Liposuction: What to Expect

In my previous post, I introduced the most common reasons someone may consider liposuction. Let’s say you’ve determined this is a procedure you want to pursue…what does getting liposuction really mean?

The Procedure

Liposuction can be done either with a local anesthetic or a general anesthetic, under which you are totally asleep. The method of anesthesia depends on a few factors: the amount of liposuction being performed, the number and location of areas being suctioned, and the preference of the doctor performing it. Both methods, in the right hands, are safe and effective.

On the day of your surgery, your doctor will probably draw con-centric circles around the areas where you want to have liposuction, before you are placed under anesthesia. Then the liposuction will be performed through tiny, linear incisions of less than half a centimeter—one for each of the areas where you’re undergoing the liposuction. The incisions are so tiny that you can barely see
them after a few months, in most cases. Before suctioning the fat, the doctor will first inject a fluid mixture called tumescent solution, which is a combination of saline, Epinephrine, and Lidocaine. The Epinephrine in this solution decreases bleeding during the procedure, the Lidocaine numbs the area and provides pain relief after the surgery, and the saline makes the fat more amenable to suction, making the procedure easier for the surgeon and less damaging to the body.

After an appropriate amount of tumescent solution is injected, a cannula is connected to a suction machine to suction the fat out. The physician carefully moves the cannula back and forth to contour the area that is being suctioned.

There are a couple of additional tools that can be used during liposuction today. The ultrasonic cannula uses ultrasonic waves to heat and melt the fat before it is suctioned, making it easier to withdraw, and, some say, less painful. The other tool is a laser cannula, which is used to melt the fat before removal with suction. Using these additional tools makes the withdrawal of fat less traumatic so you heal quickly and have less bruising. Your doctor will decide which of these tools should be used depending on the area being worked and his own personal preference.
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Learn more about what to expect by getting your copy of, “Making the Cut” available for purchase on Amazon.

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