Liposuction

Liposuction removes fat from your body using suction. In this procedure, small, thin, blunt-tipped tubes (cannula) are inserted through small cuts in the skin. These tubes are moved under your skin to target fat deposits and then suction them out.

Dr Date uses the technique of tumescent liposculpture: One or more small incisions (less tha a centimetre)are made in the skin (in the natural skin creases), through which a fluid is injected into the fat compartments to loosen the fat. He inserts small, thin, blunt-tipped hollow tubes (cannula) through the small cuts in the skin, which are connected to a powerful pump. The fat is sucked away through these suction tubes. Your plastic surgeon moves these tubes under your skin to target fat deposits and then suction them out. There can be some technology assistance like Vaser, Laser, Water Jet or Power assist which may help the surgeon. However, NO TECHNOLOGY has shown to have better results than others. Rather, the result depends upon the training and skills of your plastic surgeon

The majority of liposuction patients go home the day of their procedure. Most can return to desk work after 5 to 10 days. It is recommended that liposuction patients wear a compression garment for a specified duration after their procedure for better results. Lymphatic drainage can also help speed your recovery. It is important to remember that everyone’s recovery will vary depending on an individual’s pain tolerance and healing response.

TYour surgeon will provide you with preoperative instructions, answer any questions you may have, take a detailed medical history, and perform a physical exam to determine your fitness for surgery.

In advance of your procedure, your surgeon will ask you to:

• Stop smoking before undergoing surgery to better promote healing.
• Avoid taking aspirin, certain anti-inflammatory drugs and some herbal medications that can cause increased bleeding.
• Regardless of the type of surgery to be performed, hydration is very important before and after surgery for safe recovery.
• If your surgeon recommends weight benchmarks or lifestyle changes, do your best to achieve them to ensure the best results and minimize the chance of complications.

Immediately after your liposuction surgery

• The incisions where the doctor inserted the cannula may be leaky or drain fluids for several days. In some cases, the doctor may insert a drainage tube to drain fluid away from the wound.

• You will wear special tight garments to keep your skin compressed. Your doctor will tell you how long to wear these.

• When the anaesthesia wears off, you may have some minor pain. If the pain is more, contact your physician. You will also have some redness and swelling after the surgery. In some cases, the swelling will remain for weeks or even months. Contact your surgeon to find out if your pain, redness and swelling is normal or a sign of a problem.

Recovery time frame after liposuction

• The first few days after surgery, you should rest. Elevate the affected body part if possible. Remember, you must not take aspirin or certain anti-inflammatory medications. You will most likely wear a postsurgical garment; if it is too tight, notify your surgeon.

• The first 48 hours after surgery, you will experience varying degrees of swelling and bruising. The swelling is maximal at 48 hours after surgery and mostly disappears within two to three weeks, but there may be slight residual swelling for up to four months. Bruising is normal and typically disappears within seven to ten days

• Sutures, if placed, are usually removed seven to ten days after liposuction.

• Do not smoke after your liposuction surgery to prevent coughing and bleeding. Do not drink alcohol for five days after surgery or while you are taking pain medication.

• Avoid straining, bending over and lifting during the early postoperative period. In many cases, you will be able to resume most of your normal activities within ten days or less.

• Discomfort after liposuction is generally limited to soreness rather than pain. Pain medications are prescribed to lessen any discomfort during the first few days.

Patients usually return to work within a few days following a liposuction procedure.

Long-term recovery

• Since the healing process is gradual, you should expect to wait at least several months to get an accurate picture of the results of your surgery. The small incisions used for access will fade over a number of months, usually becoming barely visible. For six to nine months, you may experience a fluctuating return of ten to fifteen percent swelling with exercise or excessive activity. It is important to see your doctor as scheduled. Follow-up visits will continue for several weeks and then after several months at prescribed intervals.

The results of liposuction surgery are technically permanent because fat cells have been removed. However, your body shape and contours might be affected by weight gain, ageing, pregnancy, family genes and lifestyle factors.

It is crucial to maintain healthy habits and a stable weight to maintain liposuction results. Following liposuction, if you continue to eat excess calories, fat will no longer be stored in the cells that have been removed, but the remaining cells in the same and other body areas will increase in size.

There is no way to predict where your body will store new fat. What's more, your surgeon will not remove all of the fat cells from your target area, so you could still increase the size of the remaining fat cells in that area.

Every procedure involves inherent risks. Although serious complications are extremely rare, Dr. Date educates every patient about potential risks.

Those risks can include scarring, the opening of the wound, discomfort for several days, bruising around the surgical sites, infection, bleeding, skin necrosis and general anaesthesia-related issues.