Liposuction 101

Preparing for Liposuction

Your surgeon will give you a list of instructions on what to do and what not to do in the days before you undergo liposuction. This may include guidelines on eating and drinking. He or she will also discuss the importance of quitting smoking at least 30 days before liposuction. Smoking greatly increases the risks of any surgery, and liposuction is no exception.

Certain medications, such as aspirin and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, may promote bleeding and should be discontinued before surgery. Your surgeon will advise you on which medications you should stop taking before liposuction. Never stop taking prescribed medications without first talking with your surgeon and with the doctor who prescribed them.

What to Expect After Liposuction

The suctioned areas will be swollen and uncomfortable for several days after liposuction. In some cases, the small incisions are left open temporarily so that fluids and residual fatty deposits can empty through an inserted drain. Your surgeon may prescribe an antibiotic to reduce the risk of infection.

Usually the treatment area is wrapped with elastic bandage. Support hosiery or a girdle may be worn over this, to help compress tissue and control swelling and bruising. Your surgeon may want you to wear the bandage and/or garment for several days or weeks.

It is recommended for you to move soon after surgery, as this will decrease the risk of blood clots that can occur from long periods of being sedentary. You will be allowed to return to work or your normal activities in a few days. Some patients can return sooner, especially if conservative amounts of fat were removed. Strenuous activity, however, is a no-no for at least three weeks.

Be patient. The final results may not be evident for up to six months, but they are permanent (assuming that your weight remains stable). Depending on how gently the procedure was performed, you may see some preliminary results as early as one week.

Liposuction Risks

All surgeries have risks, and liposuction is no exception. They include:

• Infection
• Fluid imbalance. A lot of liquid exists in fat tissue, which is removed during liposuction. What’s more, especially during tumescent liposuction, your surgeon may inject large amounts of fluids during liposuction. This can result in a fluid imbalance, which can lead to heart problems, excess fluid collecting in the lungs or kidney problems as your kidneys try to maintain fluid balance.
• Shock
• Blood clots in the lung (pulmonary emboli)
• Hematoma (a collection of blood in the areas suctioned)
• Temporary numbness or discoloration in the treated area
• Asymmetry, dimpling, wrinkling, unevenness and surface irregularities over the treated area
• Perforation wounds in surrounding tissue or organs
• Anesthesia reactions
• Swelling
• Burns (from ultrasound-assisted and laser-assisted liposuction)
• Death

These risks are higher in people with underlying medical conditions such as heart or lung disease, poor circulation or diabetes. In addition, individuals who have recently had another surgery in the same area where they want liposuction are at higher risk for complications. These factors should all be addressed during your initial consultation with a plastic surgeon.

To ensure maximum safety, consult a board-certified plastic surgeon who has extensive experience with liposuction, including in the area you wish to have treated.

Advantages of Liposuction

Liposuction’s advantages include:

• It’s permanent.
• In competent hands, it has an extremely high safety record.
• Scars are small and inconspicuous.