What is Liposuction?
Liposuction is a surgical procedure intended to remove fat deposits and shape the body. Fat is removed from under the skin with the use of a vacuum-suction canula (a hollow pen-like instrument) or using an ultrasonic probe that emulfsies (breaks up into small pieces) the fat and then removes it with suction.
Persons with localized fat may decide to have liposuction to remove fat from just one specific area. Liposuction is a procedure for shaping the body and is not recommended for weight loss.
Liposuction may be performed on the abdomen, hips, thighs, calves, arms, buttocks, back, neck, or face. A liposuction procedure may include more than one site, for instance, the abdomen, back, and thighs all on the same day.
Who performs liposuction and where is it performed?
Most liposuction procedures are performed by plastic surgeons or dermatologists. However, all that is required to perform liposuction is a medical degree, so any licensed physician may perform liposuction. This can be a bit discomforting because it means that even a “podiatrist” can legally perform liposuction procedures without any specialty training.
It’s a good idea to find out all you can about a particular physician before considering him or her to perform your procedure. Check with your local licensing board, ask your physician how many procedures like yours has he/she done and can you see before and after photographs.
Don’t be afraid to ask your physician probing questions. Remember, you are paying for a service and you deserve to know the answers to any questions. Ask him for in depth explanations of what your procedure consists of and what your prognosis is for healing.
Don’t have unrealistic expectations. The recent “make over” craze on television gives the impression that anyone and everyone is a candidate for a make over. Don’t enter into a decision based on what you see on television.
The patients you see on television are the very best candidates in terms
of health and other factors. They are selected based on the fact that
their “before” and “after” will show drastic results.
That just isn’t true for the average person. If you expect to come
out of liposuction looking like Britney Spears, you will be very disappointed.
That is not to say that you can’t expect results. More than likely
you will and the end result will give you a younger look. Just don’t
expect unrealistic results.
Some professional medical organizations recommend special training for
physicians, it isn’t required by law. So the more information you
can determine, the safer you can feel about your procedure.
Liposuction is a surgical procedure, so remember even the best screened patients under the care of the best trained and experienced physicians may experience complications as a result of liposuction.