Liposuction
Liposuction consists of aspirating the protruding fat of a localized area in order to reshape the silhouette.
The best results are obtained when these 3 conditions are met:
- The protruding fat is localized: chin, stomach area, saddlebags, and inner part of the thigh, of the knees…
- Skin quality is good, elasticity is good and no stretch-marks are present.
- The weight is approximately normal.
Liposuction should be combined with a healthy lifestyle in order to be effective. It should also be noted that a balanced diet and a regular practice of exercises are essential in order to maintain the effects of the surgery.
Liposuction is not a treatment for obesity. Excessive weight should be lost before considering the surgery.
In some cases, it is possible to recover the fat and reinject it elsewhere. This is known as lipofilling
Before the surgery
2 mandatory consultations will take place. Patients will stop smoking 1 month before the surgery in order to limit the risk of thrombo-embolic complications, which is the most serious complication following a liposuction. The risk of thrombo-phlebitis is multiplied by 10 if smoking and contraceptive pills are combined.
A panty should be brought before the surgery and worn afterwards in order to compress the treated areas.
The procedure
Unless the treated area is quite localized, liposuction is usually performed under general anesthesia and lasts between 1 and 3 hours. The patient can leave hospital the same day of the surgery or on the next day. The incisions made for liposuction are always very small, but they need to be protected from the sun for one year by using sunscreen.
After the procedure
The pressure garment prescribed before the surgery is placed in the operating room and should be worn day and night for one month following the surgery. There is no suture to remove and the first shower is permitted the day after the surgery.
Pain is moderate and well controlled by the usual pain-killers. Walking as soon as possible after surgery is recommended in order to prevent blood clots in the veins of the legs. If the liposuction is extensive, more than 2 liters of fat removed, a preventive anticoagulant treatment will be prescribed in order to avoid thrombo-embolic accidents.
Activities can be resumed 2 to 7 days after a liposuction, depending on the quantity of fat removed. Exercises and sports can be resumed about 1 month after surgery.
Edema always appears after a liposuction. It usually reaches its peak on the 5th day after surgery and disappears progressively within a few weeks. We highly recommend draining massages be done by a qualified therapist to reduce the edema more rapidly. The skin needs to retract in order to adapt to its new volume. The definitive results will be evident after 6 months.
The first shower is permitted the day after the surgery, but baths should be avoided for the first month. The scars need to be protected from the sun for the year following surgery!
