Liposuction

Liposuction is a cosmetic procedure that helps people to get rid of unwanted fat by a device sucking fat out of the body. It is mainly for people who cannot lose fat tissues in specific areas, commonly tummy, buttocks, hips, thighs, even though they have a strict diet and an exercise routine. This procedure is also known as liposculpture, fat removal, lipoplasty, or lipo.

The benefits of Liposuction is not only physically but also psychologically. Many people feel insecure about their bodies, both male and female. They try a strict diet and spend hours in the gym to make their bodies in better shape; however, they cannot get rid of stubborn fat in some areas of their body whatever they try. The surgery is what they need to achieve a stunning body and a relaxed mind.

Even though it is thought that Liposuction surgery is to make patients lose weight, this common sense is partly true. Liposuction is recommended for people with a healthy body mass index. Owing to the fact that doctors who perform the surgery try to reduce the risk of having complications during and after the surgery, Liposuction surgery cannot be used to remove a lot of fat to treat people with obesity. However, it is unavoidable not to lose weight after the procedure as Liposuction surgery removes fat from the patient’s body. In other words, surgery’s main focus is removing stubborn fat, sculpting the body to make the patient have a more contoured one instead of making the patient lose weight.

Liposuction is one of the most common cosmetic procedures. Due to it is very popular, it has got both modern and traditional types. These are:

Traditional (Dry) Liposuction

Traditional Liposuction is the oldest method of Liposuction which was discovered in the 1970’s. This method is also known as Dry Liposuction due to the fact that new methods include solutions or other kind of treatments in their procedure. Traditional method of Liposuction is performed under general anaesthetic and it is more traumatic compared to recent methods of liposuction. The risk of complications in Traditional Liposuction is more than new methods of Liposuction.

In its procedure, a cannula is inserted in the target area of the patient and the fat is removed by moving the cannula in and out, collecting the fat tissues.

Micro Liposuction

Micro Liposuction is a liposuction method for small areas such as face. This technique involves small incisions and a micro cannula which removes the fat from chin, cheeks, neck and other small areas.

Water Assisted Liposuction (WAL)

Water Assisted Liposuction is one of the gentle methods of Liposuction. The difference of Water Assisted Liposuction  from Traditional Liposuction is that it includes a tumescent fluid which helps the removal of the fat easier and less invasive.

Power-Assisted Liposuction

Power-Assisted Liposuction is similar to tumescent liposuction. In the procedure of Power-Assisted Liposuction, small incision is made on the target area to insert a cannula to remove fat tissues from the area with the help of fluids applied in the incision. In this procedure, the cannula is assisted with power, it vibrates while breaking the fat cells and it makes the procedure easier than traditional method.

Laser-Assisted Liposuction 

• Laser Liposuction (Smartlipo MPX)

Laser Liposuction, aslo referred as Smart Lipo MPX is one of the recent methods of liposuction. In the recent years, it is highly preferred by both patients and cosmetic surgeons. It is a procedure which is less invasive than other methods of liposuction. In the procedure of Smart Lipo, laser treatment is used. This treatment helps to break fat cells easier. With the help of laser treatment, it can also help tightening the skin in a certain degree. For further information, you can read Laser Liposuction (Smartlipo MPX) page.

Ultrasound-Assisted Liposuction

• Vaser Liposuction

Vaser Liposuction refers to Vibration Amplification of Sound Energy at Resonance Liposuction. This technique is performed with the help of ultrasound energy which causes heat to destroy fat cells without traumatizing healthy tissue close to fat cells. This method is one of the most preferred techniques in the recent years as due to the fact that it helps to remove fat cells easier than other methods with less damage while helping the skin tighten.

For more information, you can read Vaser Liposuction page.

Another significant information about Liposuction surgery is the difference between Dry liposuction and (Tumescent) Wet liposuction. Dry liposuction refers to is Traditional liposuction. In dry liposuction, a small incision is made and then a cannula is inserted through the incision to remove the fat directly while in Tumescent liposuction includes injection of a tumescent fluid which reduces the risks of having complications during the surgery. These risks are bleeding, bruising, and swelling.

Dry liposuction can be effective for large areas as it uses a regular cannula to remove the fat; however, it can create disturbance in smaller areas. On the other hand, tumescent liposuction uses a micro-cannula which might make the process longer in time, whereas it is a less invasive method compared to dry liposuction in smaller areas such as neck, face, chin ankles, and knees.

Even though there are obvious advantages of wet liposuction, the surgeon should decide which method is best for the patient.

