Are you considering liposuction surgery to get rid of stubborn fat? Well you’re not alone. There were close to 250,000 liposuction procedures performed in the U.S. as recently as last year. And because exercise and diet are sometimes not enough to give you the results you’re looking for, alternatives like liposuction can make the difference between satisfaction and frustration with how you look and feel about yourself.
Did You Know…
Liposuction surgeries have a long history of helping people achieve a better physical appearance. Liposuction has evolved into a cosmetic procedure with a number of treatment variations, but at its most basic, it is a procedure known as SAL (Suction Assisted Liposuction) that uses a vacuum to suck fat from underneath your skin. As the vacuum is eliminating the fat, your skilled, certified plastic surgeon is also able to use instruments to shape and contour your body.
But you should also know that liposuction surgery should be a final step in your weight loss process and not the first choice you make. Liposuction can be performed almost anywhere on your body where there’s excess fat. In women, the most common sights are the belly, thighs, buttocks, and hips, which are the areas most likely to retain excess fat and develop cellulite with even the most proper of diets or most comprehensive of exercise routines.
Do You Know…
Technological innovations have changed the way fat is removed in liposuction procedures, and expanded the choices that New York plastic surgeons have to make the procedure less invasive and, in some instances, to even take a non-surgical route.
Here are some choices for liposuction procedures that you might be considering.
Laser Liposuction
Using lasers to perform cosmetic surgery has been a growing and highly popular trend in the beauty industry as well as in the plastic surgery field. Laser liposuction utilizes the heat and energy that’s provided by a laser that reduces fat by melting it away. If your fat is melted before removal, it becomes easier to remove by gentler and less invasive ways. But keep in mind that the key to having a successful laser liposuction procedure is to have a board-certified plastic surgeon.
Choosing a laser option for your procedure will allow you to have it performed on-site in the comfort of a top New York plastic surgeon’s state-of-the-art facility using only local anesthesia. A traditional liposuction treatment is also able to use local anesthesia, so you don’t have to worry about making your choice based on that issue.
If you’re going to undergo a laser liposuction procedure, there’s still a risk that some burning or other thermal impairment could occur, so be sure to do your research to understand everything you can about your choice.
Vaser
Vaser is a brand also known as Ultrasound Assisted Liposuction, which breaks down fat using ultrasound energy with a vacuum to remove it. An incision is made in the area or areas that you’re having treated, and then the ultrasound technology is placed inside to make direct contact with the fat.
The primary benefits that are promoted include the reduction of swelling, bruising, and minimized loss of blood. Vaser has also had claims made in favor of the approach that say that it is a more efficient means to get rid of fat in that the surgery is a smoother and less complicated form of liposuction. Its simplicity enables fat to be eliminated to places that have previously proved challenging, such as the flanks (love handles) and the back.
There is one thing to keep in mind about undergoing a Vaser liposuction. The incision made to break down the fat needs to be larger than the typical incision for a liposuction to accommodate the larger size of the ultrasound device, which might increase scarring.
Power Assisted Liposuction
This method of liposuction is more ideal for patients who are carrying a large amount of fat. Your plastic surgeon may prefer this form of treatment to make the removal of excess fat go faster, and to complete a larger procedure in one session.
Power Assisted Liposuction follows a similar process as the traditional Suction Assisted Liposuction. The tube that’s inserted into the fat, the cannula, breaks down the excess fat through vibration, which breaks it down faster. And the results pose no major difference between each process. However, if you don’t need to liposuction a large area that contains a lot of fat, there’s no need to choose this method over traditional liposuction.
High Definition Liposuction
A more in-depth procedure that helps to define and chisel bodily muscles that are hiding beneath fat is HDL. This liposuction procedure focuses mainly on the torso and abdominal muscles. First, fat needs to be eliminated by traditional liposuction. After that, the cannula is inserted into specified places that your skilled plastic surgeon will know that by removing the excessive amount of fat, it will give the muscles added definition. To achieve a defined look such as a six pack, fat is grafted to muscles.
The HDL procedure is a layered process, which means that the surgery as well as the recovery time will take longer.
The CoolSculpting Alternative to Liposuction
If it turns out that liposuction isn’t the right procedure for you, Coolsculpting is a non-surgical treatment to help you achieve your desired look. It’s one of the more popular body contouring procedures that offers fat minimizing and reduction without committing to a surgical procedure.
If you have pockets of localized fat and good skin elasticity, you might be a good candidate for CoolSculpting. Some patients might benefit more from surgical liposuction, but Aristocrat’s plastic surgeon, Dr. Tehrani will advise you of the best treatment during your consultation and examination. And he will always suggest the least invasive procedure for you that will provide you with the results you want. But like liposuction, CoolSculpting is not a weight loss procedure.
The process of CoolSculpting involves cold energy that’s targeted at reducing fat cells, but not removing them completely. CoolSculpting is a procedure that’s FDA-cleared to treat visible fat bulges that appear under the chin, jawline, thighs, abdomen, flanks, and bra fat, back fat, and areas underneath the buttocks and upper arm.
How Do You Know If You’re A Candidate for Liposuction
You have to make the determination if having liposuction is right for you, starting with consulting a board certified plastic surgeon in New York City, like Dr. Tehrani. If you’ve been determined to be a good candidate or that you have a higher risk for compilations from the surgery, your doctor will share that with you in your consultation and help you plan accordingly. Complications could arise based on a current or prior medical condition or history.
Your plastic surgeon will also want to confirm that you don’t smoke or have any illnesses that are life-threatening or serious. Even injuries must be taken seriously. You should also be within almost 30% of your ideal weight after you’ve done everything you can to lose it through exercise and diet. If you’re not in that range, your surgeon could postpone any procedure until you reach it.
Now That You Know…
Contact top New York Plastic Surgeon Dr. Kevin Tehrani at Aristocrat Plastic Surgery & MedAesthetics. Dr. Tehrani has performed countless successful liposuction procedures on his patients. Every procedure is highly customized for you based on your anatomy and how you wish to look. He will evaluate you carefully and devise a surgical plan that uses the technology of liposuction to recontour your face or body.