Many people have flabby areas they wish were gone. Some excess fat does not respond well to regular dieting and exercise. When people have done everything right, and the flabby regions remain, they often seek liposuction. Liposuction is highly effective at removing excess fat permanently. Knowing what to expect during the procedure is critical for those who have never gone through liposuction.
What Is Liposuction?
Liposuction is a surgical procedure that involves the surgeon inserting a hollow metal tube called a cannula into the patient’s treatment area. The surgeon suctions excess fat cells from the body through small incisions, destroying them forever. The top plastic surgeons utah, can perform liposuction on many body areas, including the stomach, love handles, thighs, buttocks, and chin, among many others.
What Happens During Liposuction?
There are several steps involved in a liposuction procedure. The surgeon will go through each of these steps with the patient before the process, but it never hurts to learn as much as possible about the procedure so you can be prepared.
Anesthesia
Before the surgeon makes the tiny incisions for the cannula insertion, they must numb the patient. The surgeon introduces diluted anesthesia into the treatment areas to help patients avoid discomfort and improve the risks of bleeding and bruising.
Cannula Insertion
Once the surgeon treats the area with anesthetic and makes the tiny incisions, they insert the cannula. The surgeon will insert the wand and move it back and forth to dislodge the excess fat cells and suction them out of the body.
Types of Liposuction
Surgeons use multiple types of liposuction, depending on the equipment on-hand or the patient’s needs. Patients can seek one of the following surgical methods of fat removal.
Traditional Liposuction
Traditional liposuction is the oldest and most common form of the procedure. The surgeon uses a cannula with a high-pressure vacuum system attached.
Power-Assisted Liposuction
Power-assisted liposuction involves using a vibrating cannula. The vibrating cannula easily breaks up the fat cells, allowing the surgeon to suction them from the body.
Ultrasound-Assisted Liposuction
Ultrasound-assisted liposuction uses high-powered ultrasonic vibrations to break up unwanted fat cells so they can be removed from the body.
VASER Liposuction
VASER liposuction is a more modern form of the ultrasound-assisted liposuction procedures of the past.
Laser-Assisted Liposuction
Laser-assisted liposuction is a new generation of ultrasound-assisted liposuction procedures. Instead of ultrasonic waves, this procedure uses a laser to break up the fat cells so they can be removed.
What to Expect After Liposuction
After the liposuction procedure, you will not feel any discomfort because of the numbing medication. As the numbing wears off, it is normal to feel some soreness. Patients commonly have swelling and bruising that prevents them from seeing their results.
The body will continue to absorb the excess fluid in the area over the coming weeks. It usually takes around six weeks for people to notice their final results. Thankfully, the fat cells do not return once removed. The results are permanent, but the remaining cells can become engorged with fat if the patient does not care for their health.
Liposuction can be repeated after the healing process if more fat is removed. Scheduling a consultation appointment is the most effective way for people to learn about the procedure and their options. These treatments offer beautiful results that can help people recover their self-confidence.
