The problem of localized body fat is an ancient fact. Although in the past, the civilizations of our ancestors often gave a different value to aesthetics (both male and female), and that often this value is not comparable with those we have now in our current society, localized fat is almost always considered, in the West, an aesthetic minus.
Body dysmorphia due to non-proportionality and non-homogeneity of adipose tissue, especially in the female population, is a problem that affects many more women than one might imagine. In addition to cases of pure aesthetic charm (and, as such, without functional complications), there are situations of accumulation of fat defined as pathological, in which emotional discomforts are also related to real physical problems.
This is the case, for example, of patients suffering from lipedema and from the disproportionate accumulation of fat, especially in the lower part of the legs. Until a few decades ago, Medicine had no weapons to combat these situations.
The advent of liposuction, also called liposuction, has changed the cards on the table, finally allowing situations of great discomfort to be treated with certain and lasting results. If you, too, as a woman, have a problem with lipoedema or localized adiposity that is now impossible to get rid of with diet or the gym, continue reading this page to find out everything about liposuction.
WHAT IS LIPOSUCTION?
Liposuction is a safe surgery that was born in the 70s and has been perfected over the years, being safer, less invasive, and more precise for the patient.
It is one of the most requested surgeries in the world and can be performed on almost all types of patients, both women, and men.
This intervention serves to redesign the body shape, which tends to change over the years; it is not an intervention that serves to lose weight or eliminate the problem of cellulite but rather to remodel the body by eliminating localized fat mass.
If liposuction is performed by the hand of a good professional, perfect results can be achieved.
To carry out this treatment, great technical ability and a lot of experience are required since it is the only aesthetic intervention that is performed without making cuts; in fact, small holes will be made, and cannulas of three to four millimeters will be used to aspirate the fatty area.
WHY RESORT TO LIPOSUCTION?
Liposuction is not an alternative to lifestyle improvements but rather a way of treating areas resistant to diet and exercise where adipose (fat-rich) cells are accumulated in excessive amounts.
The amount of fat removed depends on the appearance of the area and the number of fat cells, which can affect:
• thighs
• buttocks
• flanks
• chest
• back
• abdomen
• upper arm
• neck and chin.
Since after liposuction, the skin has to adjust to the body’s new contours, people with toned and elastic skin are the best candidates for this type of surgery. If the skin is thin and lacks elasticity, the skin in the treated areas may feel loose.
The changes you make are long-lasting as long as the weight stays stable.
In some cases, liposuction surgery can be used to improve sexual function by reducing abnormal fat deposits on the inner thighs and making vaginal access easier.
Note, however, that liposuction:
• does not improve cellulite blemishes or other skin surface irregularities,
• does not remove stretch marks,
• does not replace a correct lifestyle (diet and exercise),
• does not remove excess skin (for which a tummy tuck is necessary).
LIPOSUCTION SURGERY (VARIOUS STAGES)
Liposuction is performed in the operating room and can be performed under general anesthesia or under, spinal or epidural anesthesia, or even under local anesthesia with conscious sedation (the patient maintains a state of relative consciousness, even though she is suitably sedated with intravenous drugs by the anesthesiologist ).
Depending on the area to be treated and the total volume removed, the liposuction process will be carried out in a day-hospital setting or with an overnight stay.
The operation basically consists of removing excess adipose tissue obtained through a cannula connected to a suction device (suction pump or large syringe).
The cannula is introduced into the fat located under the skin through small incisions (2-3 mm) made near the area to be corrected; then, it is pushed through the fat until it reaches the affected area.
Here, the excess fat is crushed and simultaneously aspirated with appropriate movements of the same cannula.
Along with the fat, a variable amount of fluids is also lost, and it is therefore important, especially for more extensive liposuctions, that these fluids are replaced intravenously during and/or after the procedure.
During aspiration, along with the crushing of fat, a number of blood vessels also rupture. These allow a certain amount of blood to spread in the surrounding tissues, which explains the bruising that can occur after the operation.
These bruises will reabsorb in about 15 days.
The time required to perform liposuction can vary considerably, up to three to four hours, depending on the area, the amount of fat removed, the type of anesthesia, and the technique used.
