Benefits and Risks of Liposuction Procedure

In the United States the most often performed cosmetic surgery is liposuction. Over three hundred liposuction procedures were made last year. Nevertheless cosmetic surgeons point out that procedure is effective in removing body fat in healthy people, but definitely shouldn’t be used as a substitute to exercise and diet.

The Liposuction procedure consists of taking out pockets of fat by inserting a hollow steel tube beneath the skin’s surface. Powerful vacuüm attached to the steel tube then remove the fat from localized areas. During the surgery patient may be under the sedation or general anesthetics. It is advisable to carefully consider risks and benefits of the procedure for the patient.

Overweight people should understand that liposuction is not panacea. This procedure is well advised for hips, abdomen, buttocks and other fat-prone areas as means of shaping the body. As stated by the American Association of Plastic Surgeons, liposuction is advisable on, “Normal-weight people with firm, elastic skin who have pockets of excess fat in certain areas.” Cosmetic surgeon should outline potential risks for those who are overweight, and the results they wished more likely will not come. It is necessary to understand that the Liposuction is definitely not a weight loss instrument and the patients should expect realistic changes in their appearance.

Liposuction effectiveness is main factor to consider by patient. Another is the risk and the cost of the procedure. Those are important matter of “surgical judgment”. And the right surgical judgment comes from the years of training and experience. When choosing a surgeon patient should consider experience of a particular doctor very carefully. There are some indicators of good surgical judgment you can expect from the good doctor:

– American Board of Plastic Surgeons member

– Medical school degree

– Three to five years of residency

The Liposuction surgery itself could be performed in the surgeon’s office, in hospitals or on an outpatient basis for reasons of cost and convenience. Larger liposuction procedure and surgeries that include other special procedures, usually performed in a hospital, to make sure proper observation and recovery. After procedure, the excess fluid may take weeks to drain out. Antibiotics and pain killers are prescribed during that period. Patient recovery may take from several days to several months.The risk certainly involved with liposuction as with any type of surgery. Patients should be aware of the possible consequences like scarring, infections, drug reactions, shock, and asymmetry. Patients with a heart disease or diabetes history need to pay special attention to their medical conditions and discuss it thoroughly with the cosmetic surgeon.