Liposuction

Exercise and diet will make you healthy, muscular and lean. It does not always remove those stubborn LFD's (localized fat deposits). Every individual's fat distribution and body shape is genetically determined. What this means is that often no amount of diet and exercise will remove these stubborn fat deposits. Liposuction removes fat and fat cells thus sculpting the body and doing what diet and exercise alone cannot. Liposuction is one of the most common cosmetic procedures performed in the United States today. Liposuction does not replace or serve as a substitute for good diet and exercise.

Lipoplasty, commonly known as liposuction, is a common surgical procedure that removes deposits of excess fat from specific areas of the body, face or neck. Liposuction can be used to slim the hips, thighs, flatten the tummy, shape the calves and ankles or eliminate a double chin.

The best candidates for Liposuction are:

-Men and women of normal weight whom mainly want to improve their body shape and contours.

-People with fat deposits that are "trouble areas", where exercise and diet seem not to have any effect.

-People with good elasticity in their skin, so when the fat is removed, they will achieve a smooth appearance

The areas that liposuction can have the greatest effect on are the abdomen and waist area, arms, back, chin, neck, hips, buttocks, thigh, ankles, calves and inner knees.

Patients of any age can undergo the procedure, but those who have greater skin elasticity will achieve the smoothest end result.

Dr. Treece uses the tumescent technique in which the area to be suctioned is first injection with a solution of salt water, local anesthetic and a small amount of adrenaline which helps to reduce bleeding. Small incisions are made in the most inconspicuous part of the area to be suctioned. She then uses an instrument called the Microaire- it is a small wand that looks like it is perfectly still, yet if you touch it, you can feel that it is moving very slightly and very quickly, like micro vibrations. This instrument gently "vibrates" apart the fat cells to be suctioned, making the procedure less traumatic and less painful. This way of doing liposuction is more like playing a violin as opposed to using a jackhammer-if you have seen any of those rather frightening television spots featuring standard liposuction.

Liposuction is very common and thousands of patients have it each year with no complications. Dr. Treece will inform you that as long as the amount of suction is not too great, you should be able to avoid the possible complications of blood clots, skin injury, and fluid collections. If the skin has lost elasticity, which naturally occurs as we age, there could be loose skin.