At the end of the operation, the small incisions are closed with stitches or skin patches. The patient is made to wear an elastic girdle to close the aforementioned blood vessels and limit postoperative edema (swelling).
This sheath will usually have to be worn for at least a month.
POSTOPERATIVE TREATMENT
The patient usually needs to rest in bed until the day following the operation for liposuction recovery, after which he/she can progressively start performing light activities.
Even a small amount of serum leaking through the skin incisions is normal. It is also normal, although the new methods already described can reduce these problems, widespread pain, burning, swelling, and loss of sensation for several days after the operation.
Sometimes, the loss of sensation persists for several weeks.
The patient will also have to wear a compression garment continuously for about a month.
About 15 days after the operation, the patient will have to massage the operated area in order to eliminate any slight irregularities in the treated area, which could form as the cicatricial process progresses.
The small scars that remain after this surgery fade over time, but are permanent, though often nearly invisible.
In the first few weeks, the scars often appear to worsen, becoming redder and more evident.
It is necessary to wait 9-12 months for the scars to mature definitively, flattening and becoming whitish.
RESULTS
About four weeks after the procedure, when most of the swelling has subsided, the area where the fat was removed should look less bulky. Within six months, your body should look much slimmer and more pleasing.
If you keep your weight stable, the results of the liposuction Stomach surgery can be permanent, but if you put on a few pounds after liposuction, the distribution of fat can change. For example, if the stomach and hips have had surgery, the thighs or buttocks may later become problem areas.
DANGERS
As with any surgery, liposuction also carries risks, such as
• bleeding,
• infections,
• unwanted reaction to anesthesia;
The risk is proportionally related to the scope of the procedure; if the surgeon is working on large surfaces of the body or if he also performs other procedures in the course of the same operation, the risk of complications increases. Your doctor may guide you about the liposuction side effect you may face.
The minor annoyances that can follow the intervention are:
• numbness and tingling in the treated area, which generally tends to disappear in about two months,
• inflammation of the treated area,
• production of exudate where the cannula is inserted,
• ankle swelling (when legs or the ankles themselves are treated).
• More serious problems may involve:
• excessive bleeding,
• thromboembolism,
• infection,
• allergic reaction to anesthesia,
• skin color changes,
• pulmonary edema,
• damage to nerves or internal organs in the immediate vicinity of the treated area.
These possible occurrences shouldn’t scare you; relying on surgeons and structures of proven reliability, the risks are now minimal, but it is correct to be aware of them when evaluating the risk/benefit ratio of the choice.
Finally, let us remember the possibility of obtaining a result that does not live up to expectations; for example, the skin could appear irregular, wrinkled, or chapped; the risk of encountering this imperfection increases if the skin is already initially not very elastic. Or there is the possibility of a not perfectly symmetrical removal of fat or the possible appearance of scars.
CONTRAINDICATIONS
Patients undergoing surgery must be in good health, and any cardiovascular risk factors may become a contraindication to proceeding:
• coronary heart disease,
• atherosclerosis,
• diabetes,
• high blood pressure,
• drug allergy,
• lung disorders,
• Smoking, alcohol, and use of substances of abuse.
LIPOSUCTION COSTS
The liposuction cost varies greatly according to the area of the body in which to intervene and the clinic chosen for the operation, such as Facial liposuction, abdomen, arms, legs and thighs, buttocks, ankles, calves, breast, back, etc.
DIET AFTER LIPOSUCTION
One of the most common misconceptions about liposuction is that you can maintain results without making a lifestyle change; the reality is diametrically opposite; maintaining results requires making some lifestyle changes.
As a general rule, a correct and balanced diet provides for new weight gain, as well as protection against metabolic and cardiovascular diseases; the diet must be based on abundant quantities of vegetables, fruit, and whole grains, as well as proteins from lean sources (white meat, fish, legumes, etc.).
The consumption of frequent small meals during the day will allow avoiding the feeling of hunger and the decrease in energy that are often associated with diets based on 2-3 more abundant meals; it is advisable to consume large quantities of water.