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There are several things any one opting for liposuction.

The surgeon of choice is the prime concern. The care of the patient before and after liposuction depends on the capability of the surgeon. Do a baseline check on the credibility of the surgeon. If possible, talk to any other patient who has had the procedure done with the surgeon.

Talk to the surgeon regarding your expectations. The success of the procedure depends on several factors like the age of the patient, the skin tone of the area under consideration etc. The surgeon would examine you and decide if you are the right candidate for the procedure. If you fulfill the requirements, you would be admitted for the procedure.

Watch a video on liposuction.

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It is a matter of consideration how much fat is removed from a particular area in one procedure. There is a minimum amount of fat requirement for the body, hence if more is removed, the patient may go in to shock.

Check this article on before and after liposuction for few photos.

There are chances of several complications as well. Some are minor, like bruising, swelling or tissue injury, and might resolve on its own within a period of days to months. But some complication might be as serious as internal organ injury during the movement of the canula and might need surgery for repair of the injured organ. This would involve prolonged hospital stay and may lead to other complications as well. There is also a probability of life threatening complication as anaphylactic reaction due to the fluids used in the procedure.

Your life would be safe before and after liposuction in the hands of an expert cosmetic surgeon, hence the choice should be an informed and wise one.

Who can opt for liposuction?

The ideal candidate for liposuction should be close to their ideal body weight (within 30%), has maintained this particular weight for more than six months, has fatty areas at specific body parts which has to be removed, has good skin tone and elasticity. Many people consider liposuction as a method of body sculpting if they have fat deposits in particular areas of their body, mainly abdomen and thighs.

Why is liposuction popular?

The increased success of liposuction in some people is being published as before and after the procedure photographs and people influenced by them are running after the perfectly sculpted body and chase all methods to attain it. The influence of the popular figures in entertainment with a size zero and the perfectly shaped models influence the common people and they go ahead following this dream without considering the possible complications.

Types of liposuction

There are two types of liposuction commonly used today. They are

1. Wet liposuction- in which a solution containing lidocaine (anasthetic), epinephrine( to aid in the contraction of the blood vessels and reduce bleeding) and saine solution ( to make the solution saline) is introduced to the area where the liposuction is to be performed. Following this, the fat cells are removed by means of suction.
2. Tumescent liposuction- in which a large amount of lidocaine, epinephrine and saline are introduced into the area where the procedure is to be performed and liposcution is performed. The benefits of tumescent liposuction are lesser time for recovery and smoother results. But the procedure takes a longer time than wet liposuction.
3. Laser assisted liposuction- which uses thermal energy to dissolve the fat cells.

Most commonly used mechanism of action of liposuction

1. Suction assisted liposuction- a canula is inserted through a small incision and fat cells are removed by attaching the canula to a suction device. The surgeon moves the canula around facilitating the removal of fat cells.
2. Ultrasonic liposuction- in this the canula used is special. It transmits ultrasound vibrations through the body, resulting in the liquefying of fat cells in the body. The liquefied fat cells are then easily removed with the help of suction. This takes much more time than the standard suction assisted liposuction, but is very effective and the complications are much lesser.

There are other mechanisms of liposuction, but these are the commonly used methods.

Are there any complications of liposuction?

Yes. As any other surgical procedure there are complications involved with liposuction as well.

The common adverse effects which may occur are

1. bruising, which may last from days to weeks.
2. swelling, also would subside with time.
3. scar, usually very small because of the small incision.
4. numbness to the area, would get better in some weeks.

There are some major complications associated with the procedure. They are

1. allergic reaction to the substances used.
2. infection
3. skin necrosis
4. injury to any internal organ.
5. thromboembolism or fat embolism
6. lidocaine toxicity

Any experienced surgeon would be careful to avoid the above mentioned complications.

Before and after the procedure:

Many people who have had the procedure done are happy with the results.

Before the procedure, be sure you are aware of the details of it. Have a talk with the cosmetic surgeon who would be able to guide you through the precautions and preparations before the procedure. For example, if you are on aspirin or any other anticoagulant, you might have to stop the medicine for some days before the procedure. Clear any doubts regarding the procedure before signing the consent.

After the procedure, there are some precautions to be followed. You might be required to have bed rest for some days. Intense exercise may not be allowed for some weeks. You might be required to wear an abdominal bandage or compression garment for some weeks after the procedure. The surgeon would guide you through the measures to follow.

If done correctly, liposuction is sure to give wonderful results, as can be seen in the before and after photographs. Please check the credibility of the surgeon before you decide.