Advanced liposuction procedures
Thanks to major advances in techniques and instruments, it's not your mother's liposuction anymore. Today's procedure to remove unwanted body fat is a big improvement over liposuction surgeries of the past. In the last decade, significant strides in how liposuction using local tumescent anesthesia is performed have made it one of the safest, most effective body contouring treatments currently available.
According to dermatologic surgeons, a revolutionary breakthrough was the development of the tumescent technique for local anesthesia - a less traumatic, gentler approach to removing localized pockets of excess fat. In liposuction with local tumescent anesthesia, large volumes of a solution are injected directly into the areas of excessive fatty deposits. The diluted solution contains a local anesthetic and tiny doses of adrenaline to shrink capillaries and minimize blood loss.
By filling the fatty layer with fluid, the fat cells become swollen and firm. This permits the skin surgery specialist to use smaller diameter cannulas (hollow tubes) to more easily penetrate and move beneath the surface of the skin. This, in turn, allows for the removal of both deep and superficial fat more efficiently with less discomfort, smaller incisions and improved cosmetic results.
Liposuction with tumescent local anesthesia offers the advantages of fewer skin irregularities, less bleeding, reduced bruising and a speedy recovery. It is also designed to be performed in an outpatient surgical facility with the patient awake throughout the procedure. Additionally, potential complications from liposuction using general anesthesia in a hospital setting can be completely avoided.
According to study results recently published in the journal Dermatologic Surgery, the risks associated with liposuction can usually be traced back to the use of multiple forms of anesthesia, combined drug effects and complex, large-volume liposuction procedures typically performed in a hospital setting.
Another notable advance in liposuction surgery is the use of "powered" liposuction instruments, which provide a more refined, natural sculpting. One example is a mechanical cannula that removes fat tissue by a rapid reciprocating motion. This powerful back and forth motion allows experts to sculpt excess fat in areas which were traditionally difficult to suction using manual techniques, such as the inner thighs, breasts and around the belly button.
"It was a day at the beach!" claimed Patricia G., who underwent power liposuction on her ankles, hips, buttocks, knees and abdomen in her dermatologic surgeon's office. "I've had dental work that caused me more anxiety," she added. "Two days after the procedure, I was riding my bike. Three weeks after the procedure, all the bruising was gone, and I didn't even have bruising in some places!"
When considering a liposuction procedure, the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery (ASDS) suggests the following:
- Check that the physician is a board-certified dermatologist and member of the ASDS.
- Ask how many liposuction cases he or she has performed.
- Confirm that the procedure will be performed using local tumescent anesthesia in an office setting.
- Avoid liposuction procedures that extract a large amount of fat or are combined with other surgeries or other types of anesthesia and sedation.
For more information on liposuction and to locate a qualified dermatologic surgeon in your area, log onto www.aboutskinsurgery.org or call the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery at 1-800-441-2737.
