Exercise
and diet can help make you healthy, as well as help you look lean
and muscular. For some individuals, however, it does not always
remove those stubborn LFD's (localized fat deposits). Every individual's
fat distribution and body shape is genetically determined. What
this means is that often no amount of diet and exercise will remove
these stubborn fat deposits. Even if the individual is at an adequate
body weight, they will still posses areas of excess fat. Liposuction
is a procedure that can remove fat and fat cells, thus sculpting
the body and doing what diet and exercise alone could not. Liposuction
is one of the most common cosmetic procedures performed in the
United States today. However, even though liposuction is designed
to remove fat, it does not replace or serve as a substitute for
good diet and exercise.
Lipoplasty, commonly known as liposuction, is a common surgical
procedure that removes deposits of excess fat from specific areas
of the body, face or neck. Liposuction can be used to slim the
hips, thighs, flatten the tummy, shape the calves and ankles or
eliminate a double chin.
The best candidates for Liposuction are:
• Men and women of normal weight whom mainly want to improve
their body shape and contours.
• People with fat deposits that are "trouble areas",
where exercise and diet seem not to have any effect
• People with good elasticity in their skin, so when the
fat is removed, they will achieve a smooth appearance
The areas that liposuction can have the greatest effect on are
the abdomen and waist area, the arms, back chin, neck, hips, buttocks,
thigh ankles, calves and inner knees.
Patients of any age can undergo the procedure, but those who have
greater skin elasticity will achieve the smoothest end result.
During the liposuction procedure, one or more incisions are made
near the area to be treated. When possible, the incisions are
made within the fold or natural creases in skin. Your doctor will
then insert a small hollow tube called a cannula through the incision
where he will then penetrate the underlying fat. The cannula is
connected to a flexible tubing and suction pump. Your doctor then
moves the cannula back and forth thought the fat, vacuuming the
fat out through the tube.
The Procedure is very common with thousands of patients undergoing
the procedure each year with no major complications. However the
possibility of risk occurring is always associated with surgery.
In rare cases the liposuction procedure has caused severe trauma,
particularly when multiple or very extensive areas are suctioned
at one time. Other possible complications include fluid accumulation
and injury to the skin. Sometimes asymmetry or unevenness may
require further treatment.
There are various fat removal techniques available. There is the
tumescent technique, in which the fat is pre-injected with a solution
of salt water, local anesthetic and small amounts of adrenaline.
Another type of procedure is the Ultrasound assisted Lipoplasty,
UAL. This is a two-step procedure that uses ultra sound waves
for energy, and liquefies the fat, which is then suctioned out.
There are more techniques available, during your consultation,
be sure to ask your doctor for more information about the various
fat removal techniques.