Liposuction for patients with a normal weight
Introduction
Liposuction is a surgical method that allows the removal of adipose pockets localized in areas that are difficult to address with other means such as physical exercise and diets. These areas are the inferior part of the tummy, flanks, hips, thighs and the internal part of the knees. While the procedure aims to reduce the fat layer in certain areas, it is not a weight loss method or a treatment for obesity. The reality is that the weight loss that occurs as a result of liposuction is not considerable. What liposuction can do is harmoniously recontour the profile of the body. In certain cases after liposuction, the desire of the patient to get closer to the ideal weight can be stimulated; however, the general recommendation is to perform the procedure only on patients of a normal weight.
In this article, we will discuss liposuction for patients with a normal weight and its benefits.
Overview
As we have already mentioned, liposuction is for patients with a weight close to normal for their age and height, with a good health condition, and only with localized adipose pockets. People with a generalized layer of fat are not suitable candidates for the procedure. The recommendation for these patients is first to try to reduce the layer of fat with exercise and diet. Moreover, in assessing the patient’s candidacy for liposuction and the chances of achieving satisfactory results, the plastic surgeon will also take into consideration the skin tonus.
Liposuction should be performed only on patients will good skin quality and elasticity. This means that the plastic surgeon needs to assess the quality of the skin and whether it can retract on the new contours of the body after the procedure. In a vast majority of cases, the procedure is performed as a standalone only on patients of a younger age. With the natural aging process, the skin starts to lose elasticity, and this means that performing liposuction alone on senior patients or patients with saggy skin can accentuate the sagginess even more.
For patients with a normal weight interested in undergoing liposuction, it is important to know that the risks are small. But again, there is no surgical procedure that entails no risks. Generally speaking, the potential complications occur in extraordinary circumstances, especially if the selection of the patients was done carefully. The risks are considerably increased when the goal of the procedure is to remove a large quantity of fat. Infections can occur and also seromas and hematomas, the most severe complication associated with liposuction being fat emboli or thromboembolism. This happens when a fat conglomerate or a blood clot starts migrating through the circulatory system to the lungs. The complication is life-threatening.
Pre-operative instructions for liposuction:
Before liposuction is scheduled, the patient will have a pre-operative consultation with the plastic surgeon and another meeting with the anesthetist. During these meetings, the patient will find out how to prepare for the procedure. Here are some of the pre-operative instructions for liposuction:
– Two weeks before the procedure, the patient should avoid taking aspirin or other medications that could influence blood coagulation;
– Birth control needs to be stopped a month before the procedure;
– The procedure should be scheduled outside the menstrual cycle of the patient;
– Smoking should be avoided for at least three weeks (preferably six) before the procedure;
– Avoid drastic diets or strenuous physical exercises in the week before the procedure as they might delay healing;
– If general anesthesia is administered, the recommendation is not to eat or drink anything for at least eight hours before the procedure.
Liposuction can be performed with the patient under general anesthesia or local anesthesia with sedation. The indication for one type of anesthetic or the other depends on the characteristics of the patient and also the localization and extension of the adipose pockets.
The length of the procedure can be between one and three hours, depending on the areas to be treated and if the procedure is combined with other procedures. For example, abdominal liposuction can usually be performed in an hour. But often the fat harvested with liposuction can be used to add more volume to areas that could use a boost. Liposuction is commonly combined with fat transfer.
When liposuction is performed, the plastic surgeon will mark the areas to be targeted and then address them individually. Small incisions are made to allow the introduction of a cannula that is connected to a suctioning medical device. The plastic surgeon performs back and forth movements to dislodge the fat in the area, and the cannula suctions the fat out.
Areas that are often targeted with liposuction are the abdominal area, flanks, thighs, knees, and even the arms and chin. Modern techniques imply the use of a special solution that contains a local anesthetic and a blood vessel constrictive substance to reduce the risk of excessive bleeding during surgery and to provide a long-lasting analgesia post-op. After the procedure, the areas treated with liposuction are covered in dressings, and compressive garments or girdle are put on to prevent the formation of hematoma and seroma and accelerate the healing process. It is important to know that the scars resulting after liposuction are almost unnoticeable and don’t usually pose any aesthetic issues.
Hospitalization after liposuction is often no longer than a few hours after the patient wakes up. After being discharged from the medical facility, the patient should return home for the recovery process. Depending from patient to patient and on the complexity of the procedure, the recovery period can be a few days and up to two weeks. During the recovery period, the patient is advised to get enough rest, keep a proper hygiene of the area operated, and avoid intense physical exercise. Strenuous physical activities should be avoided for at least a month after the procedure or per doctor’s orders to avoid ulterior complications.
Liposuction for patients with a normal weight
Many people see liposuction as a fast and effective way to shed off the unwanted weight. However, liposuction does little in terms of weight loss but can deliver magic in terms of reshaping the body. You might wonder why you should undergo liposuction if you have a normal weight and no excess fat layer on your body. Most people, even people who work out regularly and have a balanced and healthy diet, are confronted with localized adipose pockets at some point in their lives. These adipose pockets can occur after pregnancy and childbirth or with the natural aging process. As times goes by, many people notice that they start to develop fat pockets around the midline and even on the face, especially the chin.
If you have a normal weight, chances are a weight loss method like a diet or more exercise is not the way to go if you want to get rid of localized fat deposits. In other words, if you start dieting and lose weight, you will lose it from all over the body and not only the midline or whatever area was affected by stubborn adipose pockets. Moreover, you might even notice that your breasts and buttocks will suffer first as a result of a drastic diet and the midline will still present fat pockets. These localized fat deposits are efficiently corrected with the help of liposuction.
Conclusion
Liposuction is used to eliminate fat deposits in certain areas of the body that are difficult or impossible to target with exercise and diet. Liposuction is an effective and safe method to remodel the body. Moreover, it is one of the most commonly performed procedures in the United States and all over the world. The procedure targets patients with a normal weight and a good skin condition. If these conditions are followed, the results achieved are satisfactory and the potential complications that can occur are minimal and insignificant.
The final results of liposuction can be evaluated within three months from the date of the procedure, and there is a firm recommendation for the patient to wear the girdle or compressive garment to accelerate the recovery process.