Liposuction: A Brief Lowdown

Liposuction, which also goes by the names of suction lipectomy, lipoplasty and fat modeling, is a cosmetic surgery procedure that is meant to sculpt specific areas of the human body that contain unnecessary fat deposits. Liposuction is not a type of surgery that is meant to treat obesity. During a fat modeling procedure a plastic surgeon will remove localized deposits of fat from the body that are stubborn and that are resistant to exercise and eating a sensible and healthy diet.

The most common areas on the body where fat develops are also the most common areas where lipoplasty is routinely performed. These areas comprise the areas that most people complain about the most. They include the abdomen, the buttocks, the hips and the knees. The surgical operation is also often performed on the upper arms, the knees, the chin, the cheeks and the neck.

Liposuction can be performed on a patient as a single operation although it is often done in conjunction with other cosmetic procedures. Examples of these include an abdominoplasty (tummy tuck), a lower body lift, a facelift or a neck lift with platysmaplasty. This type of cosmetic procedure is the most popular and most routinely done of all forms of cosmetic surgery. In the year 2005 more than 400,000 were performed.

Over the past 15 years new advances to liposuction operations have given rise to the creation of more modern and sophisticated techniques that have made this procedure safer and even more sought after by both female and male patients. These new techniques include tumescent lipoplasty, the super-wet technique and ultrasound-assisted lipoplasty (UAL). These fat-reduction operations offer more options to patients and to surgeons alike. They have made it possible for the targeted areas to be met with more precise results. They have also made it such that recovery and recuperation periods are shorter and less painful.

Although liposuction is a reasonably safe operation that can give rise to many body contouring results, it is essential for all potential patients to be informed that it is meant to be cosmetic in nature and is intended to improve the shape and appearance of the body. It is by no means a type of bariatric surgery that is meant for obese individuals. It is not an appropriate treatment for severe or morbid obesity.

For those who need to lose a considerable amount of weight, bariatric surgery, and not lipoplasty, is the recommended option for surgery. Lipo as it is sometimes shortened to, is not a quick fix for carrying too much weight on your body. It is not meant to replace taking care of yourself by eating properly and following an exercise regimen.

The person who makes a suitable candidate for a lipoplasty is an individual who is physically and mentally healthy and whose weight falls within the normal and healthy range. The surgery tends to yield more successful results for those who have skin that has a sufficient amount of elasticity. In other words, skin that will bounce back into its original shape and position relatively easily. Non-smokers also make better candidates than smokers, as they tend to heal more quickly and with fewer complications.