Liposuction
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Liposuction is technically the simplest procedure in Plastic Surgery.
The idea is that areas of excess fat are removed using a stainless steel cannula (a little bigger than a pencil) attached to suction.
For the right patient, liposuction can be extremely rewarding. The ideal patient is close to his/her ideal body weight but has isolated areas of undesirable contour. In women this is usually the lateral thighs (saddle bags) or lower abdomen. In men the most common area of complaint is the flanks (love handles).
There are some misconceptions about liposuction:
- "Liposuction is not safe." In reality, the procedure is extremely safe with an extremely low complication rate.
- "Liposuction is a treatment for being overweight." This is not true. Liposuction is a treatment for someone who has lost weight and is down to or near his/her ideal body weight.
- "Liposuction will help my cellulite or excess skin." It is important to understand that liposuction will not improve cellulite and will not remove excess skin. There is no reliable treatment for cellulite and surgical removal is necessary for excess skin.
Just because liposuction is easy to perform does not mean that it doesn't have to be done slowly and carefully. If fat is removed from the underside of the skin it can lead to irregularities. If too much fat is removed from an area it can lead to depressions that are almost impossible to correct.
To see before and after images, please click Liposuction.
