Liposuction is a surgical procedure that uses a hollow instrument (cannula) attached to a suction device to remove fat deposits from a specific area of the body. It can be performed under local or general anesthesia to address troublesome areas of the body that have not responded to dietary changes and exercise. It is a body contouring procedure that can help improve the appearance of those areas through a minimally invasive approach.

What can liposuction do?

Liposuction can help improve the contour of areas of the body that sometimes don’t respond to diet and exercise. The procedure can also improve the appearance of the “muffin top” area, “love handles”, “saddle bags” of the outer thigh, inner thigh, upper arms and other “trouble spots”. Liposuction can help you lose inches more so than pounds.

What can Liposuction NOT do?

Liposuction is not a weight loss procedure. It will not produce a significant amount of weight loss when you leave the office. Liposuction cannot address visceral fat or fat around the intestines within the abdomen. It can only treat those areas of fat under the skin that the cannula can reach.

Who is a good candidate?

A good candidate for liposuction is an otherwise healthy man or woman who is close to his or her ideal body weight and has specific bothersome areas of fat that they would like to improve upon. Good skin elasticity is key to having a smooth aesthetic result. It is important to have realistic expectations when it comes to liposuction. If you are a size 12 when you walk into your treatment, you won’t leave a size 2!

Is Liposuction dangerous?

In the hands of an experienced board certified surgeon and anesthesia professional, liposuction is a safe, effective procedure that can be performed as an outpatient. In patients for whom a larger volume of fat is expected to be removed (greater than 5 liters), an overnight stay for fluid intake and output monitoring is recommended.

What are the risks of Liposuction?

The risks of liposuction include the following:

• Bleeding
• Bruising,
• Infection (rare)
• contour irregularities and the possible need for revision
• Blood clots in the lower extremities (DVT-deep vein thrombosis)
• Blood clot traveling to the lungs (PE-Pulmonary embolism)

Fortunately, these are very rare.

What is recovery like after Liposuction?

After your liposuction procedure you will be placed in a compression garment (think medical grade Spanx) to help compress the areas of treatment. This helps squeeze out edema fluid (swelling) so that the skin can contract now that the layer of fat beneath it has been removed. The treated areas will be sore for several days to weeks and there is likely to be some bruising, also for several days to weeks. Initially, after the surgery you will appear LARGER! This is swelling and it will last for several days as your body processes the fluids that infused during the procedure.

When can I resume my workouts after Liposuction?

We love patients who are eager to resume their healthy life styles and exercise programs. Realistically, it will be 3 to 4 weeks before you will be given the go ahead to resume full activity.

Liposuction is a wonderful tool to help you improve upon those areas that just don’t seem to respond to diet and exercise. It is not a magic wand that will transform you into a fitness model in one treatment. For more information about liposuction or to schedule a consultation please contact our patient representative today.

972-372-9313
J. Michael Morrissey, MD is a board certified
Plastic Surgery in Plano