How Does Liposuction Work?
How Does Liposuction work
There are many celebrities who remain very skinny and some of them no doubt do it the old fashioned way involving strict diets and intense exercise programs. But most of them have likely acquired their flat bellies and tight thighs from a plastic surgeon. But celebrities are not the only ones who are maintaining a sleek look through plastic surgery. There are more than 500,000 liposuction procedures performed in the United States each year which makes it the most popular of all the cosmetic procedures according to the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery. Most people in general know that liposuction works to remove fat from different areas of the body but just how does it work?
Liposuction – the Procedure
Liposuction is performed in one of several medical facilities including the office of a plastic surgeon, a hospital or an outpatient surgery center. Some of the smaller procedures can be performed on an outpatient basis which can also be less expensive. To prepare the patient for the procedure, the skin will be marked to indicate which areas of fat will be removed. Since liposuction is a type of surgical procedure, anesthesia will be administered. The amount and type of anesthesia used will depend on how much of the body is going to be worked on. When the plastic surgeon is only working in an isolated area a local anesthesia may be administered. In many cases, the Plastic surgeon will also administer a sedative just to help the patient relax during the procedure.
The cosmetic surgeon will make small incisions into which a cannula will be entered. The cannula will move back and forth rapidly in order to loosen the fat cells which are then suctioned out by a vacuuming device that is attached to the cannula. As the cannula sucks the fat out from underneath the skin there are tunnels created which will collapse and heal. As they heal a brand new body shape will appear. In most cases, the patient will have to wear a compression garment following surgery to help speed the healing process.
Various Types of Liposuction Methods
While there are many similarities to the actual processes, there are three different techniques used to accomplish the goal of liposuction: tumescent, super-wet and Ultrasound-assisted liposuction. The tumescent technique is the most common method used and since it limits the loss of blood it is considered the safest option. In this method, a large volume of fluid containing lidocaine, epinephrine and saline solution is injected into the area to receive liposuction. The fluid will cause the fat tissue to swell up and become tumescent so that it is easier to remove using the cannula. This method can take longer, but it also has some advantages like reducing bruising, pain and swelling.
The super-wet method is very similar to the tumescent method but it will use much less fluid. This method typically requires that the patient receive and epidural. It will take about 2 to 3 hours to complete. And the ultrasound-assisted liposuction method uses a special type of cannula which vibrates more rapidly than other types and at the same time emits ultrasound energy. The ultrasound energy will liquefy the fatty cells as it passes through them. Once they are liquefied they will be suctioned out. By using a specially designed emitter the ultrasound can also be administered above the skin. But it can be administered underneath the skin using the ultrasound cannula. This procedure will take a lot longer than the other types of liposuction but tends to be much more precise especially in areas such as the back or male breasts which are more fibrous.
Liposuction – the Procedure
Liposuction is performed in one of several medical facilities including the office of a plastic surgeon, a hospital or an outpatient surgery center. Some of the smaller procedures can be performed on an outpatient basis which can also be less expensive. To prepare the patient for the procedure, the skin will be marked to indicate which areas of fat will be removed. Since liposuction is a type of surgical procedure, anesthesia will be administered. The amount and type of anesthesia used will depend on how much of the body is going to be worked on. When the plastic surgeon is only working in an isolated area a local anesthesia may be administered. In many cases, the Plastic surgeon will also administer a sedative just to help the patient relax during the procedure.
The cosmetic surgeon will make small incisions into which a cannula will be entered. The cannula will move back and forth rapidly in order to loosen the fat cells which are then suctioned out by a vacuuming device that is attached to the cannula. As the cannula sucks the fat out from underneath the skin there are tunnels created which will collapse and heal. As they heal a brand new body shape will appear. In most cases, the patient will have to wear a compression garment following surgery to help speed the healing process.
Various Types of Liposuction Methods
While there are many similarities to the actual processes, there are three different techniques used to accomplish the goal of liposuction: tumescent, super-wet and Ultrasound-assisted liposuction. The tumescent technique is the most common method used and since it limits the loss of blood it is considered the safest option. In this method, a large volume of fluid containing lidocaine, epinephrine and saline solution is injected into the area to receive liposuction. The fluid will cause the fat tissue to swell up and become tumescent so that it is easier to remove using the cannula. This method can take longer, but it also has some advantages like reducing bruising, pain and swelling.
The super-wet method is very similar to the tumescent method but it will use much less fluid. This method typically requires that the patient receive and epidural. It will take about 2 to 3 hours to complete. And the ultrasound-assisted liposuction method uses a special type of cannula which vibrates more rapidly than other types and at the same time emits ultrasound energy. The ultrasound energy will liquefy the fatty cells as it passes through them. Once they are liquefied they will be suctioned out. By using a specially designed emitter the ultrasound can also be administered above the skin. But it can be administered underneath the skin using the ultrasound cannula. This procedure will take a lot longer than the other types of liposuction but tends to be much more precise especially in areas such as the back or male breasts which are more fibrous.