Fat is great when acting as the last source of nourishment when we’re lost in the wilds of Borneo and starving to death. And it’s great for cushioning our organs.
But that’s about it. For most of us, fat is about as welcome as the uncle from Petoskey who keeps showing up at the holidays for an extended “visit.”
At Elite, we’re not fans of fat, either. That’s why we offer liposuction to suction it away permanently.
How is liposuction done?
When it came to the U.S. from France in the 1980s, liposuction was a pretty violent procedure. The cannulas used were larger, as were the access incisions. And to break loose and suction out the fat, the surgeon had to move the cannula back and forth quite aggressively. As you would assume, this caused fairly extensive tissue trauma and bleeding. The result of this was serious bruising that could linger for months before fully clearing. Also, those early liposuction procedures could create sunken areas where fat had been unevenly removed.
Those days are long gone. Today, various techniques and improvements have made liposuction much easier to recover from, much more precisely targeted, and made for much better final results.
At Elite, we use tumescent liposuction, where we first inject the target area with a solution that consists of sterile saline water, epinephrine, and lidocaine. The lidocaine removes the need for general anesthesia (which used to be needed for liposuction procedures). The epinephrine constricts the blood vessels to minimize bleeding and subsequent bruising. And the saline causes the treatment area and the fat pockets to swell, making it easier to remove the unwanted fat.
Plus, when the patient’s situation is right, we also use ultrasound-assisted or laser-assisted liposuction. In these techniques, ultrasound waves or laser energy is introduced with the cannula to liquefy the fat, making it simple to remove. The laser energy also has the side benefit of triggering the body to create new collagen, which firms the skin even more.
Recovery
Patients can now return to work after liposuction in just a few days. Compression garments need to be worn for a few weeks to keep the swelling down and to help the body adapt to its new slimmer contours. You’ll love your results, which will first begin showing themselves in one to two weeks, as swelling subsides. They will continue to improve as the skin tightens to the new contour. This can take up to six to nine months.
Interested in telling your unwanted fat to hit the road? Contact Elite Plastic Surgery, or call 866-331-0612 and set up a consultation for liposuction.
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