In recent years, liposuction has established itself as the best solution to eliminate accumulations of fat in different parts of the body:
- Hips.
- Legs.
- Thighs.
- Arms.
- Abdomen.
- Back, etc.
This surgical procedure is almost always performed in an operating room. It consists of removing excess fat in the affected areas of the body through suction using fine cannulas. This allows the silhouette to be reshaped.
Liposuction can be done in different areas of the body and the most common are:
- Leg liposuction.
- Tummy liposuction.
- And liposuction of the face and neck.
The liposuction operation is generally performed under local anesthesia and sedation. But in very extensive cases it will be performed under general anesthesia.
If you are thinking of undergoing liposuction, in this article we will explain some of the keys to liposuction before and after with which you will say goodbye to cartridge belts and love handles.
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What is Liposuction?
It is a surgical intervention that consists of the extraction / aspiration of the subcutaneous adipose tissue by means of the introduction of a tube (cannula) under the skin through 3-4 mm incisions and whose objective is to aesthetically improve the body contour.
Before liposuction who is indicated for?
The liposuction is indicated in elderly patients, who have a good health and presenting localized fat deposits in some area of the body you want to delete. Before requesting an intervention, patients have tried to treat these areas with diet and exercise, to no avail. The usual distribution of fat depends on sex, with the hips and mules being affected in women and the abdomen and flanks in men.
How liposuction is performed?
Before liposuction and extracting the fat, the adipose tissue is infiltrated with a combination of serum, local anesthetics, and vasoconstrictors. In this way, it speeds up the subsequent aspiration of the fat through a specific cannula, with little loss of blood and clean fat that allows its subsequent use by lipofilling.
Where is liposuction performed?
An intervention like this must be carried out in an approved operating room. Also, with the presence of a team of anesthetists, qualified surgeons and nursing staff. It is generally performed using local anesthesia and intravenous sedation, monitored and controlled at all times by the anesthesiologist. The most common is that it is an outpatient intervention, and the patient can go home when he wakes up from anesthesia and recovers from it.
How long does the intervention take?
It is an intervention that has a duration that varies depending on the areas to be treated and the amount of fat to be extracted. There are interventions that last only about an hour, and others that can last up to three hours. It will also depend on whether it is done in isolation or in combination with other procedures.
Recommendations before undergoing liposuction
Before liposuction, the plastic surgeon evaluates the existing fat deposits in the area you want to treat. If the liposuction is extensive, it is possible to perform an autotransfusion, which is based on the extraction of blood in advance to use it during the surgical intervention.
It is important to be in good health and to eat a balanced diet the days before the liposuction operation, as well as to avoid alcoholic beverages and not to smoke. The plastic surgeon will also inform you of the medications or supplements that you cannot take before liposuction.
Also make sure that a family member or companion can take you home when you are discharged after liposuction and that, if necessary, they can help you for a couple of days. Remember that there will always be a before and after in liposuction.
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How long is the post liposuction operation period?
It is necessary to differentiate between the immediate after liposuction, the medium and the long term. In the immediate term, pain and the use of analgesics extends on average to 2-3 days after the intervention. Also, in the medium term, from the third day, the discomfort decreases considerably, and the patient can lead a normal social and work life. In the long term, the most common is that the patient does not feel discomfort despite continuing to have the treated area somewhat inflamed. Generally it is an intervention with an after liposuction period that requires no more than two or three days of relative rest.
What is recommended to have a better after liposuction?
It is essential that the patient permanently wear a compression girdle in the treated area for 3-4 weeks. The patient should not take off 24 hours a day, he will even have to sleep with it. It can only be removed after 4-5 days to shower and wash the girdle itself. It is convenient to apply moisturizing creams after showering in the treated areas.
How are the scars of this intervention?
They are very small, a few millimeters in diameter, so their care and healing are not complicated. In addition, the incisions are made in strategic, inconspicuous areas; scars are rarely noticeable after a while.
How long, bruising, swelling, and edema last?
The bruises or ecchymoses (hematomas) last between 2 and 3 weeks, being more intense in the areas where the girdle does not reach due to the lack of compression. They also appear in the steepest areas, due to the force of gravity. However, mild swelling and edema may persist for longer, up to 3 months.