Which Areas Can be Treated with Liposuction Surgery?

Liposuction is a procedure that can be used in many areas in the body; however, this does not mean that every area of the body is suitable for the procedure. There are some areas that can be risky to perform the surgery and cannot be done.

Liposuction is a procedure which is preferred by both women and men. Owing to the fact that men and women have different anatomies, the areas where fat collects differ from each other. The areas liposuction can be done are:

1) Tummy/Abdomen:

Abdominal liposuction is the most common liposuction type. Due to the fact that stomach fat can be stubborn to disappear after exercise and strict diet, many people consider getting liposuction done to remove excess fat from their abdomen.

However, everybody is not suitable for this procedure. Some severe fat in the abdominal area might cause abdomen skin to become saggy. In situations like that, a combination of tummy tuck surgery and liposuction is recommended.

2) Hips and Flanks:

To achieve an hourglass shape with shaped hips and a thin waist, liposuction for hips and flanks are recommended.

3) Back:

Some people can have excess fat at their backs that make them avoid wearing tight clothes or the bra they wear makes them have rolled around those areas due to having extra fat. Liposuction surgery is used for the back area to make patients have a shaped back.

4) Buttocks:

Having a shaped buttock is a women’s dream. Liposuction surgery is very successful in making the buttocks look shaped and firm.

5) Thighs:

Thighs are one of the areas that are hard to remove the excess fat by exercising. Liposuction surgery helps people to achieve the perfect legs and thighs that they target.

6) Upper arms:

Upper arms are one of the most common areas where people cannot lose fat despite exercise. If the patient has got saggy skin on the arms, skin tightening surgery might be recommended for better results instead of liposuction surgery.

7) Neck and chin:

Neck liposuction is to treat the fat tissues appearing around the chin due to aging. It is used to make the neck more shaped and flat.

Chin liposuction, also known as submental liposuction, can be used to get rid of fat tissues to treat double-chin look or extra fat on the area close to the chin. It is also used to create a heart-shaped face.

Neck and chin liposuction can be combined for better results depending on the state and target of the patient.

8) Jowl:

The jowl is the area of the face below the jawline. This area of the face is prone to lose its flatness due to aging and weight gain. Jowl liposuction is commonly used to make patients have a younger look with a tight jowl. However, it is possible that due to aging, the skin tissue on jowl might lose its firmness and become saggy, and liposuction surgery might not be enough to achieve the wanted look. It is advised to have a facelift or tightening for patients who have extra skin.

9) Calf and ankle:

It is performed to achieve thinner and firm calf and ankles.

10) Knees

Male Breasts (Gynaecomastia)

Gynecomastia is a condition that men start having women-like visible breasts mostly after wait gain or heritage. This procedure is performed to get rid of the excessive fat from the breast tissues. Though liposuction surgery might not be enough to complete the look due to having extra skin on the breast area and the skin might be needed to get removed.

While it is commonly preferred by men, some women want to get liposuction surgery to make their breasts smaller. It might not be suitable in most of the cases as it will end up with loose and saggy skin after removal of the fat, it still can be suitable for some cases depending on the wish of the patient and body.

It is significant to note that Liposuction can also be used as a treatment for medical conditions such as lymphoedema and lipoedema if they do not include cancerous tumors.

What to Expect from Liposuction Surgery?

Liposuction surgery, as stated above, is not recommended for people who are overweight. It is highly significant that if one who considers getting a Liposuction surgery done, has got excessive skin, cellulite problems, and obesity, Liposuction will not be enough to help that person achieve their target look. Liposuction is only for contouring the body removing excess fat pockets that are stubborn to a healthy diet and exercise. If one considers losing weight, getting rid of excess skin or cellulite, he/she will need another treatment or combined treatment with Liposuction.

Due to swelling after the surgery, for almost 6 months, the patient might not be able to see the results of the surgery. Final results are mostly expected to be visible after one year.

Who Is Suitable for Liposuction?

