How Liposuction Works

Liposuction is an invasive surgical procedure that removes fat cells which have been stored in an area of the body to reveal a more slender and toned physique. While it is not a treatment for obesity, the results will help to enhance the progress that has been made through a healthy diet and exercise by taking away the final stubborn areas of fat that are not easy to target through this method alone. If you have been wondering how this process works before taking the plunge you can check out this article on how liposuction works.

The Types of Liposuction

Before you try and understand how this procedure works, you should be aware that there are various types of liposuction and they all have slightly different methods for carrying out the procedure. Consider factors such as your general pain tolerance, the amount of fat you would like to have removed, the amount of money that you would like to spend, and whether you want skin tissue tightening as an addition to the liposuction. Once you have decided on these factors, you will be better able to understand which type of liposuction is for you. 

Suction-Assisted Liposuction

One of the oldest and most used kinds of liposuction is suction-assisted, where a number of tiny incisions are made around the targeted area and a hollow needle, called a cannula, is inserted to suck out fat cells. This is the most basic form of liposuction and shows excellent results. However, the recovery time can take quite a while, and often up to three months. It can also take even longer than that and sometimes up to six months for the shape of your body to finalize, which can be frustrating if you were hoping to get fast results.

Tumescent Liposuction

The process of tumescent liposuction is very much the same as suction-assisted liposuction, but there is a larger amount of anesthetic fluid injected into the targeted area to make the tissues swollen or ‘tumescent’ and the fat easier to identify and remove. Once the anesthesia has been administered, the fat can be removed much more easily than if the cells weren’t swollen, making the whole procedure quicker and more precise. This is considered one of the best methods of liposuction, especially when conducted by a skilled surgeon, but expect to have a delay in seeing results, like with suction-assisted liposuction. On the positive side, however, there is less likely to be bruising and bleeding and the recovery time from the procedure is much shorter.

Ultrasound-Assisted Liposuction

Ultrasound uses high-frequency sound waves which can be used to dissolve and turn fat cells into a liquid, making them easier to remove by creating high amounts of energy in targeted areas. This procedure is best used to target areas of fat that are tougher, such as in the male chest or on the back since the patient might need several procedures of traditional liposuction to get the same effect. Using this technique comes with some risks since a larger incision needs to be made to accommodate the ultrasound device and therefore, there are increased risks of burning and nerve damage. Nevertheless, many people believe this to the best method for their fat reduction and it will often produce less bleeding and bruising in the skin.

Laser-Assisted Liposuction

This is a similar procedure to ultrasound liposuction, except a laser is used to break down the fat rather than sound waves. A local or general anesthetic is injected to manage the pain and epinephrine is injected into the area to control bleeding before a cannula with a laser probe is inserted in the skin. This probe is inserted in various locations around the targeted area to remove fat cells, which have the consistency of oil from being broken down by the laser and any of this liquified fat not removed by suction will be absorbed by the body. Only about a month is needed to recover from this procedure since smaller incisions are needed to accommodate the laser, which means you can heal quickly without a scar. 

SmartLipo

This is a type of laser-assisted liposuction, but the lasers used are different from traditional models since they use two frequencies, one for dissolving the fat and another to tighten tissues in the skin to have a more sculpted result. This method requires much less recovery time than any other laser on the market because it is the most precise. However, there are still risks of burning and blistering due to the high temperatures encountered by the laser. 

Each liposuction method has its own advantages and disadvantages, but in every case, liposuction is conducted by being put under either a local or general anesthetic before incisions are made, and fat cells are drawn out through suction. All methods are best conducted by a very skilled surgeon who will take the time to explain every option thoroughly before deciding on the best method to achieve the desired result.