While diet and exercise are the best solutions to lose weight, often a person will remain troubled by areas of persistent fat deposits that refuse to budge.
These fat deposits appear to have a biochemistry that is different to fat elsewhere in the body, often referred to as areas of “fat storage” or “reserve fat”.
Liposuction can help remove these spots. Liposuction is not meant to be a weight loss treatment.
Rather, it is used to reduce fat pockets in particular areas that do not respond to usual weight loss methods. This procedure is often administered on areas including the flanks, abdomen, thigh area, hips, arms, breasts and buttocks.
Before a patient can undergo liposuction surgery, they need to be approved for surgery by a qualified plastic surgeon.
Good candidates are individuals who have deposits of fat that have not responded well to diet and exercise, are in overall good health, are near their goal body weight and are over 18 years old and meet the required health qualifications for this procedure.
People who are generally not good candidates for liposuction include:
The idea of liposuction may seem straightforward, but, as with any surgery the process is quite involved. A qualified surgeon will be well trained in the procedure and thoroughly explain the entire process to you.
Undoubtedly, each procedure can differ significantly, depending on the kind of liposuction surgery you want and the treatment area. Most liposuction procedures follow the same outline:
Liposuction involves carefully marking the sites of fat removal before the commencement of surgery. Once the anaesthetic has been administered, a saline solution is infused into the operative areas to help control bruising and facilitate the extraction of the fat tissue.
An ultrasonic probe may also be used to emulsify the fat before a liposuction cannula is inserted for aspiration to complete the process.
Liposuction is usually carried out under general anaesthetic. Small areas may, in some circumstances, be treated with local anaesthetic. Surgery in a Day Procedure Centre is the choice of most of our patients, but an admission to hospital is available if preferred.
A support garment will need to be worn 24 hours a day for the first ten days and 12 hours a day for the next four to six weeks. The majority of patients are then able to cease wearing this at the six-week mark. By this time, all swelling and bruising should no longer be present.
A return to light activities is possible within a few days of surgery and work may be resumed within a week for most people. Activities requiring exertion should be avoided for three to four weeks. Patients are advised to allow six weeks for full recovery.
Risks of this procedure include swelling, bleeding, bruising, fat embolism, and infection. Speak to Dr Quinn about how you can reduce the risk of complications from liposuction surgery. Any surgical or invasive procedure carries risks. Find more information here.
As a liposuction candidate, you need to be at or close to your goal weight, and should only want to remove fat in specific areas of your body. The procedure is meant to eliminate fat pockets that have not responded to diet and exercise. Your surgeon should not remove more than 5 litres of fat during the liposuction procedure. The removal of extra fat could create a fluid imbalance and result in severe complications.
Liposuction will leave scars; however, they will be small. Dr Quinn will carefully place the necessary incisions so that they are concealed in the contours of your body.
Liposuction will remove fat cells permanently; however, it will not rule out future weight gain. Although, if the patient does end up gaining weight, the fat cells most likely will accumulate in different areas.