Liposuction Can Be A Alternative To Other Weight Loss Remedies

Who is a good candidate for Liposuction?

The best candidates for liposuction can described to be of average weight with firm, elastic skin and who have excess fat pockets in certain areas. You should be physically in good health, psychologically stable and realistic with your expectations. Your age is not a big consideration; however, older people may have diminished skin elasticity and may not get the same results as a younger person with tighter skin.

Liposuction carries greater risk for people who have medical problems such as diabetes, poor blood circulation, significant heart or lung disease, or those who have recently had surgery near the region to be contoured.
You are most likely NOT a good candidate for liposuction surgery if:

* You are overweight or obese and want to lose weight. Liposuction is an operation for shaping the body and is really not recommended for weight loss.

* You have a disease or are on prescription medicine that affects wound healing. These include current infection or prior medical history of bleeding, edema, emboli, thrombophlebitis, or if you are currently taking medication(s) that can affect your wound healing or blood clotting--such as aspirin, warfarin, heparin, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents, or other anticoagulants--or are taking medication that can interact with the medicine used during liposuction.

* Your skin elasticity is not sufficiently firm and elastic. Your doctor will determine the skin at the site where you will be considering liposuction to see if the skin is elastic enough to shrink after the liposuction procedure. If it is not, it will end up being baggy after liposuction.

* Cost can be an issue. Most medical insurance does not pay for cosmetic liposuction, and the cost for liposuction may be significant.

How is the procedure for Liposuction performed?

Liposuction is typically performed in an outpatient surgical place under a general anesthetic although a small area may be occasionally suctioned under a local anesthetic along with accompanying intravenous sedation. Small openings are made in cosmetically convenient skin folds if available.

The tumescent liposuction technique is relied on to minimize swelling, bruising, and post-operative pain. The tumescent technique uses large volumes of saline (physiologic salt solution) which contains dilute lidocaine (local anesthetic or "numbing" agent) in cooperation with epinephrine (adrenaline). Adrenaline temporarily constricts or closes the small blood vessels in the fatty areas in order to prevent bleeding. This also helps to inhibit and prevent post-operative bruising. In addition, dilute sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) mixed in the solution helps to minimize any further unpleasant stinging that is otherwise associated with the lidocaine and epinephrine.

After the tumescent is put into the area designated to remove fat, a narrow metal tube gets connected to a plastic hose and then to a cannula or aspirator machine, and then is passed back and forth within the area of excess fat. When the liposuction procedure is performed, the cannula is passed through the fat to create tunnels that look like Swiss-cheese. The fat cells are then removed from the bodyand, in addition, the motion of the cannula does some damage to the remaining fat and some of the other fibrous cells.

These remaining damaged cells can take weeks to be repaired or absorbed by the body, a fact that affects even some experienced surgeons. Failure to take this second fact into consideration has resulted in many cs of "over-suctioning," which causes large dents or scarred-down portions in the patient's skin. It must be understood that the lonly ayer of fat between the skin and the muscle underneath (the amount you can pinch before surgery) may be suctioned.

The tunnels that are created throughout the area of prior fatty excess fill with blood and body fluids and then create the bruising and swelling that are seen after the operation. The bruising usually subsides in one to two weeks, however, the swelling dissipates anytime from two weeks to three months which depends on the patient and the area treated.
What should a patient expect after surgery?

Depending on the amount of fat removed and the area of the surgery (doctor's office, hospital, surgical center ), you may leave the surgeon's office soon after the surgery or you can spend the night in the hospital or surgical center. Ask your doctor how long it will be before you could be able to return to your usual level of activity or if you will need to actually miss work after liposuction.

The incisions where the doctor inserted the cannula can be leaky or drain fluids for many days. In some cases, the surgeon may insert a drainage tube so the fluid will drain away from the wound.

You will wear especially tight garments to keep your skin tightened after the liposuction procedure. Your health professional will tell you how long to wear these garments, which usually lasts for weeks. Some doctors provide these garments and others will let you know where to buy them before your surgery.

When the anesthesia wears off, you could have some pain. If the pain is too extreme, or seems more uncomfortable that was advised by your doctor, you should contact your physician immediately.

Visit www.onlinesurgery.com to find a liposuction specialist. OnlineSurgery.com is a leading resource for cosmetic surgery information and resources.