Liposuction is a cosmetic surgery procedure that involves the removal of excess stubborn superficial fat, aimed at improving body form. Liposuction is not a magical weight-loss treatment; instead, it is a surgical procedure that reshapes selected areas of the body by removing excess fat deposits. Liposuction is commonly used to target areas of stubborn fat that do not respond to a stringent diet and exercise regime.
During the Liposuction procedure a liposuction cannula (small tube-like instrument) is inserted into the region of interest via a small incision (approx. 5mm in length). The cannula is attached to a suction device that is operated by the surgeon to break up the fat cells. The dislodged fat is then suctioned out of the body. Before completing the liposuction, the remaining fat is then treated in a manner to help smoothen out the treated area. The number of small skin incisions required to complete the liposuction will depend on how many areas of fat reduction is being performed.
Your initial consultation with Dr Eddy Dona is the first step. Dr Dona will evaluate numerous factors that are required for the optimal surgical treatment plan that will meet your specific requirements. At the end of your consultation with Dr Dona, the staff will then provide you with a total price for your surgical procedure.
The ideal candidate for Liposuction is someone who has been unsuccessful in losing their stubborn areas of fat through a diet and exercise regime, and who is currently maintaining a healthy diet and lifestyle. In addition, skin quality and other factors will also determine if liposuction is the best approach in achieving your aesthetic goals.
The results from Liposuction surgery are lasting, however, you will need to be consistent in leading a healthy lifestyle with regular exercise and a well-balanced diet to maintain your results.
Liposuction is performed in a Private Hospital setting under general anaesthesia.
Liposuction can be performed on any part of the body that has excess fatty tissue. However, some parts of the body are better suited for it. These include:
One of the determining factors of an ideal area to perform liposuction is the quality of the overlying skin. The skin needs to be thick, with good tone and no stretch marks to minimise the chance of developing overlying skin dimpling and irregularity after liposuction.
Dr Dona performs Liposuction as a primary and secondary procedure. Primary procedure means that it is the main procedure being performed. When performed as a secondary procedure, liposuction is performed in conjunction with other procedures such as an Abdominoplasty (Tummy Tuck).
Liposuction is also commonly used to remove fat and transfer it to another rea of the body, such as the buttocks, which is known as a Bilateral Buttock Lipo-Augmentation (BBL). Liposuction can also be used to remove fat and transfer it to the breasts, to provide mildly enhanced breasts.
Liposuction may be incorporated into the traditional Tummy Tuck procedure, to help with shaping. This is something Dr Dona would often perform at the end of the tummy tuck to provide further definition if required and if considered suitable to do so.
Both Liposuction and Tummy Tuck (Abdominoplasty) surgery are performed to achieve specific outcomes regarding your body’s appearance.
The primary purpose of liposuction is to remove excess fatty tissue – it does not remove excess skin. Furthermore, removing the excess fat can result in some looseness in the skin.
The primary purpose of a Tummy Tuck is to remove excess skin, with the associated fatty tissue.
Therefore, liposuction is not a substitute for a tummy tuck procedure.
The recovery process after Liposuction is largely influenced by the areas of the body in which liposuction was performed. Dr Dona will advise you on your specific recovery process during your initial consultation.
After the procedure it is normal to experience some pain, swelling and bruising around the treated area. You will be required to wear a compression garment for about six weeks, which will assist in reducing the swelling and fluid accumulation in the treated area.
It is not uncommon for the liposuction incision sites to leak blood-stained fluid for the first couple of days,
The incisions made to remove fat during liposuction are usually less than 5mm wide, meaning that most incision scars after liposuction appear as small dots that will fade over the next 6 – 12 months until they are barely noticeable. Of course, some people can experience darker, more noticeable scarring.
More information on general potential complications can be found on our site. LEARN MORE
Whenever someone is having an anaesthetic, no matter what it’s for, then things can potentially go wrong. That is why no surgery should be considered “minor”. Of course, whilst the chances of the following potential problems occurring are extremely small, you still need to know about then:
All these potential problems are standard for any operation, although some operations and some patients have an increased risk of developing them.
Other specific potential complications may include:
Asymmetry– Differences between the right and left sides or unevenness of the skin.
Swelling– Swelling after surgery is normal. However, in some cases, the swelling may take several months to resolve.
Loss of Sensation– You may experience a loss of sensation in the areas that have been treated, and whilst some of this may return, often times it will be permanent.
Dimpling, skin irregularity, lumpiness
Damage to deeper structures – including lungs and abdominal organs.
Chest problems – pneumothorax; pneumonia; fat embolus
Damage to deeper nerves and muscle
Scars – May appear to be worse during the first six months of healing. Unfortunately, hypertrophic or even keloid scar formation.
Circulation– Circulation may be poor in some areas of the skin in the surgical area. This may lead to a loss of skin and a wound that needs to be dressed until healed. These wounds may require further surgery until fully healed.
Skin discolouration
Seromas– A seroma is where fluid builds up under the wound. If this occurs, it may need to be drained with a needle.
Further surgery – Fine Tuning – It’s not uncommon for any large body contouring surgery patient to require further surgery to “fine tune” the results.