Liposuction is a body-contouring treatment that removes stubborn fat through suction. The body areas generally targeted in this treatment include the abdomen, hips, thighs, neck, arms, or buttocks.
It is worth mentioning that liposuction is not a weight-loss procedure as it helps remove fat only for body contouring. It is a cosmetic procedure that is designed to improve your body’s aesthetics.
Table of Contents
- 1 What Makes a Good Candidate for Liposuction?
- 2 Targeted Areas for Liposuction
- 3 How does a Patient Prepare for Liposuction Surgery?
- 4 How is the Liposuction Procedure Performed?
- 5 Liposuction Recovery: What to Expect?
- 6 Liposuction Before and After
- 7 Liposuction Aftercare
- 8 Risks in Liposuction
- 9 Is liposuction permanent?
- 10 How long is liposuction recovery?
- 11 Is liposuction a weight loss procedure?
- 12 How much fat can be removed surgically?
- 13 How much does it cost to remove fat surgically?
- 14 Consult our Surgeons
What Makes a Good Candidate for Liposuction?
You are a good candidate for liposuction if:
- Your body weight is at most 30% above what could be your ideal weight.
- You are overall healthy with no chronic or life-threatening condition.
- You have a firm and elastic skin surface and good muscle tone.
- You do not smoke.
- You have realistic expectations of the procedure.
Targeted Areas for Liposuction
Liposuction helps remove fat from the following body areas.
- Abdomen and back: Liposuction is an effective treatment to remove stubborn fat from the stomach and back, improving both these areas’ overall shape and contour.
- Knees and thighs: With liposuction, you can reduce the circumference of the leg’s area, starting from the upper thighs down to the knees.
- Buttocks and hips: By removing Stubborn fat deposits, liposuction can give you shapelier buttocks and smoother, more contoured hips.
- Cheeks, chin, and neck: The double chin and early signs of jowls can make you look aged. Fat deposits around the neck also take away your youthful appearance. With liposuction, you can remove excess fat cells from all these areas and regain a more rejuvenated appearance.
- Upper arms: With the help of liposuction, you can remove excess fat deposits from the upper arms and make them more aligned with your torso.
- Chest and breasts: Liposuction of the chest and breasts helps contour the treated areas. This treatment particularly sculpts the breasts. If your breasts lack volume, your surgeon may couple liposuction with a fat transfer.
How does a Patient Prepare for Liposuction Surgery?
To prepare for liposuction surgery, you may need to:
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- Avoid shaving the treatment area as it can increase the risk of infection.
- Stop taking ibuprofen or aspirin, as both medications reduce the blood’s ability to form clots.
- Avoid alcohol consumption as it thins your blood, which may prolong the recovery duration.
- Stop smoking to prevent post-surgical complications and promote recovery.
- Stop taking herbal supplements.
How is the Liposuction Procedure Performed?
Before starting the liposuction procedure, the surgeon will mark the treatment area and may take pictures for a before/after image comparison.
The procedure starts with anesthesia, which is injected into the treatment area or intravenously. The type of anesthesia used for liposuction may be local anesthesia, general anesthesia, or sedation. Doctors generally select the anesthetic solutions depending on the location and size of the treatment area.
Once the anesthesia comes into effect, the doctor makes small incisions in the treatment area. This allows the insertion of a hollow tube or cannula into the body area where fat deposits are present. The tube is moved back and forth to dislodge fat cells. These fat cells are then suctioned out.
After the procedure, your doctor may leave the incisions open and place drainage tubes to allow the removal of excess fluid from the treated region.
Liposuction can be performed through several techniques. Your doctor will choose a technique depending on your requirements or preferences.
Tumescent Liposuction
Tumescent liposuction is the most common type of liposuction. It mainly involves injecting a medicated mixture of local anesthesia, salt solution, and a drug called epinephrine into the treatment area. Local anesthesia makes the process painless; salt solution helps dislodge fat cells; epinephrine prevents bleeding, swelling, and bruising. Dislodged fat cells are removed using a suction device.
Laser-Assisted Liposuction
Laser-assisted liposuction, or Smart Lipo, uses laser energy to liquefy fat cells. This method also tightens the skin to some degree. This procedure is usually performed under local anesthesia and is safe for most individuals.
