What Is Liposuction?
Also known as lipoplasty, liposuction is a minimally invasive cosmetic procedure used to sculpt the body by removing highly localized areas of fat that are resistant to diet and exercise. The fat from the targeted area is suctioned from the body through a small thin tube called a cannula to help patients achieve a slim and balanced body contour.
Most liposuction procedures take less than ninety minutes to complete, but some may take significantly longer depending on the number of sites and how much fat needs to be removed.
Liposuction is one of the safest and most popular cosmetic procedures and is often combined with other procedures to achieve transformational body contouring results. Liposuction can eliminate unwanted pockets of fat from the following areas:
- Love handles
- Saddlebags / thighs
- Abdomen
- Arms
- Back
- Hips
- Buttocks
- Chest
- Neck
- Calves
- Ankles
- Breasts (including male breasts)
Dr. Restifo has been performing liposuction for over twenty years and will be candid about whether the procedure will achieve the desired results, with or without the need for other complementary body contouring procedures.
Am I A Good Candidate For Liposuction?
You may be a good candidate for liposuction if:
- Your weight is stable and you are no more than 20 pounds overweight.
- You would like a more well-defined contour in specific areas of your body.
- You have attempted natural weight loss methods, but you still have localized areas of unresponsive fat deposits that are disproportionate to the rest of your body.
- You are in overall good health and maintain a healthy lifestyle.
- Your skin elasticity is good. Patients with many stretch marks or generally loose or flabby skin may be better candidates for a tummy tuck.
- You have realistic expectations.
Suck Or Tuck: Which Procedure Is Right For Me?
Liposuction may be performed alone or can be combined with other cosmetic procedures, such as a tummy tuck, breast reduction, thigh lift, or arm lift to achieve maximum contouring results.
Can Lean People Benefit From Liposuction?
For slim and athletic patients, including CrossFit competitors and fitness models who are interested in abdominal etching, be sure to read this.
The Liposuction Procedure
Liposuction is performed on an outpatient basis and can be performed under local anesthesia. It works by removing fat from your body using suction, much like a vacuum. The steps are:
- Several tiny incisions are made.
- A local anesthetic is injected.
- A small, thin, blunt-tipped tube called a cannula is inserted though small incisions.
- The tubes are moved under the skin to target fat deposits for suctioning.
No stitches are needed after liposuction since the incisions are small enough to heal on their own.
What Should I Expect After Liposuction?
Dr. Restifo will give you special instructions on how to care for your treated area to assist in the healing process.
- Patients may experience mild swelling, bruising and discomfort in the treated area.
- You’ll be given prescriptions to help you manage any discomfort or swelling.
- Compression garments or elastic bandages may also be used to help reduce these symptoms while the area heals.
- Patients can return to work and other regular activities as soon as they feel comfortable, which is usually within a few days.
- Exercise and other strenuous activities should be avoided for a few weeks.
The results of the liposuction procedure may not be visible until after swelling and bruising subside. This may take several months, and results will appear gradually throughout this time.
The body contouring results can be long-lasting for patients who maintain a healthy and active lifestyle. However, if substantial weight is gained after this procedure, the results will likely be altered.
Dr. Restifo’s Approach To Liposuction
Dr. Restifo takes the time during every pre-operative consultation to learn what each patient wants to achieve from liposuction, both for their bodies and for their self-confidence. By listening to what patients have to say and closely examining their contours rather than performing a one-size-fits-all procedure on every person, we provide patients with completely customized treatment that takes into account their specific goals.
Both men and women can benefit from this extremely effective fat reduction technique.
Dr. Restifo stays abreast of new liposuction technologies, including ultra-sound assisted liposuction and laser-assisted liposuction (such as Smartlipo® and Slimlipo®) and he will be honest about the efficacy of new procedures that you might see online or in magazines.
After an initial consultation, patients are fully equipped with the knowledge to make an informed decision about whether or not liposuction will achieve their ideal body contour.
