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Liposuction (click here for Laser Lipolysis)
Type of anaesthesia: General Anaesthesia
Length of stay: 2 nights inpatient, 3 nights hotel stay
Recuperation: 1 week
Liposuction is a technique for reshaping the body by permanently removing localized fat deposits. Liposuction is popular with both men and women, and is the most commonly performed of all plastic surgeries in the world.
With diet and exercise you don't have a choice in where you lose the fat. When you do lose fat, it is lost in proportion to your total amount of body fat. So often you lose the weight where you don't want to. Women tend to lose fat from their face and breasts before they lose fat in their thighs or stomach. With liposuction you can choose where you want to lose the fat and what shape you want your body to have.
With Liposuction, the weight does not come back. Exercise and dieting simply shrinks your fat cells. They are still there. If you stray from your exercise and dieting routine the weight can easily come back. Liposuction removes the fat cells so the weight cannot come back. Rather the weight is gained in other areas, if at all.
It is important to know that liposuction is not a cure for obesity. There is a limit of fat tissue that can be removed safely from the human body. If you suffer from obesity, liposuction can actually be detrimental to your appearance. If a portion of fat is removed from your body, you can have an unbalanced or unnatural appearance.
Read also about our newest technology Laser Lipolysis, an alternative to traditional Liposuction minus the pain, bruising and downtime.
Frequently asked questions
How is liposuction performed?
Before surgery, the surgeon will mark the precise areas of the body where the fat is to be removed. An intravenous (IV) line will be inserted in a vein in your arm to make sure the fluid level in your body remains in balance.
During the procedure, the surgeon makes a tiny incision in the skin, typically in or near the buttock crease or at the site of a previous scar, and inserts a thin tube called a cannula into the fatty area. The cannula is used to break up the fat deposits and sculpt the area to the desired proportions. The unwanted fat is removed with a high-pressure vacuum, leaving the skin, muscles, nerves, and blood vessels intact.
How long does the procedure take?
On average, the procedure takes 1-2 hours per area treated.
What can I expect afterward?
For a day or two, you can expect to feel tired, as though your body has been through a workout and it has! Your legs will be stiff and store, and you may experience some pain, burning, swelling, bleeding or temporary numbness. Your doctor can prescribe medication to relieve this initial discomfort.
Sometimes a small drainage tube is inserted under the skin to drain excess fluid. Your doctor may prescribe an antibiotic ointment to prevent infection at the incision sites. Your stitches will be removed in a week to 10 days, unless they dissolve on their own.
You will be fitted with a tight compression garment to be worn for up to six weeks after your surgery. This specially designed garment will help reduce pain and swelling, and help your body settle into its new shape.
What is the recovery period like?
Most of the bruising and swelling should subside within three weeks. To speed the healing process and to reduce the likelihood of post-operative complications, your surgeon will probably tell you to begin light activity as soon as possible.
You should be able to return to work within a few days if your work is fairly sedentary. You should avoid strenuous activities for several weeks as your body heals, but within 6 weeks you should be able to resume all normal activities.
It is important to continue wearing the compression garment, which should be easily hidden under your clothing, until your doctor tells you that it is no longer necessary.
What is the long-term outcome like for most people?
You should see the visible results of your surgery within two or three weeks, but the full effects may not be evident for six months to a year. The more fat that you had removed, the longer it will take to achieve optimal results, because the skin has to adapt to a more radical change in shape.
Most people are pleased with their new contour and often feel a boost in energy and self-confidence. Although liposuction cannot alter skin quality or muscle tone, and should not be a substitute for regular exercise and a balanced diet.
How long do the results last?
The fat cells are permanently removed by liposuction, so you will not regain weight in that area. It is important to note, however, that liposuction does not guarantee that you won’t gain weight or accumulate fat deposits in other areas of your body.
For lasting results, patients MUST change their lifestyles. We cannot emphasize this enough as some patients tend to revert to their old eating habits and sedentary lifestyles after the surgery. We recommend undertaking a holistic programme involving a balanced diet, exercise, medication and other non-invasive surgical procedures for permanent results. For patients who wish to be advised properly on the programme, we recommend that you contact us for a medical consultation with our qualified doctor.
Ideal candidate:
In general, the best candidates for liposuction are:
- 18 years of age or older
- In good physical health
- Psychologically stable
- Informed about the procedure
- Without medical conditions such as high blood pressure, circulatory problems, hypothyroidism or other thyroid related conditions.
- Realistic about the outcome of surgery
- The above is only a partial list of the criteria that your surgeon will consider in determining whether or not this procedure is appropriate for you. Be sure to ask your surgeon if he / she considers you an ideal candidate for liposuction.
Risks and limitations:
Although liposuction is the most commonly performed cosmetic plastic surgery procedure in the world, and the majority of these operations are successful, there are risks and limitations to the procedure, as with any surgery.
After surgery, some patients experience dimpling, lumpiness, numbness, scarring, discoloration, or sagging skin in the treated area. Follow-up surgery may be needed to correct these problems.
More serious complications include blood clots, infection, excessive fluid loss leading to shock, fluid build-up in the lungs, and drug overdose. A combination of the following factors is associated with an increased risk of serious complications:
- The removal of large amounts of fat
- More than one procedure being performed at the same time
- The use of general anesthesia
Next step:
Many factors decide whether you are a suitable candidate for surgery. Here are a few ways you can proceed:
- Contact us here for a consultation with our medical consultants (Singapore only)
- Fill up our enquiry form here with your details and questions
- Send us an email to support@healthaesthetics.com with your details and digital photographs for a photo-quotation within 48 hours
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