• Many cosmetic surgeons do not recommend people who are underage to have cosmetic surgery due to many reasons, both psychologically and physically they might not be ready for cosmetic surgery.
• Having fat tissue on specific areas that are stubborn to strict diet and exercise that the patient wants to get removed to have a more contoured body shape. Many patients directly want to get liposuction surgery without trying to exercise. However, they should note that after the surgery, to maintain their target look they have to embody a healthy lifestyle and exercise routine.
• Liposuction is recommended for people who are not defined as “obese” according to their body mass index (BMI). This means the person who thinks of getting a -Liposuction surgery should be below 30 in BMI. Due to likely complications that might occur during and after the surgery, only a certain amount of fat can be removed from the body. It cannot be used to lose weight. Still, some pounds are expected to be lost after the surgery due to the removal of fat. In addition to losing some pounds, it will give the patient a more refined and shaped look, so the dress size will change after the surgery.
• The person who is planning the surgery must be in a psychologically healthy mood. Due to it is cosmetic surgery, the risks that are likely to happen should be considered while in a psychologically stable state. No surgeon would want the patient to regret the decision he/she made. In addition to psychological well-being, the person should have realistic expectations about the surgery. People tend to see the worst or the best results when they search for surgery online. They should consider their body shape, medical conditions, lifestyle, and have a realistic opinion for the surgery. Owing to the fact that everyone has got a different body shape and different texture of the skin, Liposuction surgery might not be enough to have a shaped look and some other procedures such as skin tightening, excess skin removal might be needed. It is not used to treat cellulite, either.
• Having an exercise routine and being on a healthy diet.
• Smoking or nicotine related products should be stopped to use at least six weeks before the surgery. It is scientifically proven that smoking and other nicotine products cause chest and wound infection.
• Alcohol and drug use should be stopped before surgery.
• Having a suitable health record and previous medications taken should not affect the quality of the surgery.

Getting Ready for Liposuction Surgery

Getting ready for surgery is as important as the surgery itself. To reduce the risks of having complications, one who considers having cosmetic surgery should start having a healthy lifestyle to maintain after the surgery as well. Stopping alcohol, smoking, and drug/nicotine use is highly recommended. They slow down the healing process and increase the risks of the surgery.

The doctor might advise the patient to stop or start using some kind of medication. It is important to share previous medical records and both herbal and medical treatments used before the surgery.

Procedure of Liposuction Surgery

1. The patient will sign a consent form. A consent form is signed to show that the patient accepts every risk that might occur during and after the surgery.
2. The surgeon draws the areas to be treated with a pen and shows the patient what the plan is.
3. Anesthesia is applied. It can be either general anesthesia or local anesthesia depending on the goal process.
4. Saline solution is injected to prevent complications during the process.
5. In this step, different techniques can be used to break fat cells that might be using high-frequency vibrations, laser, or high-pressure water jet.
6. After breaking fat cells, small incisions will be made and liposuction treatment will start. More than one incision might be needed if the area is not small. The loosened fat will be sucked and removed through tubes. Any excess fluid from the body will be drained.

It is significant to note that there are different types of liposuction that can be applied such as traditional (dry), tumescent (wet), ultrasound, laser liposuction.

7. Incisions will be stitched and bandaged. Compression garments or corsets might be worn.
8. After the procedure, the patient will return to the ward to be observed if there are any complications. After making sure that everything is safe, the patient can return to the home the same day or one day after the procedure.
9. Before the patient leaves, nurses or doctors will inform the patient about how to take care, which medications to take such as antibiotics or painkillers during the healing process.

Recovery from Liposuction Surgery

Even though the patient had a very successful surgery, some complications might occur by not following after-surgery advice given by the surgeon. Not to have any complications after the surgery, the patient should take care of his/her wounds, maintain a healthy lifestyle, start exercising on time and avoid tough physical activities during the healing process which is 10-12 weeks.

• The patient will continue wearing pressure garments or corsets on the treated area for between 2 and 3 weeks. It will be worn all day unless the patient takes shower. The period of wearing those garments might change depending on the procedure. While wearing pressure garments, the patient should not wear tight clothes. It is advised to wear loose clothes.
• The surgeon might recommend the patient take care of scars by using special products or massaging to fasten the healing process. In addition to product usage, the position of sleeping might affect the results as well. The patient should carefully listen to which position to sleep to avoid or lessen swelling.
• After the surgery, it is highly recommended to maintain a healthy diet such as low sodium and high protein-based. As the healing process will prevent people from being highly active, the patient might gain weight again.
• It is not recommended to exercise after the procedure; however, the patient should start walking to reduce complications such as blood clots. After some weeks the patient can start exercising with a low tuned, easy program.
• The patient will not be able to drive from 5 to 2 weeks after the procedure.
• It is recommended not to work after the surgery if it needs physical power. If it does not contain physical power, most likely after a week or 10 days later, the patient can get back to the work.
• Getting pregnant and gaining weight will change the results of the procedure.

Risks of Liposuction Surgery

Liposuction surgery is safe surgery, nonetheless, every cosmetic surgery has got possible risks. Before getting this surgery done, one should learn every possible risk about the surgery and talk about it with the surgeon in detail.

