Liposuction (Lipoplasty) – Surgery & Risks

Liposuction is an invasive surgical procedure and may involve rare but serious risks, including death. The better informed you are about the procedure and associated risks, the easier it will be to make the right decision about liposuction to achieve your desired results.

Are You a Good Candidate for Liposuction?

To find out if you are a good candidate for liposuction, you should consult a board-certified plastic surgeon. Be prepared to discuss your reasons for considering liposuction, medical history, medications you are taking, and any habits you have that may be hazardous to your health (e.g. smoking). Your answers will aid the surgeon in making an accurate decision as to whether lipoplasty is right for you. Learn more about liposuction on the ASAPS website.

YourPlasticSurgeryGuide.com provides further detailed information on whether or not you may be a good candidate for fat removal procedures. Furthermore you can learn about the areas of the body that can be improved due to liposuction and what limitations of liposuction you may encounter.

If you have any questions regarding lipoplasty, address these issues with your doctor at your consultation. You can also review a list of critical questions you need to ask during your initial consultation. You could be surprised to find that your plastic surgeon will tell you that liposuction is not the most effective surgical procedure for you. He or she may suggest a tummy tuck (abdominoplasty) as the most appropriate choice instead.

View sample liposuction before and after pics to obtain a better idea of potential liposuction results for different kinds of patients. When reviewing the pictures, it is best to look for the results for patients who are similar in age, weight and body shape as yourself. Remember: Individual liposuction results vary.

It is important that you consult with and are operated on by a qualified surgeon. The success of your surgery may depend on your surgeon's qualifications and surgical experience. Learn how to evaluate and chose a plastic surgeon that best fits your needs by reviewing important guidelines.

After the consultation, consider all information at hand, weigh your risks and take your time to make the right decision about liposuction. Read through the FDA's Liposuction Surgery Checklist to finalize your thoughts on the surgery.

If your doctor tells you that lipoplasty is not for you, there are other options which you can review that include several liposuction alternatives.

What Are the Liposuction Techniques and Procedures?

If you have done any sort of research on lipoplasty, you may be overwhelmed and confused by the numerous types of liposuction techniques and procedures that are available. After your consultation, your plastic surgeon will decide which procedure and/or technique will produce the best results based on your individual goals and health limitations.

Educate yourself about traditional liposuction, and other options, such tumescent liposuction, power-assisted liposuction, super-wet liposuction and ultrasonic-assisted liposuction.

Consider all of your options by learning more about a controversial alternative to liposuction and other fat removal procedures known as lipo-dissolve (mesotherapy). The procedure has been used in Europe since 1952 and is not currently available in the United States. During lipo-dissolve procedure, special substances are injected in the body; over time, these chemical agents work to dissolve the fat deposits. One of the major concerns regarding this method is the lack of knowledge as for what happens to the dissolved fatty tissue. Depending on whether the body fully eliminates the dissolved fatty substances or stores it in certain organs, long-term complications of lipo-dissolve might include kidney and liver damage, cardiovascular symptoms, brain injury and, in cases of pregnant women, abnormal newborn weight, a relatively common birth defect.

How Can You Prepare for Liposuction?

Your plastic surgeon will help you to effectively prepare for liposuction based on your individual medical history, habits and other essential factors by giving you the necessary information. You should further educate yourself about what to expect the day of surgery.

Where Will Your Liposuction Be Performed?

In most cases, liposuction is performed as an outpatient procedure in a plastic surgeon's office-based or surgical facility. Be aware that both must meet certain surgical facility set forth by the American Association for Accreditation of Ambulatory Surgical Facilities, Inc. (AAASF). To verify that your plastic surgeon's office or facility is properly accredited, visit the AAAASF website.

To become acquainted with the safety of outpatient plastic surgery facilities, read "What You Should Know About the Safety of Outpatient Plastic Surgery," and learn when an overnight stay at the hospital may be required.

What Should You Know About Anesthesia for Liposuction?

Depending on the scope of the procedure and your preferences, lipoplasty may require, local regional (e.g. epidural block) or general anesthesia. You and your doctor should discuss all available liposuction anesthesia options and decide on the choice that is the most appropriate for you.

Learn about different types of anesthesia available to you and how anesthesia may affect you from Mayo Clinic's Anesthesia: Options and Considerations. For the tumescent procedure, the injected fluid that dissolves fat also contains anesthetic, and therefore additional anesthesia may be unnecessary. Furthermore, you should educate yourself about the difference between office-based anesthesia and surgery.

Find out more about the necessity of a preoperative interview with your anesthesiologist and learn about your anesthesiologist's qualifications.

What Happens During Liposuction?

Learn what to expect during the liposuction procedure and how long the procedure may last. Educate yourself about the differences between the tumescent and non-tumescent procedure, and watch a three-dimensional animation of the tumescent procedure.

Make yourself aware of the areas of the body that are less responsive to liposuction and can present potential challenges during the procedure. Furthermore, know that lipoplasty in conjunction with other cosmetic surgery procedures, such as breast augmentation or a facelift, is also common. Sometimes, after liposuction, the shape of the middle part of the body changes and patients opt for a butt lift to enhance the hips, bottom and waist.

There are other procedures women pursue in addition to the treatments mentioned above to help improve their self confidence and body image. An increasingly popular procedure is labiaplasty, which is pursued by women who experience physical and/or sexual discomfort in their intimate areas.

What Are the Risks and Potential Complications?

Liposuction is generally considered to be a safe procedure. However, liposuction is an invasive surgery and carries certain risks. As a result, even the most experienced plastic surgeon cannot guarantee a successful and healthy outcome to a carefully screened liposuction patient.

Liposuction may result in serious complications, including small scars, burns (as a result of ultrasonic-assisted lipoplasty or UAL) or even death. It is important to understand all of the risks associated with lipoplasty surgery.

Another risk associated with liposuction is the use of general anesthesia. The American Society of Dermatologic Surgery advises plastic surgery patients to opt for local anesthesia during cosmetic procedures, if possible.

Learn more about the risk of dying due to liposuction, as reported in New England Journal of Medicine in 1999. Carefully consider all liposuction risks and complications and discuss them with your plastic surgeon prior to the procedure.

Other Plastic Surgery Procedures

Are you looking for other plastic surgery procedures? Check out other credible sites related to tummy tuck cost and facelift surgeons.