Liposuction is consistently at or near the top of the most-performed cosmetic surgery techniques in the United States. Its effectiveness in areas such as the abdomen, thighs, buttocks, and upper arms has been demonstrated over decades, and its popularity surely has something to do with its ability to help people realize goals that remained out of reach despite their own best efforts.
Heredity and life experience can make some parts of the body harder to improve than others through diet and exercise. For many of us, there are still areas for improvement even after we’ve done our best. Liposuction is often the technique of choice for closing this gap to our goals.
How Liposuction Works
A small, thin instrument called a cannula is inserted under the skin and directed by your plastic surgeon through specific fat deposits. The instrument suctions out fat cells in the selected improvement areas by conveying negative pressure, like a vacuum.
The length of time to expect for full recovery, and to see the benefits of the procedure, depend on the individual case, including how wide an area is treated and how much fat is removed. Liposuction is usually performed on an outpatient basis, with no overnight hospital stay called for in most cases. Compression garments or elastic bandages are used to keep swelling to a minimum. People are able to stand and walk as soon as the effects of anesthetic are gone, and most patients can return to work in a few days if they so desire.
One Instrument in an Orchestra
As a proven procedure, liposuction “plays well with others.” Many patients choose liposuction as just one part of their plan to achieve their goals, particularly in combination with tummy tuck, butt lift, or breast reduction procedures.
More People Qualify than Ever Before
The active practice of liposuction over decades – particularly the steep and focused advances made since the early 1980s – have brought more accurate and complete evacuation of fat cells, less discomfort, and more rapid recovery. As a result, more people qualify for the procedure today, and they can anticipate an even higher degree of satisfaction.
The Surgeon Makes the Difference
The many years of careful refinements that liposuction has undergone result in this interesting and relevant finding: No improvement, option or refinement makes a greater difference in the results and satisfaction you get from liposuction than the skill of the plastic surgeon you choose.