Liposuction Questions

Can you have liposuction anywhere on the body?
Pretty much anywhere there's a pooling of fatty tissue liposuction can be done. Typical locations are the abdomen, thighs, buttocks, upper arms, chin, and back. The decision would of course be made by your cosmetic surgeon in collaboration with you.

How long do the results of liposuction last?
They last forever in the sense that those particular fat cells will not grow back. But their neighbors could expand if you overeat. Weight gain is a matter of enlarging the fat cells by storing more and more fat in them, rather than of growing new fat cells. The number of fat cells each of us has is mostly determined during early childhood. If you stay with a sensible diet and exercise program, your liposuction results will be permanent.

What is tumescent liposuction?
It's a method of doing liposuction where the area to be treated is first injected with a fairly large amount of saline solution. There is then a waiting period while the fluid breaks down the fat cells, emulsifying the fatty tissue. This makes it liquid and easier to remove. The saline solution contains lidocaine, an anesthetic, to limit any discomfort. Tumescent means swollen.

What is ultrasonic liposuction?
It's a way of improving on the traditional liposuction method developed in the late 1980s. Ultrasound is sound that we cannot hear because it's higher than our hearing range, just as ultraviolet is a color we can't see. Sound is a type of vibration. Ultrasonic liposuction uses a cannula that vibrates in response to ultrasound. This helps to break up the fatty tissue, making it easier to remove. It can be done along with tumescent liposuction.

Is liposuction safe?
Yes, as long as you choose a fully qualified and experienced surgeon to do it. The best cosmetic surgeons will screen their patients carefully so as not to perform a procedure on a poor candidate. One of the big issues with liposuction is how to remove the fatty tissue as easily as possible without also removing an undue amount of blood or lymph. That is why the saline solution injected at the start of the procedure contains epinephrine (adrenaline) to seal off blood vessels.

The best surgeons also use the most recent equipment. The instruments used internally in the early years of liposuction had a tendency to overheat and burn. The most recent cannulas are water-cooled and the best are made of titanium which stands up well to the continual vibration of the ultrasound.

Am I a good candidate for liposuction?
You could well be, if you are concerned by excess fat on some areas of your body. Liposuction is only done after general weight loss is finished and certain areas remain that are stubbornly holding on to fat. You would also need to:

• Be over age 18
• Be within 30% of your ideal weight
• Have good muscle tone and firm, elastic skin
• Be a non-smoker
• Have no auto-immune disease or any condition that would impair your healing ability
• Have a realistic expectation and a specific goal for your liposuction procedure

Please contact us if you would like to arrange for an initial consultation. Our offices serve the entire Chicago area.