Liposuction
The ability to remove fatty deposits beneath the skin with little scarring and to sculpt areas from the abdomen, thigh, arms, and neck is one of the many reasons liposuction is undertaken so often.
QUICK FACTS
Anaesthesia
Local Anaesthetic or General Anaesthetic
In/Outpatient
Day Surgery
Length of surgery
1 to 3 hours
Recovery
Normal daily activities at 1 week
Light exercise at 2 weeks resuming back to high intensity exercise at 1 month.
Results
Final results from your liposuction surgery are seen around 3 months postoperatively.
What Can Liposuction Do For You?
Liposuction can be used as a stand-alone procedure or in conjunction with other surgical procedures such as breast lift, breast reduction, tummy tuck, facelift and fat grafting.
It is NOT an alternative to dieting, nor treatment for obesity. Consider it a tool, not a weight-loss treatment.
Some of the many benefits of liposuction include:
- Remove stubborn and unwanted fat from specified areas
- Re-shape and smooth existing contours
Are You An Ideal Candidate?
Liposuction is appropriate for those who are struggling to shift stubborn pockets of fat, despite maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
The best candidates include healthy women of normal weight with good skin tone and elasticity with realistic expectations. Liposuction should not be considered as a substitute for weight loss, so patients should be physically healthy and seeking to merely refine and contour their figure.
Liposuction is not a treatment for cellulite, and in some cases can make cellulite more visible.
What To Expect From Liposuction Surgery
Your liposuction procedure is performed in a fully accredited hospital. Your anaesthetist will give you a general anaesthetic and you can expect the operation to take between 1-3 hours depending on how many areas are treated. Most patients are able to go home the same day of surgery with no drains required. The small incisions are covered with a dressing and you are placed in a compression garment.
Before your procedure, your surgeon will mark the areas to be suctioned. During the procedure, tiny incisions are hidden in natural body creases; it is through these incisions a special fluid called ‘Tumescent Solution’ is infiltrated into the fat. This fluid assists with the removal of fat cells and contains adrenaline to decrease postoperative bruising, as well as local anaesthetic which makes the area numb for post-operative comfort. The fat is suctioned out via the small incisions until the desired contour is achieved.
There are a variety of liposuction techniques available that are referred to by their brand name and often cause confusion to patients who contemplate having liposuction. The primary difference is the type of energy source used to suction the fat. Your surgeon will discuss the benefits of each and select the technique that is best suited to achieve your fat reduction and body goals.
After Your Liposuction Surgery
To help minimise post-op swelling, you will be required to wear a compression garment under your clothing for six weeks. Expect bruising for a period of two weeks and swelling for up to six weeks.
You should be aware that the final result may take several months to show and healing may continue for up to a year. It is normal to experience temporary numbness (up to a year) in the liposuction areas.
Patients report minor postoperative pain, which is treated with oral medication. You will be given a prescription for pain management. Have someone fill the prescription, drive you home and take care of you as you recover during the first few days after your surgery.
You may return to work and begin light exercise as soon as one week after liposuction surgery. You are encouraged to resume normal exercise as soon as you are able as this helps with skin tightening. Most activities can be resumed fully at six weeks following your procedure.
You will have an appointment to see your surgeon within the first week after surgery to check that your wounds are healing as expected. Your surgeon will see you frequently over the first year to monitor your progress and will give you advice on scar management, wearing garments and resuming normal activities.
Risks Associated With Liposuction Surgery
As with any surgery, it is important that you are fully informed of the potential risks associated with liposuction surgery. While all care is taken to minimise these complications, they may and do occur despite the best medical care.
It is important that you carefully read and understand the potential risks and they will be discussed in further detail when you have your consultation with your surgeon.
Some risks are more likely to occur than others:
- Postoperative infection
- Bleeding or haematoma
- Poor Scarring including keloid scars
- Blood clots in legs or lung
- Revision surgery to correct or improve the outcome
- Numbness to the overlying skin
- Asymmetry with over or under correction
- Skin irregularities, ripples or discolouration
- Fat embolism which can be life-threatening
- Lumpiness or fat necrosis
- Temporary or permanent pain
- Damage to deeper structures/organs
Frequently Asked Questions
If I Have Fat Removed Through Liposuction, Will It Reappear Elsewhere?
Liposuction is the process of removing fat cells from a specific area of the body. If you gain weight, fat cells in other parts of your body will expand.
After Getting Liposuction, Will The Excess Skin Shrink Back To Size
In most cases, yes. It depends on your genes and how elastic your skin is. If you have visible stretch marks from rapid weight gain, that’s a telling sign your skin has very little elasticity and isn’t likely to shrink back completely. The loose flesh will regain some of its old form, but not entirely.
Does Liposuction Leave Scars?
Incisions made during liposuction are very small and placed in inconspicuous areas. Most scars visible after liposuction will heal well. After a short amount of time it will be difficult to see where they were originally made.
Can I Have Liposuction During Another Plastic Surgery Operation?
Liposuction can be performed with other cosmetic surgeries, particularly abdominoplasty (or tummy tuck), reduction mammoplasty (breast reduction) and meloplasty (facelift). Dr Somia and Dr Lim can advise on the personal advantages and risks of having liposuction at the same time as other procedures, according to your health and expectations.
Will Having Liposuction Cure Cellulite?
Liposuction surgery is not a cellulite treatment, though it may lessen cellulite’s appearance in some cases. Liposuction works to contour the body’s shape from deep beneath the skin and does not treat the dimpled appearance of cellulite closer to the skin’s surface. Unfortunately you cannot be given a guarantee of any improvement to your cellulite from having liposuction.
How Long Do Liposuction Results Last?
Liposuction is permanent, in the sense that it removes a quantity of fat cells from a part of the body that are in place there at a particular time. After the surgery, if you keep up good habits such as healthy eating and regular exercise, the body re-contouring from your liposuction will be long-term.
How Much Fat Can Be Removed With Liposuction Surgery?
The amount of fat removed by liposuction varies widely between individuals for reasons to do with health, medical history, lifestyle, genetics and expectations of body image following the surgery. Only your plastic surgeon can determine how much fat can be extracted, after a personal consultation and examination of your fat tissue, skin condition and a detailed discussion of your goals. It is not a fast weight loss treatment for people with obesity. The more fat removed during liposuction, the higher the risk to the patient during the procedure and recovery.
