How do you lose unwanted fats and weight without starving and endless hours of workout in the gym? One word : Liposuction. Next to botox, liposuction is the most popular cosmetic surgical procedure in the US, no doubt due to an unending quest for beauty.
If you are still overweight despite trying so many weight loss products and methods, then Liposuction could be an option for you. This surgical procedure involves the removal of fat deposits in certain areas of your body by suctioning them out of the body. It is relatively safe although all surgeries come with some risks of complications.
In liposuction, as the name suggests, your surgeon may use a hollow instrument to “suck” fats out of the affected area. Your surgeon may also use an ultrasonic probe which is more efficient. This is because the vibration-like quality of the device breaks down fat deposits into smaller parts for easy disposable.
Decided to go for liposucion already? Wait not fast. You need to know what to expect so that you are mentally prepared for the event. There are certain things you need to remember and expect before, during and after the liposuction surgery.
1. Before liposuction
i)Before liposuction, you must ensure that you are fit to go under the knife. Althoug liposuction is a relatively minor form of surgery, it is nevertheless surgery and it involves a lot of risk for healthy individuals. For example, if you are extremely overweight, you will not be allowed to go for the operation. Strange as it may seem, you need to lose some weight before your surgeon will work on you.
ii)You need to know that a liposuction procedure is not cheap. The cost of liposuction can run up to tens of thousands of dollars depending on the severity of your case. So if budget is an issue, you may have to think very hard before going for it.
iii) Note that you may also face some risks with your liposuction procedure. Burns, scarring, damaged organs may result. Worse still, you may get embolism – a condition in which fat deposits are lodged in organs like the lungs and the brain.
iv) Take note that you need some time for recuperation at home. So be prepared to take some long leave from work.
You must get answers to all your questions about Liposuction before the operation. This knowledge will help you get comfortable with the idea of surgery which will help you stay calm during the operation.
2. During liposuction
i)There shouldn’t be any pain as you should be under anesthesia. The main thing to remember is to keep cool and not panic. If you are anxious, your heart beat and bloodflow can rise and this is no good for any operation. Relax.
ii) Remember to arrange your own transportation so that you can be taken home soon after the operation. Do not drive yourself home as it may open up your wound and complicate matters.
3. After liposuction
i) Eat plenty of fruits. This will help speed up the body’s natural healing properties
ii) Drink lots of water and fluids – this will compensate for the water and fluids that are lost during the operation
iii) Rest well at home. Get plenty of rest and if you can, extend your leave for a few days so that you can fully recuperate from the surgery. Never over exert yourself as you still have unhealed wounds, which can open up and bleed anytime.
Liposuction is a medical procedure in which surgeons physically remove fat from subcutaneous deposits. There are a number of different liposuction techniques generally employed. The process typically involves sucking out the fat deposits with a device called an aspirator through a tube called a cannula. Physicians often inject fluid or otherwise emulsify the fat deposits for easier suction.
There are many different types of liposuction available. So-called “dry liposuction” is rare, since wet and tumescent surgeries have proven easier, safer, and more aesthetically sound. Tumescent, laser-assisted, ultrasound-assisted, and water-assisted liposuction therapies may also be considered.
Liposuction can be performed under general or local anesthesia. Ideally, patients are locally anesthetized to limit the possible side effects and complications of general anesthesia. In a number of wet liposuction techniques, fluid is injected subcutaneously to emulsify the fat to make it easier for aspiration. This fluid often contains an anesthetic (such as lidocaine), a vasoconstricting agent, such as epinephrine, and a saline solution to ensure a static osmotic balance in the body.
In laser-assisted surgery, a laser beam emulsifies fat via electromagnetic radiation. In ultrasound-assisted liposuction, high energy sound waves bombard the area to be treated and literally smash fat cells open, liquifying their contents. Ultrasound liposuction was initially a very popular alternative to traditional wet liposuction. However, studies found that ultrasound liposuction created a higher risk of fluid pocket formation.
In preapring for the procedure, most patients are forbidden from taking anticoagulants for 14 days prior to surgery. Patients who must undergo general anesthesia are typically prohibited from eating in the hours prior to surgery, as well. Finally, liposuction patients must forgo smoking and nicotine gum for several weeks before surgery, since nicotine can have an adverse effect on both circulation and tissue functionality.
On the day of surgery, the patient will sign a consent form, take antibiotics, and discuss last minute preparations with the surgeon. A sedative is then given — either intravenously or orally — and the surgeon then makes an incision to drain the adipose tissue. Most patients under local anesthesia report feeling some sensation at the area of suction — typically a scraping feeling — but ordinarily go home the same day. Complications from liposuction are relatively rare — one out of every 200 patients experiences a minor complication and only one out of every 500 patients experiences a major complication, according to a published report in the trade journal, Dermatologic Surgery.
