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Liposuction |
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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. |
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Enhancing your appearance with liposuction |
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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 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. |
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Liposuction techniques may be used to reduce localized fat deposits of the: |
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Thighs |
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Hips and buttocks |
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Abdomen and waist |
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Upper arms |
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Back |
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Inner knee |
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Chest area |
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Cheeks, chin and neck |
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Calves and ankles |
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 it won’t do: |
Liposuction is not a treatment for obesity or a substitute for proper diet and exercise. It is also not an effective treatment for cellulite, the dimpled skin that typically appears on the thighs, hips and buttocks, or loose saggy skin. |
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| What to expect during your consultation |
| success and safety of your liposuction procedure depends very much on your complete candidness during your consultation. Dr. Vartany will ask you a number of questions about your health, desires and lifestyle. |
Be prepared to discuss: |
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Dr. Vartany will also: |
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Evaluate your general health status and any pre-existing health conditions or risk factors |
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Take photographs for your medical record |
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Discuss your options and recommend a course of treatment |
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Discuss likely outcomes of liposuction and any risks or potential complications |
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Preparing for surgery |
Prior to surgery, you may be asked to: |
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Get lab testing or a medical evaluation |
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Take certain medications or adjust your current medications |
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Stop smoking well in advance of surgery |
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Avoid taking aspirin, anti-inflammatory drugs and herbal supplements as they can increase bleeding |
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| Special instructions you receive will cover: |
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What to do on the day of surgery |
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The use of anesthesia during your liposuction |
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Post-operative care and follow-up |
Dr. Vartany will also discuss where your procedure will be performed. Liposuction may be performed in an outpatient surgical center, a hospital or the office. |
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Procedural Steps: |
What happens during liposuction? |
Step 1 - Anesthesia |
Medications are administered for your comfort during the surgical procedures. The choices include sedation and general anesthesia. Dr. Vartany will recommend the best choice for you depending on the amount and location of liposuction. |
Step 2 – The incisions |
Liposuction is performed through small, inconspicuous incisions.
First, sterile liquid solution is infused to reduce bleeding and trauma. 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 syringe attached to the cannula. |
| Problem areas that can be addressed with liposuction: |
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Step 3 – See the results |
Your improved body contour will be apparent when the swelling and fluid retention commonly experienced following liposuction subside.
With continued practices of healthy diet and fitness, the loss of excess fatty tissue should be permanently maintained. However, substantial weight gain can alter an otherwise permanent result. |
Important facts about the safety and risks of liposuction |
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The decision to have liposuction is extremely personal and you’ll have to decide if the benefits will achieve your goals and if the risks and potential complications are acceptable.
Dr. Vartany will explain in detail the risks associated with surgery. You will be asked to sign consent forms to ensure that you fully understand the procedure you will undergo and any risks or potential complications.
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Possible risks of liposuction include: |
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Uneven contours |
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Rippling or loose skin |
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Skin or nerve damage |
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Irregular pigmentation |
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Infection |
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Fat clots |
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Blood clots |
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Excessive fluid loss or fluid accumulation |
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Unfavorable scarring |
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Anesthesia risks |
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Bleeding (hematoma) |
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Change in skin sensation |
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Skin discoloration or swelling |
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Asymmetry |
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Pain, which may persist |
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Damage to deeper structures such as nerves, blood vessels, muscles, lungs, and abdominal organs |
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Poor wound healing |
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Persistent swelling in the legs |
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Deep vein thrombosis, cardiac and pulmonary complications |
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Possibility of revisional surgery |
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Is it right for me? |
If you are bothered by excess fat deposits - located anywhere on your body - that don’t respond to diet or exercise, liposuction may be right for you.
Ideal candidates for liposuction are:
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within 30% of their ideal weight who have firm, elastic skin and good muscle tone |
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Healthy individuals who do not have a life-threatening illness or medical conditions that can impair healing |
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Non-smokers |
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Individuals with a positive outlook and specific goals in mind for body contouring |
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| My recovery |
| Once your procedure is completed, a compression garment or elastic bandages will cover treatment areas. These help to control swelling and compress the skin to your new body contours, and you will wear them for three weeks after your procedure. |
When you go home |
If you experience shortness of breath, chest pains, or unusual heart beats, call Dr. Vartany immediately. Should any of these complications occur, you may require hospitalization and additional treatment.
The practice of medicine and surgery is not an exact science. Although good results are expected, there is no guarantee. In some situations, it may not be possible to achieve optimal results with a single surgical procedure and another surgery may be necessary. |
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| The results will be long-lasting |
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It may take several months for the swelling to fully dissipate. As it does, your new contours and enhanced self-image should continue to develop.
The fulfillment you feel from the initial results of liposuction should continue as long as you control your weight and maintain a healthy lifestyle.
A significant weight gain can reverse your results. Following liposuction, your slimmer and better-proportioned body should more accurately reflect the healthy and active life you lead. |
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| Words to know |
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Breast reduction: Also known as reduction mammaplasty, reduction of breast size by surgery. |
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Cannula: A thin, hollow tube used during liposuction to loosen excess fat. |
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General anesthesia: Drugs and/or gases used during an operation to relieve pain and alter consciousness. |
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Hematoma: Blood pooling beneath the skin. |
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Intravenous sedation: Sedatives administered by injection into a vein to help you relax. |
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Lipoplasty: Another term for liposuction. Liposuction: Also called lipoplasty or suction lipectomy, this procedure vacuums out fat from beneath the skin’s surface to reduce fullness. |
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Local anesthesia: A drug injected directly to the site of an incision during an operation to relieve pain. |
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Suction lipectomy: Another term for liposuction. |
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Sutures: Stitches used by surgeons to hold skin and tissue together. |
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Tumescent or super-wet liposuction: Involves an infusion of saline solution with adrenaline and possibly anesthetic prior to removal of excess fat. |
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Tummy tuck: A surgical procedure, also known as abdominoplasty, to correct the apron of excess skin hanging over your abdomen. |
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| Excerpted from the ASPS/ASAPS Patient Education Brochures |
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