had a similar drug, Novocaine, to numb your mouth at the dentist. Large volumes of liquid with lidocaine may be injected during liposuction. This may result in very high doses of lidocaine. We try to minimize the potential for Lidocaine toxicity by greatly limiting the extent of Lidocaine used during general anesthesia. The symptoms of this toxicity are lightheadedness, restlessness, drowsiness, tinnitis (a ringing in the ears), slurred speech, metallic taste in the mouth, numbness of the lips and tongue, shivering, muscle twitching and convulsions. Lidocaine toxicity may cause the heart to stop, resulting in death. In general, any type of anesthesia may cause complications and is always considered a risk during any surgery.



By: Dave Stringham

bbblsld asked:

I have seen this commercial on tv about laser liposuction and i just want to know about it. Has anyone ever done it? And if u have is it safe?

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Amazing New Technology for Fat Removal

If you’re looking to get rid of those obstinate fat pockets, SmartLipo laser liposuction is a procedure that guarantees fast, visible results. Besides being the first and sole laser aided lipolysis machine to remove fat in a minimally invasive and innovative manner, SmartLipo is associated with fewer side-effects and a shorter downtime when compared to traditional liposuction.

A Winning Option

Whatever may be the color, age, skin type or shape of the person, SmartLipo emerges as a winning option. Included among the many body areas that can be effectively treated with SmartLipo are small regions of the face, arms, neck, male breasts, tummy, ankles, and knees. Any person with fat in these areas and who is not more than 25 lbs above the most correct weight for him/her, can stand to gain from SmartLipo. 

Multiple Benefits

Here are some of the other benefits of SmartLipo laser liposuction:

•    Only a minimal degree of bruising, discomfort, and pain.

•    Results are visible soon after the procedure and would continue to get better over the months.

•    Enhances body contour.

•    Tautens sagging skin.

•    Causes a certain level of cellulite enhancement.

•    Stitches not required.

SmartLipo is more advantageous than other liposuction modalities that are laser assisted because of its use of a dual laser MPX – the SmartLipo MPX. The utilization of two wavelengths by the SmartLipo MPX helps to decrease the treatment time.

Fat Doesn’t Return

Usually, one treatment is all that’s required to get the desired results. What’s more, once the treatment is over, you will not develop fresh fat cells. If fat is to develop, most of it would be concentrated in regions where the treatment was not done. It’s no surprise then that so many people are going the SmartLipo way.

By: Spero J Theodorou

Step1

What is liposuction?

The media illustrates it as new cosmetic procedures to lose weight / remove fat from the body. The first step is to figure out what liposuction really is and if it is right for you.

Liposuction is a cosmetic surgery procedure that removes fat from different areas of the body. This is achieved using

Although liposuction is the most common name, the procedure is also known as body sculpting, lipoplasty, body contouring, tummy tuck (refers to the specific region of the stomach), tumescent liposuction (which refers to a particular technique of sucking fat out), among other names that are either body area or technology specific.

It is most often performed by cosmetic surgeons, as well as properly licensed dermatologists in the US. Surgeons generally recommend (or at least supposed to) liposuction as a procedure that is only for fat that remains re-removable after proper exercise and diet.

In the US alone in 2007, 456,828 liposuction operations were performed (Source:http://www.surgery.org/). This number continues to grow exponentially as new technology makes the procedure safe and more efficient, and while prices become more competitive as more surgeons offer this service.

Step2

Decide whether it is right for you.

If you have fat on your body that reside in pockets that are hard to remove through exercise or diet, then you may be a candidate for liposuction procedure.

Step3

Decide the body part you want to remove fat from

Do you want to remove fat from your arms? legs? thigh? chest? mid section? chin? There are different procedure methods and costs associated to different areas. (More information on costs an be found on Cheap Liposuction Prices)

Step4

Decide the type of liposuction that suits you budget and preferences

Do your research on what the costs are for each procedure. Different surgeons specialize in different body parts, and may have perfected a technique for a specific area.

Step5

Search for and select a surgeon you trust

Going in for a consultation and meeting the doctor is the best way to gauge whether or not you feel comfortable with the doctor. In addition, be sure to ask for before and after photos of his work (in addition to the ones on the website, as those usually are the best cases).

Write down all of your most important concerns on a book or journal, and be sure ask the doctor all of your most important questions. A good doctor should take the time to address your concerns in a professional and comfortable way, without pressuring you for a sale. Remember, the decision is yours.

Step6

Negotiate, plan and close the deal on finances

Any kind of plastic surgery, whether surgical or cosmetic is expensive. Liposuction is no exception. Be sure to expect at least $2000 in surgery costs, and sometimes much more (up to $20,000) for liposuction of multiple body parts.

Other costs associated with hospital bills, anesthesia and post operative care clothes should be included in the cost estimation. Expectations for surgery costs should be handled upfront, before the surgery date and not after.

Step7

Operation / Recovery Time

Your doctor should provide specific instructions for the date of the surgery. Be sure to have driving directions, and a friend to drive you back after the operations. If this surgery is being conducted in a different city or overseas, plan your stay accordingly for at least 3-4 days of immediate recovery time, and 1-2 weeks off work.

Step8

Help others / provide feedback

After your procedure, enjoy your new self! It is still you, just a better version of it. Be sure to join the plastic surgery forums, and provide feedback to others who are also thinking of joining you in your path. Become a reference-able patient to your doctor if he/she did a good job.

By: AlphaWolf