Introduction to Liposuction

Also known as lipoplasty, liposuction slims and reshapes specific areas of the body by removing excess fat deposits, improving your body contours and proportion, and ultimately, enhancing your self-image.

Body contouring — Liposuction can improve your body contour, especially stubborn lovehandles

Despite good health and a reasonable level of fitness, some people may still have a body with disproportionate contours due to localized fat deposits. These areas may be due to family traits rather than a lack of weight control or fitness.

Liposuction surgery can be used to treat these stubborn fat pockets in many parts of the body. In some cases, liposuction is performed alone, in other cases it is used with plastic surgery procedures such as a facelift, breast reduction, or a tummy tuck.

What liposuction won’t do:

Liposuction surgery is not a treatment for obesity and is not a replacement for regular exercise and good eating habits. People with stubborn areas of fat and who exercise regularly are the best candidates for this procedure.

Anesthesia

Medications are administered for your comfort during the surgical procedures. The choices include intravenous sedation and general anesthesia. Your doctor will recommend the best choice for you.

Some minor liposuction procedures can be performed in the office under local anesthesia. This is particularly the case for revisions.

Basics of the Procedure

First, a sterile liquid solution of saline, local anesthetic, and epinephrine is infused through small incision near the area to be treated. This solution helps to reduce bleeding, bruising, and swelling. Then a thin hollow tube, or cannula, is inserted through these incisions to loosen excess fat using a controlled back and forth motion. The dislodged fat is then suctioned out of the body using a surgical vacuum or negative pressure applied to the cannula.

Areas Treated with Liposuction

Liposuction is commonly applied to the submental region of the neck to remove stubborn fat deposits in this area. It is frequently added to facelift procedures for a better defined neck line.

Liposuction9 — Slimmer neck profile with liposuction

The most common body areas treated with liposuction are the anterior abdomen, waist, and flanks.

liposuction before picture miami — Lower anterior abdomen with minimal excess skin is commonly treated with liposuction

liposuction after picture miami — The goal is a slimmer contour with more defined muscular surface

Liposuction of Abdomen and Waist (Lipo 360) with Breast Augmentation

For a more comprehensive treatments, liposuction of the anterior trunk can be extended to the sides and back to treat love-handles, back rolls, and saddlebags

liposuction before picture fort lauderdale — A circumferential liposuction treatment of the back rolls, waist, and saddlebags

liposuction after picture fort lauderdale — This results in a tighter waist, loss of back folds and slimmer thighs

Liposuction6 — The inner and outer thighs are also a frequent target for liposuction

Liposuction7 — The most immediate benefit for the thighs is a slimmer diameter that women notice when clothes are looser fitting.

Liposuction Results

It may take several months for the swelling to fully dissipate after liposuction surgery. Compression garments are used during the first 4-6 weeks to help accelerate the resolution of this swelling. Lymphatic massage is also added for areas that have stubborn swelling, called edema develop. Dr. Thomassen can recommend where to go for this postop therapy.