Though summer is officially six weeks away, most people are probably already looking forward to it (especially if you live in a place whose winter was exhibit A for global warming deniers). Along with the thought of summer come thoughts of shedding winter clothes and maybe even wondering if you need a new bathing suit. Maybe you do. However, before you throw down the money to buy one, you might want to try on your old one first. As you stand before the mirror, you might see just where all those Christmas cookies and all that eggnog went. Or you may find out that your workout regimen to prepare you for summer hasn’t quite taken care of all those areas around your midsection you thought it might. And, finally, you may see a few other places on your body that you have no intention of showing anyone this summer. So, with some sadness, you put your bathing suit away and decide that money you were going to spend on a new suit might as well go to something else reserved for the shut-in you’ve decided to become. Because no one wants to see the whale you feel you’ve become.
Maybe you should turn that painbow into a rainbow. One of the options you still have is liposuction.
Liposuction, also known as liposculpture, is the removal of fat tissue through small incisions approximately one-fifth to one-third of an inch in length. A thin metal tube or cannula is attached to a vacuum which literally sucks the fat from your body. It happens to also be one of the most common cosmetic surgical procedures performed. Furthermore, once the fat cells have been sucked from your body, they are gone forever. One note on this: overeating and lack of exercise can add to your weight even after liposuction.
We have certain areas on our body where the fat collects and is not easily eliminated, even with exercise. As a result, the areas where liposuction works best is on the knees, hips, buttocks, outer thighs, lower abdomen, waist and flanks (love handles), male breasts (gynecomastia), and upper legs. It also can be performed on the face and neck in conjunction with a facelift.
Types of Liposuction
Liposuction procedures have come a long way since their inception. Rather than simply sticking a tube in you and sucking out the fat, as you’ve most likely been led to believe, there are also tumescent liposuction and ultrasonic liposuction.
Tumescent liposuction involves injecting fluid into the area to be suctioned. This increases the space between the muscle and the fat where it becomes firm and swollen (tumescent). This allows the cosmetic surgeon easier access and produces smoother results.
Ultrasonic liposuction, or ultrasound-assisted liposuction (UAL), is like tumescent liposuction, but the cannula used transmits ultrasonic vibrations. These vibrations break down the walls of the fat cells and liquefy the fat. This makes it easier to suction out.
Risks
Just as with any kind of surgery, liposuction carries a small amount of risk. Some of the risks include rippling or loose skin, clots, uneven contouring, scarring, numbness, infection, and more. Discuss these risks with your cosmetic surgeon before you go through with the procedure.
If you would like to know more about how liposuction can make you bathing suit worthy, please contact an experienced cosmetic surgeon in your area.
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