How long to see the results before and after of liposuction?
The results are immediate, but it takes a few months to see the final result, since it takes about 6 months for the patient to completely eliminate the edema and inflammation. If you want see liposuction before and after pics click here
Postoperative lymphatic drainage
It is highly advisable to perform lymphatic drains, as they help eliminate edema and lower inflammation more quickly. They must be started once the girdle is removed, since it is more important to stay with the girdle permanently up to 3 weeks. There is no limited number of drains, although 2-4 sessions are usually sufficient.
How long do liposuction results last?
The results are permanent since in people, from 12 years of age, the adipocytes do not reproduce, so that the treated area does not reappear new adipocytes. This is why the patient must maintain a stable weight, with a healthy and active life, since with the passage of time it is possible to accumulate fat in another area of the body.
I can combine liposuction with another surgery simultaneously
It is very common to perform liposuction in two different areas, such as the abdomen and the flanks. Or perform another surgery in the same intervention, such as combining liposuction with abdominoplasty. It is neither convenient nor safe to perform mega liposuctions that involve an extraction of more than 6 liters in a single intervention.
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I can reintroduce the fat in another area
It is very common that the fat that we have extracted. For example from the abdomen, can be reintroduced into some other area of our body, such as the buttocks, the calves or the breasts. This procedure is called Lipofilling or Lipotransfer, and it is very effective. Fat is considered the best filler material, as it does not cause rejection. Then, after the first stages, the results are definitive.
Restarting physical and sports activity post liposuction
The patient can gradually resume physical activity. The first days after the intervention, it is good to walk 30 minutes every day. This will help eliminate edema, bruises and reduce inflammation. After a month of the operation, the patient can perform gentle exercises. Such as: swimming, or muscle strengthening exercises, and refrain from more abrupt or impact exercises such as running or aerobics. On many occasions, it is a function of the patient’s own evolution that determines when he can resume sporting activity normally.
Liposuction of the abdomen in men
It is very common for men to combine abdominal liposuction with marking of inserting the abdominal muscles, it is generally people know this as abdominal drilling or also six-pack liposuction. This is achieved by allowing the dermis to adhere to the muscular plane at the insertion lines. Then giving a remarkably athletic appearance to the abdomen. This procedure is also accompanied by the compression girdle.
Postoperative checkups
Postoperative checkups begin the day after the intervention, and will continue until final discharge. The results will not be definitive until 6 months. This is valid for areas subjected to aspiration (liposuction) such as those that have had a filling or lipofilling (Liposculpture).
Should I follow a special diet after liposuction?
It is important that after liposuction you control your diet and do physical exercise. Eating a good diet will help you maintain the results of the intervention. A balanced diet must be high in Vitamin C (present in foods such as plum, guava, currant, orange, grapefruit, tangerine, lemon, papaya, strawberry or kiwi), Iron (fish, chicken or turkey), Zinc (whole grain cookies, liver and beef tenderloin) and Complex B (lentils, eggs, spinach, chard and whole grains).
At the Fitoont telemedicine platform you can consult a nutritionist that will design a personalized, healthy and balanced diet for you to continue enjoying your body after liposuction. We are waiting!
Liposuction for women
The female body changes after the age of thirty, the pelvis and buttocks area tend to sag and liposuction – fat sculpting is our best ally to improve the appearance of the female contour. This treatment is especially indicated for cases of mild cellulite, with liposuction it completely disappears.
Leg Liposuction
The result of leg liposuction requires some time before it is fully assessed, if the inflammation persists the results will not be visible until 6 months. Despite this handicap, it is one of the most patient-satisfactory fat sculpting procedures.
Neck liposuction
Before the age of forty we can find patients who have increased size in the neck due to the extra fat which we usually call “double chin”. It can be removed easily by simple liposuction and local anesthesia and without hospitalization. From the age of forty the patient can perform a separation of the neck muscles. In addition to loose skin and excess skin. In order to ensure the best results, the operation requires several surgical techniques.
It is possible to rejuvenate a wrinkled, flabby neck without an angle, although we must also emphasize that it is better to improve the entire contour of the face so that the result is universal.
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