Liposuction is the procedure that removes excess fat from a certain area of the body that cannot be removed by diet and/or exercise.
Liposuction is not a treatment for obesity, but a way to reshape excess fat in certain areas.
If you are diabetic, smoke, have heart, kidney, liver or lung disease, or a family history of thromboembolism, the risks of the operation are higher.
The ideal candidate for liposuction
- Is close to their ideal weight
- Wants to remove fat from specific areas that diet and/or exercise cannot shift
- Has had a stable weight for the last 6 months
- Has good skin tone and elasticity
- Does not have sagging skin or an abdominal apron
- Does not have marked stretch marks
- Has realistic expectations
- Is emotionally stable
- Understands the risks of the operation
The technique
The operation can be done under general anesthesia or under local anesthesia enhanced intravenously, and takes about 2 hours on average. The fat deposits to be removed are marked with a preoperative drawing, then infiltrated with a cold saline solution with adrenaline (Klein solution). After waiting 20 minutes, the fat altered by the solution can be suctioned out using cannulas connected to a surgical aspirator. The amount of fat removed varies with the area treated; to avoid upsetting the body's balance when there are several deposits, they are preferably treated in stages.
It is important to know that the areas treated by liposuction will be bruised, swollen and moderately painful after the operation. Relative rest is also needed for about a week afterwards, depending on the area treated and each person's pain tolerance.
It is especially important to wear special elastic garments (pants, abdominal binder) from the end of the operation for another 2-3 weeks. Through constant compression, they prevent blood or fluid from collecting in the treated areas, so the skin adheres evenly to the layer beneath. After 6 weeks, progressive massage of the treated areas is recommended, which softens and evens them out.
It is also worth knowing that the fat removed by liposuction can sometimes be used as filler for other areas (lips, cheekbones, buttocks, calves, etc.)
