Liposuction - About the Surgery

Before Surgery

During your consultation, you and your cosmetic doctor will discuss the areas of your body you'd like to change. You may undergo an examination to thoroughly assess your fat storage, skin elasticity, and review your medical and health history. Your doctor can discuss the placement of incisions and what other procedures may need to be performed to achieve the proper result. 

Although you'll be mobile immediately following your liposuction surgery, you will want to arrange for someone to drive you home after surgery, and to help out around the house for a day or so. 

Ideally your weight should have been steady or declining over the previous six months. If you are in the middle of gaining weight, chances are that you need to enroll in a weight reduction program or risk gaining weight after the liposuction, thereby not benefiting from the surgery. 

The Surgery- How it is done

Liposuction begins as your doctor makes small incisions, approximately one half centimeter in length or less, near the area where fat is to be removed. The incisions are frequently hidden in the groin or belly button when possible. A thin, hollow tube, called a cannula, is inserted and is attached to a machine or syringe that creates a strong vacuum. Your doctor will then strategically manipulate the cannula under the skin to remove the unwanted fatty deposits. 

After Your Surgery

Most patients are mobile immediately after liposuction, although an extra day or two of bed rest may be needed when large amounts of fat are removed (De-bulking). Keep in mind that healing is a gradual process. 

Your doctor will want you to begin normal activity as soon as possible to reduce post-operative complications, but in some cases you may be advised to avoid strenuous activity for a few weeks. Light exercise is usually permitted within a few days. The dressing is usually removed in two days. 

You may not feel great just after your surgery. You've been given extra fluids during the procedure, and you'll likely experience swelling and some bruising, but this is only temporary. You may feel a little bruised and sore as if you'd over-exercised that part of the body, but you should be able to resume work in a few days. It is important to limit empty calories such as juices and fizzy drinks in favor of tuna and fish and other sources of protein which promotes healing and give you the energy that otherwise you feel was sucked out of body in the first week after surgery.