Body Sculpting is also known as Liposuction, which is also known as lipoplasty (“fat modeling”) or suction lipectomy (“suction-assisted fat removal”) and is a cosmetic surgery operation, which removes fat from many different sites on the human body. Areas affected can range from the abdomen, thighs, buttocks, neck, arms and elsewhere. The fat is usually removed via a cannula and aspirator. Liposuction is routine cosmetic surgery performed by many plastic surgeons all over the world, and it is also the most popular cosmetic plastic surgery procedure in the United States.
Liposuction is not a low-effort alternative to exercise and diet. It is a form of body contouring and not a weight loss method. Liposuction is a method of body sculpting, body contouring or “spot-reduction” involving removal of excess, unsightly fat from specific areas of the body. Liposuction can be done in abdomen, hips, buttocks, back, thighs, knees, calves, ankles, upper arms, jowls, cheeks and neck.
These localized fat deposits can sometimes be inherited and typically do not respond that well to dieting and/or exercise. Liposuction is often the only way one can improve them. Liposuction can either be done alone or with other cosmetic plastic surgery procedures such as a breast reduction or tummy tuck (abdominoplasty). In addition, liposuction (body sculpting) can be performed on several areas of one’s body all at once.
How Many People Undergo Liposuction?
According to statistics compiled by the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS), Liposuction (body sculpting) was the number one cosmetic surgery procedure performed on men and women in 2007,
How Liposuction Is Performed?
1/ Marking your territory. Using a magic marker, your cosmetic plastic surgeon will literally mark the areas of your body where he or she will remove the unwanted body fat. Such markings before surgery help your plastic surgeon plan the forthcoming liposuction procedure.
2/ Anesthesia awareness. Liposuction (body sculpting) is typically performed under general anesthesia, but in some cases local anesthesia can be used for people. Some other options include intravenous sedation or an epidural block. This type of decision involves both the patient and the trusted cosmetic surgeon. It must be taken into account how much time the surgery will take to perform, as well what part of the body the liposuction (body sculpting) will be performed and how much fat will be removed from the patients body.
3/ Wetting solution savvy. Wetting solutions are infused into the area of the body before any fat is removed. The fluid contains saline (salt water) and epinephrine (this constricts blood vessels to minimize any blood loss in the aspirate) and a local anesthetic. The reason that many plastic surgeons use a wetting solution is to help minimize any blood loss and increase the safety of the liposuction surgery. Various types of wetting solutions are used in liposuction. The main difference among them is the amount of fluid that is used.
4/ Fat removal. There are many different ways to vacuum out the fat during liposuction (body scuplting).
* Traditional suction-assisted liposuction, which involves inserting a cannula (a long, thin tube) through a tiny incision to vacuum out the person’s fat cells. The plastic surgeon moves the cannula back and forth through the fat layer to break up and suction out the excess fat.
* Ultrasound-assisted liposuction is when the plastic surgeon inserts a special cannula through small “access” incision. The cannula then emits sound waves to help break up the body fat, presumably making it easier to vacuum all out. Vaser-assisted liposuction is the cutting-edge, third-generation version of ultrasound liposuction technology, where the cannula used for Vaser-assisted liposuction emits gentler sound waves to break up and then remove the body fat of the patient. These do not disturb blood vessels, nerves and connective tissue, which may often result in less bruising, swelling and pain than traditional suction-assisted liposuction.
* Power-assisted liposuction uses a motorized cannula to break up fatty tissue to be vacuumed out. It is inserted through the same tiny incisions made by the cosmetic plastic surgeon.
* Laser-assisted liposuction involves a small incision and the insertion of a laser fiber probe that produces a burst of energy to liquefy the fat before it is removed from the body. Proponents of this say that laser-assisted liposuction (body sculpting) is the best and also tightens the skin. However, some detractors say it adds nothing to the results of liposuction except for expense and for making the procedure more cumbersome for both the patient and cosmetic plastic surgeon.
* Body-jet liposuction uses a thin, fan-shaped jet that pulsates water. Your plastic surgeon will lossen fat cells from connective tissue, while simultaneously vacuuming them out. This technique is sometimes referred to as water-jet assisted liposuction or water-assisted liposuction. While some other body sculpting techniques destroy or break apart the fat cells before suctioning them out of the patient’s body, the new water-assisted technique may loosen the fat cells first. As a result, water-assisted liposuction may be less traumatic than traditional liposuction methods. There also tends to be a shorter recovery time if the technique is proven to be gentler for the person. Body-Jet liposuction does not use as much fluid as tumescent liposuction, as the fluid is infused while the procedure is being performed on the person, not beforehand as it is with other types of body sculpting liposuction. The water is then immediately sucked back out of the body with the fat; which may make easier for the plastic surgeon to determine if any other areas of the body need additional suctioning. Water-assisted liposuction flushes out the body fat instead of destroying it, as this offers an opportunity to harvest the body fat in order to transfer it to other parts of the body where it may be needed to restore plumpness. Water-assisted liposuction may be performed under a local anesthesic, but general anesthesia will most often be needed for larger areas of body fat removal.
If you are interested in exploring body sculpting liposuction, we suggest you click on one or more of the links below to connect with a qualified cosmetic plastic surgeon about your situation in more detail…
