Also known as lipoplasty, lipectomy or lipo, it is a surgical procedure to shape the body by removing fat from specific areas. However, it’s not a weight loss surgery and is considered for aesthetic purposes. It’s a popular cosmetic surgery that improves the shapes or contours of the body.
It’s only suggested for people who cannot lose fat through traditional methods and want to do it immediately. In liposuction, the doctor breaks the fat pockets around the thighs, hips, abdomen, and neck to remove them surgically. However, it has serious risks, so it’s important to talk to an expert before considering liposuction.
To be a candidate for the surgery, the patient has to be in good health. If they have health conditions, such as restricted blood flow, coronary disease, diabetes or a weak immune system, it could mean serious complications during the surgery. In addition to fat removal, liposuction can also treat gynecomastia and lipodystrophy syndrome.
For the surgery, the doctor sedates the patient with local or general anaesthesia. Then the doctor makes several tiny incisions to insert a cannula to loosen the fat. Once it’s loose, the doctor uses a surgical vacuum or syringe to remove the fat. For the procedure, the doctor can employ various liposuction techniques:
Tumescent liposuction: In this technique, the doctor uses a saline solution to reduce the fat.
Ultrasound-assisted liposuction: In this procedure, the cannula uses ultrasound to break down the fat.
Laser-assisted liposuction: In this procedure, a small tube is inserted through the cannula, which heats and removes the fat easily.
VASER technique: The Vibration Amplification of Sound Energy at Resonance procedure implements ultrasound waves to break the stubborn fat.