When you follow a healthy diet, exercise, and work hard to look and feel your best, you shouldn’t have to struggle with stubborn fat bulges. Unfortunately, areas of persistent fat are common in adults, even when you’re at or near your goal weight.
At Georgia Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, we help patients in Marietta and Atlanta, GA, reshape their figures through liposuction.
While the American Society of Plastic Surgeons reports that liposuction is among the most commonly performed cosmetic surgeries worldwide, no procedure is perfect for everyone. So before you decide whether liposuction surgery is the best option to reshape your figure, there are some things you should know.
What Is Liposuction?
Liposuction surgery removes unwanted, excess body fat to tighten, tone, and contour your figure. The procedure breaks down and suctions out fat cells in the subcutaneous fat layer, which lies just under the skin.
What Body Areas Does Liposuction Treat?
Almost anywhere on the body that collects excess fat can benefit from liposuction surgery. The most common treatment areas include:
- Abdomen
- Flanks
- Back
- Buttocks
- Thighs
- Upper arms
- Chin
- Chest
While these are the most common treatment areas, patients also choose liposuction for specific locations like the upper back or buffalo hump, above the knees, and even the ankles.
What Should Patients Know Before Pursuing Liposuction?
Despite liposuction’s popularity, there are still many misconceptions about the procedure. We want our patients to know what you can and can’t accomplish with a liposuction procedure.
Liposuction Is Not a Weight Loss Surgery
While liposuction is a fat removal procedure, it’s not a weight loss surgery. Instead, patients within 30% of their ideal body weight experience the best results from the treatment.
Liposuction improves a body area’s appearance by removing fat deposits. However, it cannot remove excessive amounts of weight. Most patients lose one to ten pounds during a liposuction procedure.
Your Skin Tone Affects Your Overall Results
Liposuction doesn’t treat sagging, loose skin. Instead, patients with firm skin and good muscle tone are the best candidates for the procedure.
We can advise you on your skin’s quality and how that will affect your overall outcome when you consult with our team before your procedure.
It Takes Time to See Your Full Results
While liposuction removes all targeted fat during the procedure, the treatment area will swell as you heal and recover. So even though you may feel ready to resume activities and exercise in the weeks that follow your treatment, it may take a few weeks before your swelling completely subsides and you can see your final results.
Liposuction Does Require Some Downtime
Since liposuction is typically an outpatient procedure, you may assume that you’ll be immediately back on your feet.
It does require a recovery period, though most patients return to their everyday activities within a few days of their liposuction surgery. However, you’ll still need to avoid strenuous exercises and activities for the first couple of weeks.
You Can Combine Liposuction with Other Procedures
We frequently combine liposuction with other cosmetic surgery procedures. For example, liposuction is often added to a tummy tuck, which removes excess skin and repairs the abdomen muscles. It’s also frequently part of a breast reduction procedure or a facelift.
Liposuction Only Removes Subcutaneous Fat
The body contains two types of fat, subcutaneous and visceral. Subcutaneous fat sits just under the skin to provide support and store energy. Visceral fat sits around the organs and is associated with medical conditions such as diabetes, cancer, and hypertension.
Liposuction can only target and remove subcutaneous fat. You can only reduce visceral fat through diet, exercise, or weight loss surgery.
What Are the Different Types of Liposuction?
While all liposuction procedures remove unwanted excess fat through suction, new methods allow for an easier recovery, reduced swelling, and faster surgery.
Traditional Liposuction
In a traditional liposuction procedure, your surgeon makes small incisions over fatty tissue and inserts a cannula or tube to suction out excess fat. While traditional liposuction is less expensive, it’s also less precise, so it’s best for larger areas.
Tumescent Liposuction
Tumescent liposuction begins with a solution of saltwater, lidocaine, and epinephrine inserted into the targeted area. The solution stiffens and swells the fat tissue to reduce discomfort and bleeding during removal.
A cannula removes the fat and solution just like in traditional liposuction surgery.
Ultrasonic Assisted Liposuction
In an ultrasonic-assisted liposuction procedure, we place a rod under the skin to release ultrasonic waves that burst the fat cells and break them down. Then, we suction out the destroyed fat cells. This technique causes less damage to the surrounding tissue, reducing discomfort and swelling.
SmartLipo Laser Liposuction
SmartLipo laser liposuction applies laser energy to the area containing excess fat. The lasers liquefy the fat cells before we use a cannula to suction them out. The liquefied fat removes easily, with less trauma to the surrounding tissue.
In addition, SmartLipo offers a boost in the body’s collagen and elastin production, creating tighter, firmer skin.
Power-Assisted Liposuction
Power-assisted liposuction uses a vibrating cannula to gently break up fat cells before suctioning them from your treatment area. The process reduces swelling, shortens recovery, and allows for more precise fat removal.
Reshape Your Figure with Liposuction Today
You want to see results when you work hard to take care of your body and maintain your health. Liposuction removes the stubborn fat that keeps you from enjoying your contoured figure and muscle tone.
At Georgia Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, we understand that it’s hard to stay motivated when fighting with fat bulges resistant to your efforts. Liposuction gives you a chance to see the sculpted figure you’ve created.
Our Marietta, GA, office is convenient for Atlanta and the surrounding areas. Call or book an appointment online today to learn if liposuction is right for you.
