Liposuction is where we try to reduce the volume of fat. We do this by physically removing
the fat cells. So the procedure, which can be either a local anaesthetic or mainly a
general anaesthetic, is where we make an incision in the skin, a very small incision, and we
insert a cannula, which is a hollow metal tube, which is attached to a suction device.
And then by gently moving back and forwards the tube sucks out the fat cells thereby reducing
the volume. And then following the surgery, you’re reliant on the skin shrinking down
to reshape and recontour the body.
Liposuction is to reduce the volume of fat. There are two kind of main things, one is
to remove a specific area of fat, say a lump sticking out, or asymmetry. And the other
is a more generalised reduction in the volume. So for a very small area, or a specific area,
liposuction does extremely well to even out and to gain symmetry. We do use it for a general
reduction in volume, but our advice as a medic would be to first of all try and use diet
and exercise to reduce your weight naturally. But for some people this proves difficult
and liposuction can certainly help with that.
The people most suited to liposuction tend to be the people who are younger and also
people who have specific areas, or contour problems which they are concerned with, or
asymmetry. The younger patients tend to do better because the surgery is not just the
surgery, its reliant on the skin shrinking afterwards once the volume of fat has been
removed. So people who are younger do better from that point of view. And from a cosmetic
point of view, if there’s like a lump you can very easily remove that lump and the results
are very good. From generalised removal of fat, the results are very good also, but you
can sometimes get some slight contour abnormalities.
Fairly large volumes of body fat can be removed, but with the increase in volume then patients
can potentially run into problems or complications. For me, in my practice, I would probably limit
it to about three litres of fat because it is a cosmetic procedure and as well as trying
to get a good cosmetic result, one of my, my primary concern is not to give a patient
a complication or problems afterwards. So I would have a limit on how much I would do
it.
The results are immediate but fairly soon, during and after the surgery there is swelling
and bruising and the patient will be put into a compression garment straightaway so they
will be covered up. But yes the volume of tissue has been removed, but I would say it
takes up to six to eight weeks to get the final result and during that time, the patient
wears a garment. And the function of the garment is comfort and also to reduce swelling but
also to help the skin shrinking back afterwards. There are scars, so a cannula is actually
inside the body sucking the fat out too, making small incisions, we try to place these into
skin creases in order to hide them. But they are permanent. But scars in general, may start
off a little red and lumpy but over 12 or 18 months in most people, the scars will settle
and they will become softer, flatter and paler.
There are reasons not to have liposuction as with any cosmetic procedure. First of all
we would take a history from the patient of their medical potential problems, examine
the patient. Our priority is safety for patients so we want to make sure that they don’t
run into complications. And so if that is the case, we would maybe not recommend surgery.
An example would be patients taking blood thinners, so they made bleed afterwards, potentially
having a complication. Patients who do well are patients who have good elastic skin so
if it is an elderly patient or someone who has lost a lot of weight, their skin tone
may not be as good as in younger patients. They may not get as good as result because
their skin can be droopy afterwards and we might recommend excisional surgery for them.