After administering anesthesia, the surgeon makes small incisions in the treatment region. An instrument with a laser-lit tip is inserted under the skin through those incisions. This tip releases laser energy to melt stubborn fat, which is then suctioned out through a vacuum device.
Vaser liposuction
Vaser liposuction, also known as lipoplasty, is an ultrasound-assisted liposuction technique that helps break up fat cells in different body areas. The ultrasound energy administered during this procedure disrupts the bond between fatty tissues and underlying muscles. The dislodged fat is then removed through suction.
Body-Jet Liposuction
Body-jet liposuction uses a pressurized stream of water to break up and dislodge fat cells. The high accuracy of this procedure helps prevent damage to the surrounding healthy tissues and muscle fibers. Dislodged fat cells are removed through suction. This treatment is performed under local or general anesthesia to reduce procedure-related pain.
Liposuction Recovery: What to Expect?
Liposuction is a surgical procedure that leads to some downtime. Generally, it takes five to seven days before you can resume your work and four to six weeks before you can start light exercising. The long-term recovery may take three months.
The entire recovery period after liposuction is generally divided into four stages.
- Right after surgery: The surgical staff will put compression garments on your treated areas to apply pressure.
- After a few hours: The effect of anesthesia wears off gradually and becomes minimal in a few hours. This is when moderate discomfort starts arising. You will also have soreness, whose level depends on the area of liposuction. You may need to stay in the hospital overnight so that your doctor can check for hydration or fluid changes.
- After three to five days: Your doctor will schedule a visit during which they will remove compression garments and check the incisions.
- After the first week: You will be advised to massage the treated area to dissipate the accumulated fluid. There will be swelling, which generally goes away in a few months.
Liposuction Before and After
Liposuction Aftercare
Liposuction aftercare steps aim toward reducing pain and helping you stay relaxed while you recover. Common liposuction aftercare steps are as follows:
- Get adequate rest. Your doctor will tell you about the length of downtime you need. This duration generally depends on the size of the treated region.
- Wear compression garments. You may need to wear these garments for a week in order to keep the necessary pressure on the treated area.
- Take your medicines. Your doctor will prescribe a few to aid recovery and prevent complications.
- Get moving. Your doctor will ask you to start walking as soon as possible. This step helps prevent blood clotting and accelerate healing.
- Ensure proper wound care. This involves taking care of the stitches until their removal by the doctor. You may also need to change your bandages to prevent infection. The doctor will give instructions regarding bathing after surgery.
- Watch what you eat. Healthy eating is particularly beneficial during recovery. Up your water intake and include a lot of proteins in your diet.
Risks in Liposuction
Liposuction is a surgical procedure that does carry some risks. However, these risks are generally preventable, provided you get this treatment from a skilled surgeon and follow their instructions afterward.
Risks associated with liposuction include:
- Fat accumulation
- Infection
- Numbness
- Fat embolism
- Contour irregularities
Is liposuction permanent?
The fat removal achieved with liposuction tends to be permanent, meaning that the defatted area won’t regrow fat cells in the future.
How long is liposuction recovery?
The initial recovery – after which you can return to work – takes 5-7 days. You can resume your physical activities 4-6 weeks after liposuction. And full recovery usually takes three months.
Is liposuction a weight loss procedure?
Liposuction is not a weight-loss procedure as it doesn’t remove visceral fat. It can only remove subcutaneous fat to help you achieve the body contouring of your choice. If you want to lose weight, you can do it through diet and exercise or gastric bypass surgery, also known as bariatric surgery.
How much fat can be removed surgically?
With liposuction, the amount of fat you may remove can be between six and eight pounds.
How much does it cost to remove fat surgically?
The average cost of liposuction in Dubai is 18,000 AED. The exact price depends on the treatment area and technique.
Consult our Surgeons
Do you want to get rid of those stubborn fat deposits and get a more contoured body appearance? Book a consultation at EuroMed Clinic Dubai by calling +971 4 394 5422 or filling out the form below.
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Dr. Ken Arashiro
Physician Specialist Plastic SurgeryDr. Ken Arashiro is a seasoned plastic surgeon with more than 30 years of experience in this field. He is certified by several prestigious organizations and licensed by the Dubai Health Authority.
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