Is Liposuction Right for Me?
When dieting and exercise just aren’t achieving the desired body contour, liposuction offers a tremendous adjunct to enhance your physique. After completing puberty, the number of fat cells in our body remains fairly constant. When we consume more calories than our body needs for maintenance functioning, our body stores the extra-consumed calories in the way of fat within our existing fat cells. When we loose weight, we are consuming less calories in our diet, and burning off more calories through increased exercise, so our body turns to the fat cells to burn reserve calories. Thus we shrink our fat cells and loose weight and inches. Sometimes, despite how much we diet and exercise, mother nature can use a little nudge in the right direction. In summary, anyone with excessive amounts of subcutaneous fat that is resistant to diet and exercise could be considered a candidate for liposuction.
There are multiple ways in which liposuction can be performed. Liposuction, first performed in this country in 1978, utilizes a ‘cannula’ through which unwanted fat is aspirated. The ‘insulation layer’ of fat lying between the underlying muscle and overlying skin is removed by repetitively working the cannula through this tissue and permanently removing the fat cells from the body. By using this technique, the tissue can be contoured and sculpted to achieve the desired results in proportion with other areas of the body. A “wet” technique is used which involves injection of tumescent fluid into the treatment area to enhance the amount of fat removed with greater comfort and less blood loss and bruising. Ultrasonic liposuction, which uses a special cannula system, is used in certain instances to remove more fibrous fat.
A compression garment is worn for a three to six week period following surgery to assist the overlying skin in retracting and re-adhering to the contours off the underlying muscle. Common areas of treatment are under the chin, abdomen, posterior hips, inner and outer thighs and inner knees.
Am I a Good Candidate for Liposuction?
Liposuction is only recommended for patients who are near normal weight and desire to lose the last bit of fat that cannot be eliminated through diet and exercise alone. Liposuction is not supported for a way to lose a large amount of weight quickly. Patients must be within a healthy weight to undergo surgery for their own safety. During a consultation, Dr Zimmerman will advise you on whether you are a good candidate for liposuction.
What Should I Know About Liposuction?
The fat removal with liposuction is permanent, and does not come back with time. However, weight gain will occur if one consumes excess calories with limited exercise. Weight will accumulate to a greater degree in areas of the body not treated with liposuction where the remaining fat cells are stored. Thus good eating habits and exercise remain essential following liposuction. Liposuction can achieve the results of months of exercise and dieting in only hours, to obtain the figure often hoped for.
Most patients see an improvement shortly after surgery, but the body will still be swollen for some time. Generally the best results are noted up to 3 months after the procedure when the body has fully healed and all swelling has been alleviated.
How Long Will I Need to Recover?
With the latest advancements in medical technology, the recovery time for this procedure has been greatly diminished to a few rest days at home. Most patients return to work within a week. Depending on the amount and area in which the fat was removed dictates how long your recovery time will be. After Dr Zimmerman gives the okay to no longer wear the compression garment, gentle exercise can be resumed.