Type of Surgery
Information
Last updated: 11/24/2009
Liposuction is most successful when performed on persons who have firm, elastic skin and concentrated pockets of fat in areas that are characterized by cellulite. To get good results after fat removal, the skin must contract to conform to the new contours...
without sagging. Older persons have less elastic skin and, consequently, may not be good candidates for this procedure. People with generalized fat distribution, rather than localized pockets, are not good candidates. People with poor circulation or who have had recent surgery at the intended site of fat reduction are not good candidates.
Candidates should be in good general health and free of heart or lung disease.
The doctor will conduct a physical examination and may order blood work to determine clotting time and hemoglobin level for transfusions, in case the need should arise. The person may be placed on antibiotics immediately prior to surgery to ward off potential infection.
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Fat cells change in size throughout our lives, depending on what we eat and how active we are. One way to remove these fat cells is through liposuction, described in the video. Both traditional and newer liposuction techniques like laser ablation (Smart liposuction) are discussed and described.
The areas to be treated during liposuction are marked before surgery (A) and then injected with a solution to aid in fat removal (B). The surgeon inserts a cannula into the areas (C), then suctions out fat with a back and forth motion (D). (Illustration by GGS Inc.)
Other Information
Liposuction, also known as lipoplasty ("fat modeling"), liposculpture or suction lipectomy ("suction-assisted fat removal") is a cosmetic surgery operation that removes fat from many different sites on the human body. Areas affected can range from the abdomen, thighs, buttocks, to the neck, backs of the arms and elsewhere.
Liposuction is not a low-effort alternative to exercise and diet. It is a form of body contouring with significant attendant risks and is not a weight loss method. The amount of fat removed varies by doctor, method, and patient, but is typically less than 10 pounds (5 kg).
There are several factors that limit the amount of fat that can be safely removed in one session. Ultimately, the operating physician and the patient make the decision. There are negative aspects to removing too much fat. Unusual "lumpiness" and/or "dents" in the skin can be seen in those patients "over-suctioned". The more fat removed the higher the surgical risk.
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