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Home > Breast & Body Contouring > Body Contouring (Liposuction)
Body Contouring (Liposuction)
Over the past two decades body liposuction (also known as lipo-contouring, lipoplasty and lipo-sculpting or body
sculpturing) has become the most common and popular cosmetic
operation performed in the United States. In selected cases, the addition of
laser-assisted liposuction such as SmartlipoTM increases the number of patients who
can benefit
from liposuction.
Seattle & Bellevue's Expert Liposuction Surgeon
Having used power-assisted liposuction since 1998 with very
satisfying results, Dr. Zemplenyi, a cosmetic surgeon, now uses
even newer techniques of lipocontouring (liposculpting) such as
laser-assisted liposuction (Smartlipo MPXTM)
when additional tightening of the
overlying skin is desirable.
What is Liposuction?
Liposuction is a technique for removal of fatty deposits
through very small skin incisions. Liposuction is
especially effective for removal of localized, genetically
predetermined, fatty deposits that are particularly resistant to
dieting and exercise. Liposuction techniques yield quicker
and more predictable results than serial injections
of various fat dissolving substances known as mesotherapy.
Liposuction for Men and Women
In women, the most common areas for liposuction
(lipocontouring, fat removal) are the abdomen, hips and the
lower extremities. In men common areas are the "love
handles", the abdomen, and the breasts (gynecomastia --
reduction of the male breast). In women, liposuction may
also be used to reduce breast volume, thus avoiding long incisions, but
unlike a breast lift or breast reduction this approach does not
relocate the nipple/areolar complex into a higher position.
Is Liposuction an Alternative to Exercise and Weight
Loss?
Fat cells extracted by liposuction are permanently
removed and do not appear to recur in most patients. However, a stable
weight must be maintained following the surgery because weight
gain will cause enlargement (increase in volume) of the
remaining fat cells elsewhere. Liposuction is definitely not
an alternative to weight loss or exercise.
Pre-Liposuction/Body Contouring Consultation During your consultation for liposuction, Dr. Zemplenyi will
address your cosmetic concerns and will discuss whether
liposuction may be the right solution for you. He wishes you
to understand realistic goals, expectations and risks of
liposuction so that you are empowered to make an informed
decision about a custom tailored procedure that best fits your
individual needs. Liposuction is best employed as a
body contouring technique as opposed to a weight-loss
procedure.
Who is a Good Candidate for Liposuction?
The best candidates for liposuction are those people in good health with
localized deposits of fat. Liposuction also results in
contraction of the overlying skin envelope but this effect is
not fully predictable. The addition of dual wave length (Smartlipo
MPXTM) increases the amount of skin and soft
tissue contracture. Thus, some thinner patients with loose skin
and not much fatty tissue can achieve pleasing contracture
of the overlying skin. However, with excessive loose skin the contraction is not likely to be enough and
an excision of additional skin or skin/fat layer is required. An abdominoplasty ("tummy-tuck" or
"mini tummy-tuck") may be combined with liposuction in selected
patients and may be necessary to achieve the desired contour and
skin tightening.
Liposuction Surgery & Anesthesia
Our goal is to perform all surgeries safely without pain
or recollection of the procedure and with the least amount of
discomfort or anesthetic side-effects.
With patients' comfort and safety paramount, complete
monitoring is performed for all patients undergoing any
anesthetic. Since all levels of anesthesia are available in
our state-licensed and Medicare-certified surgical center we are able to tailor
the technique to patients' needs and preferences.
Modified Tumescent Lipoplasty
Since his training in liposuction in 1987 and as a result of his large experience
over years with this procedure, Dr. Zemplenyi prefers lipoplasty (liposuction) using
a modified
tumescent technique along with power-assisted
liposuction, usually administered under sedation anesthesia
(twilight sleep) for ultimate patient comfort. The
tumescent technique provides enough numbing for the area so that
liposuction can be performed solely under local anesthesia with
mild sedation achieved with oral sedative medications. However,
at the Bel-Red Center for Aesthetic Cosmetic Plastic Surgery we
find that most patients, if given a choice, prefer to undergo
sedation (twilight sleep) anesthesia especially when several
body areas are to be contoured. In this manner, patients are
very comfortable during the operation and have no recollection
of the procedure. Yet, at completion of surgery
patients are comfortable and ready for discharge home, usually
within one hour. They must be accompanied by a responsible adult.
Tumescent Liposuction: A Prudent Approach
Using a prudent approach, Dr. Zemplenyi limits the amount of
fat extracted in one session. Our lipoplasty
technique consists of infiltration of a large volume of very
dilute local anesthetic solution into the areas to be contoured. The fatty layer thus becomes inflated and firm
(tumescent). The solution contains lidocaine to provide
numbing and epinephrine to constrict blood vessels. With this
technique of liposuction, minimal bleeding and bruising are
usually encountered. Special oscillating, metal
suction tubes (cannulas) of various sizes are inserted into the
fatty layer through small skin incisions placed to be
hidden once healing occurs. The cannulas, attached to a vacuum
pump, remove fat as they are passed back and forth into the
fatty tissues. The fatty layer becomes very noticeably reduced
in volume and multiple small tunnels are formed. SmartlipoTM delivered through a special fiber is used to heat up the
overlying skin and to produce increased tissue contracture. With
liposuction the overlying skin contracts and contours over the
remaining fatty layer by collapse and contraction of
the tunnels created in the fatty layer. An improved body
contour with a normal look and feel of skin is achieved,
although minor amounts of skin rippling may persist. A
compressive garment is applied at the end of the procedure.
After Your Lipoplasty/Body Lipocontouring
Following liposuction patients are encouraged to walk the
night of surgery with most patients able to return to work
within two to four days and resume some exercise in about two
weeks. In order to promote contouring of the sculpted areas,
patients wear a compressive garment continuously during the
first one to two weeks and then at night for the subsequent
two weeks. The small incisions are closed with absorbable
sutures and drainage of fluid from these incisions usually
ceases in about two days. The amount of discomfort is moderate
depending on the areas that have been contoured. Many patients
take some of the prescribed narcotic medications for the first several
days while others resort to Tylenol or anti-inflammatory
medications such as Ibuprofen. Patients are seen for a check-up
in about one week. Massage, ultrasound and smoothing of
the suctioned areas with rollers may be helpful in some patients.
The final cosmetic result is not achieved for three to four
months until resolution of small areas of swelling and of residual
contour irregularities.
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