Following surgery, patients may experience a number of side effects, including reduced ability to move, slight scarring and swelling, bruising at the site of surgery, pain and numbness, and some dizziness. If you experience severe symptoms that don’t respond to over-the-counter medications, contact your doctor right away. Incision areas are often left un-sutured for a day or two to drain whatever fluids remain. Swelling, numbness, and bruising can persist for a few weeks to several months after the operation. For patients who have large adipose deposits, several liposuction surgeries may be required to ensure satisfactory results.
Controlled tumescent liposuction can be a safe and effective way to combat the long-term complications of obesity, such as diabetes, arthrosclerosis, and heart disease. However, liposuction patients should also school themselves on the physiology of obesity. Contrary to what many in the public (and medical establishment) believe, the notion that obesity is caused by a combination of overeating and underexercising is but a hypothesis. In fact, this hypothesis has not stood up very well against the data collected over the past hundred years. Epidemiologists and physicians have found again and again that obesity and malnutrition coexist both in populations and patients. In other words, contrary to all that we’ve been taught by dietary authorities, fat regulation may not, in fact, be determined by “caloric balance.”
Fat tissue does not simply act as a “bag.” Adipose tissue is complex, and it is regulated by the body’s hormonal system. The competing hypothesis to the “caloric balance” idea (which has pervaded every aspect of our medical culture) is the idea that obesity is caused by the dysregulation of fat tissue. In other words, something causes us to get fat, and then our body remembers this “set point” and returns our fat levels to that set point, regardless of how much we exercise or how many calories we intake.
The important insight here is that liposuction alters the body’s regulation of adipose tissue by literally removing some of it. The key to safe and effective weight loss, according to this alternative hypothesis of why we get fat, is to avoid doing whatever caused the fat dysregulation in the first place. And mounting evidence suggests that, for the vast majority of the obese, simple carbohydrates in the diet may be at fault. To read up on this alternative hypothesis, check out award winning science journalist Gary Taubes’ book, Good Calories, Bad Calories.
A diet low in simple carbohydrates and sugars combined with carefully performed liposuction therapy can permanently and positively transform your body. Whether you consider the health benefits of primary importance or just a nice fringe benefit along with your physical transformation, you will, in fact, reduce your risks of developing any number of debilitating conditions.
As with every kind of surgery, liposuction procedures are preceded by a thorough consultation with a surgeon. Patients may also consult with specialists as well as their primary care physicians. An initial consultation with a plastic surgeon who specializes in liposuction procedures will include an analysis of your overall health. Then, you and the surgeon will go over the areas on your body where fat deposits lie as well as the condition of your skin in and around these areas. During this consultation, be very candid with your surgeon about what you expect from the surgery and what your goals are for your post-operative body. Your surgeon should be able to give you a very clear idea about what kind of liposuction (or âbody contouringâ) procedures are best for you and what kind of results you can expect to achieve through said procedures.
Choose the Right Kind of Liposuction
Because the human body is an endlessly complex living machine, there are a myriad of ways to reshape it and adjust its contours. Many people who are considering liposuction become overwhelmed by the many kinds of procedures that are available. Once you have found a reliable plastic surgeon who you feel comfortable with, you can work with him or her to identify the best type of liposuction procedure for you. While you are choosing the best type of liposuction for you, you will also need to consider the various anesthesia options and discuss them with your doctor.
Preparing for Your Liposuction Surgery
Once you have scheduled your surgery, your doctor will give you detailed instructions about how to prepare yourself for liposuction. These directions will include guidelines for eating, drinking, and vitamin intake in the days and weeks leading up to your liposuction procedure. It is important to note that surgery may have to be postponed if you come down with a cold or infection shortly before your scheduled procedure.
Preparation for your surgery should include a plan for the hours and days directly following your liposuction procedure. You will most likely be very groggy after your surgery and will definitely need someone to drive you home. It is best to have a close friend of family member do this for you. In addition to needing help to get home, you also may need assistance at home for a day or two after your procedure.
What to Expect After Your Liposuction Surgery
After your liposuction procedure, your doctor will likely outfit you with a snug surgical garment to wear over your incisions and the area that was treated. By wearing this garment for a few weeks after surgery, your body will have an easier time taking to its new shape and will likely experience less swelling. Your surgeon may also prescribe a round of antibiotics in order to stave off infection.
Unlike some other cosmetic surgeries, the results of liposuction are sometimes immediately apparent. Due to the swelling, bruising, and bleeding that are a natural part of the healing process, liposuction patients often feel uncomfortable and bloated after the surgery.