Complications and risks that might occur during and after the surgery:

• Swelling.
• Bruising.
• Numbness.

It is expected after the surgery as being a common side effect. However, the normal duration of the feeling of numbness is for 1-2 weeks. If it is persistent, the patient should contact the hospital.

• Seroma (excess fluid building up in the operation area).
• Inflammation.
• Infection.

It is not a risk with a high possibility of liposuction surgery.

• Hematoma (Bleeding under operated area).
• Asymmetrical results.
• Change in skin color.
• Pulmonary edema (fluid in lungs) and Pulmonary embolism (blood clots in the lungs).

They are rare complications. They are caused by excess fluid collecting in the lungs or fat getting into the blood vessels in the lungs.

• Internal organ damage.

It can happen if the surgeon is not experienced and skilled.

• Blood clots in veins.
• Necrosis (death of skin tissue).
• Death and heart attack caused by anesthesia.

Frequently Asked Questions About Liposuction Surgery

How long does the procedure of Liposuction take?

Every patient has got a different body from each other and they have got different goals for the procedure. Owing to the fact that people get treated in different areas, sometimes only one area or more than one area can be treated in one session, it might take between 60-180 minutes and stay at the hospital for one night might be recommended.

How much does Liposuction cost?

Liposuction is a surgery that can be applied to many areas on the body and there can be multiple areas to treat to have a better result. Every patient has got different needs, fat/skin characteristics so we cannot state a specific number for the price. If one considers not paying a lot for the surgery, they can consider having the surgery in Turkey to get their surgery done with skilled and experienced surgeons while paying less than other countries. Liposuction in Turkey is highly preferred due to getting qualified treatment and aftercare process.

What to do to have a successful Liposuction surgery?

To reduce the risks of the surgery, it is highly recommended to living as healthy as possible. Having a suitable diet, getting hydrated enough during the healing process, exercising, or going to walks.

Before the surgery smoking, alcohol and drug use should be stopped.

Avoiding to use aspirin or medicine that treats inflammation at least two weeks before the surgery.

Is Liposuction painful?

Partly yes. During the procedure general or local anesthesia is applied so the patient will not feel any pain. However, after the surgery, due to the damage made during the surgery, the patient can feel pain.

Does Liposuction have permanent results?

Yes. Results of Liposuction surgery is permanent. Owing to removing stubborn fat pockets from the area, there will not be the same look even after gaining weight; however, it is still highly recommended to be in a stable weight, continuing a healthy lifestyle to increase the permanency.

Getting pregnant will change the results of the surgery.

How much fat can be removed in Liposuction surgery?

Due to reducing the risks of complications, only a certain amount of fat can be removed during the surgery. This number is around up to 10 pounds.

What are the alternatives to Liposuction surgery?

There are alternatives to Liposuction surgery but it depends on what the person is looking for. If a non-surgical procedure is wanted, there are freezing, laser, and ultrasound-based devices used to break fat cells. Another alternative is injecting chemicals under the skin to break fat cells. However, those methods might not be efficient for everyone. Deciding on which method to use is about what the patient needs. If the target is to get rid of cellulite, Liposuction surgery cannot achieve the wanted results. Cellulase is the treatment method. If the patient is suffering from excess skin, skin tightening surgeries are recommended.

Does Liposuction surgery tighten the skin?

No. Liposuction is not a procedure to treat sagging skin. If the patient already has got extra skin before the procedure, Liposuction will not treat it while it will not leave saggy skin after the procedure for someone who does not have extra skin before the surgery.

Does it worth having a liposuction surgery?

The answer for this question is personal. If you can lose fat without extra effort and if you do not have stubborn fat tissues on specific parts of your body, we advise you to try exercising before getting a cosmetic surgery for fat loss. Cosmetic surgeries are mostly safe; however, they have got risks that you should consider before getting it. If you cannot lose fat tissues from your body whatever you do, Liposuction is definitely worth it as it improves your self esteem.

When will I completely heal from Liposuction surgery?

Liposuction has got faster healing process compared to skin tightening surgeries due to the fact that there are not any serious incisions made. However, liposuction surgery traumatizes the tissues in a certain degree and causes body to become protective against that operation and excessive fluid can collect under your skin tissues. Due to this reason, you should wear pressure garments, mostly corsets for 1-2 months. You will be able to start working one week after the surgery and will be able to do your normal activities after 2 weeks. Completely healing from the procedure is personal and it can change depending on the type of your liposuction method.