Questions About Liposuction

Be an Informed Patient

Many surgeons say they perform tumescent liposuction, but not all of them do. Why? Because tumescent liposuction is a time consuming, labor intensive operation that can take several hours. To help you get all the benefits of tumescent liposuction, here are a few questions to ask your perspective surgeon during your initial consultation.

What size cannulas will you use?

Traditional cannulas are about the diameter of your little finger. Tumescent liposuction cannulas are less that 1/8th of an inch in diameter when used to suction body fat and even smaller diameter when used for facial liposuction. It is especially important that the surgeon use the smallest cannulas possible if you want optimal results and even skin texture.

Will I need to donate blood in advance?

If the surgeon says yes, chances are he/she isn’t using the tumescent technique, and your donation is in anticipation of a blood loss during surgery. This does not happen with the tumescent microcannula technique because the combination of infusing tumescent solution and the use of small cannulas prevent excessive trauma and minimize blood loss.

Will you use general anesthesia?

If a surgeon uses general anesthesia, beware. General anesthesia (being put completely asleep and lose your ability to breathe on your own) carries additional risks. Some scientific studies report that one in every five thousand patients “put under” general anesthesia will not wake up. If a doctor uses general anesthesia, it’s a good indication that the true tumescent technique is not performed in that facility.

How safe is tumescent liposuction?

According to an issue of the Journal of Dermatologic Surgery, the results of a survey of 15,000 tumescent liposuction patients confirmed the procedure’s safety. In all those patients surveyed, there were no deaths, no blood transfusions, and no complications requiring hospitalization. None of the complications often seen using the non-tumescent liposuction technique (blood clot to the lung, fat embolus to the lung, or inflammation of the veins) were seen following the new tumescent technique.

Do I have to lose weight before liposuction surgery?

Prior to liposuction, you should be at your usual, everyday weight, a weight that can be maintained without unhealthy dieting. Some of us will never be at what we consider to be our "e;ideal"e; weight. Liposuction can help by reducing the real "e;trouble spots"e; to allow our clothes to fit better, our bodies to look better, and for us to feel better about our overall body image.

Will the fat come back if I gain weight?

The fat cells that are removed will never come back. If you do gain weight, the gain will be evenly distributed over your entire body as predetermined by your genetic makeup. Because there are much fewer fat cells remaining in the areas of removal, there will be less weight gained in that area. Many patients have been so excited with their results and they have used it as a stimulus to reduce their weight even more to enhance their new shape and appearance.

Is liposuction a good way to lose weight?

Liposuction is a body contouring, spot reduction technique. It is not a weight reduction procedure. In addition, you must reduce the number of calories you eat per day by 10 calories per pound of fat removed. For instance, if 5 pounds of fat are removed during the procedure, you must reduce your calorie intake or increase your activity level by 50 calories per day to retain that weight loss.

Can liposuction be done on the face and neck?

Liposuction is excellent to remove fatty deposits on the face, jowls, under the chin, and on the neck. Age and skin condition sometimes necessitates the removal of excess skin to get an optimal result.

Can fat removed during liposuction be transferred to another area of the body?

Fat removed during liposuction can be used to correct facial grooves, to fill out lips, and to augment other areas of the face. In certain circumstances, the fat can be used to augment other areas of the body.

How much fat can be removed at one time?

The amount of weight or fat that is removed is not nearly as important as the reduction in inches that can occur as the area(s) of treatment heal and contract down. The amount of fat that can be removed at one time is limited by the amount of anesthetic solution that can be used (which is based on the patient’s weight) and on the variability of each patient’s tissues. It is not possible to predetermine the exact amount of fat that can be removed. Occasionally, a second session is required for optimal results.

Will I need to have any skin removed?

It is rare that even those patient’s who may have been told that they needed a “tummy tuck” will actually require one for the result they want following liposuction. Even elderly and obese patients can expect their skin to shrink and contract after having undergone fat removal.

We hope this information has answered many of your questions regarding liposuction in Sacramento. If you have other questions, please call us at (916) 564-8888 or send an email using the online contact form.