If you’re reading this you have probably already tried many ways to lose weight including exercise, dieting, eating healthy foods, taking supplements and weight loss drugs. For many people these methods just don’t work and they still pile on the pounds.
Is there something else that you can do to help yourself that doesn’t involve radical surgery? Yes there is, and you’ve come to the right place. Liposuction may well be the answer to your problem.
Liposuction is a form of cosmetic surgery which can involve removing fat from a number of areas of your body. Common areas worked on include your midsection, butt, arms, thighs, but other places can also benefit from liposuction. Usually this procedure is considered as the last resort for removing fat deposits when other methods, including persistent exercise and dieting, have failed.
Liposuction is used to remove excess fat. It has the ability to shape various areas of your body. Keep in mind that liposuction is primarily a body sculpting procedure, not a weight loss procedure. Surgeons typically remove less than 10 pounds of fat in the overall procedure.
Removing fat with liposuction dates back to the mid 1920’s with the procedure’s appeal spiking during the early 1980’s. One method of liposuction, which used cannulas, was introduced by a French surgeon named Dr. Yves-Gerard Illouz. Cannulas are tubes and are used for fluid extraction for the body. Dr Illouz used high-powered suction. The procedure was successful as the results were favorable and very few serious side effects were experienced.
In recent decades, the procedures and techniques used have improved steadily. Nowadays the risks involved in having liposuction are fewer – there is less pain, less bleeding, and more fat is removed. Liposuction is the most commonly undertaken surgical procedure in the U.S.
Can Everyone Undergo Lipo?
You may be thinking that liposuction is a savior from a lifetime of obesity. It is not – it isn’t for everyone. There are some requirements that must be met before you can be considered for this procedure. You need to be at least 18-years old. You should be in excellent physical condition. Lastly, you need to have tried other weight loss methods and failed with them.
People with specific medical conditions, such as diabetes, heart problems and circulation problems are also not given this surgery.
How Does It Work?
Traditionally, liposuction is done by putting a cannula, or tube, in an incision under your skin. This cannula has a vacuum appliance on the other end of it. The plastic surgeon will continue to pull and push the tube through your body’s fat layers under your skin. This causes fat cells to break down and be extracted.
A more modern method involves the surgeon first injecting a small volume of liquid into the area that is to be treated before inserting the tube. The liquid has an anesthetic effects and contains epinephrine which lessen the bleeding. It contains saline solution, which transforms the fat to something similar to normal body fluids. The liquid loosens the fat and minimizes complications and bruising.
Some surgeons use a different technique called tumescent liposuction. This is known as swollen liposuction. It is similar to the method discussed above but involves injectin a larger volume of liquid into the treated area. The greater amount of liquid gives the surgeon a bigger surface area to remove fat. It also reduces bruising.
Side Effects And The Aftermath
There are side effects to liposuction. You may experience: localized swelling, bruising, pain, minimal scarring and numbness in the treated area. These side effects usually disappear in a few weeks.
There are risks that you should consider before committing to having this procedure, these include: allergic anesthetic reaction, infection, fluid imbalance, skin necrosis or death, damage to your internal organs, fluid imbalance and burns. If you are considering liposuction make sure that you fully understand any risks involved by talking with your surgeon before committing to the procedure.
