Liposuction
Liposuction is considered a body contouring procedure that can help slim and reshape specific areas of your body, giving you a more proportionate shape. In many cases, liposuction is paired with other cosmetic procedures, including facelifts, breast reductions, and tummy tucks.
At The Vu Center in Portland, our goal is to help you feel healthy, happy, and confident in your own skin. We offer a variety of plastic and cosmetic procedures to help you fix problem areas and achieve your desired look. Regardless of the procedure you’re interested in, you can rest assured that our board-certified plastic surgeons will provide you with the very best care. Explore the procedures we offer, and give us a call to schedule a consultation!
Who Is a Good Candidate for Liposuction?
During a liposuction procedure, the surgeon will remove fat deposits, resulting in a more appealing shape. While this procedure may sound like the perfect solution, it’s important to note that liposuction is not a treatment for obesity and should not be used to replace proper diet and exercise.
Liposuction can be an effective way to eliminate excess fat from all over your body, including:
- Hips and buttocks
- Inner knee
- Thighs
- Abdomen and waist
- Upper arms
- Chest area
- Back
- Calves and ankles
- Cheeks, chin, and neck
Because liposuction is a highly individualized procedure, we recommend that candidates opt into this procedure for themselves and not to meet someone else’s desires or fit the ideal body image. We also want to note that each person receiving liposuction is different. Therefore, it’s important that each candidate goes into the procedure with realistic expectations of the results — not every candidate will look the same after the procedure is complete. In addition to these two concerns, an ideal candidate is also:
- An adult within 30% of their ideal weight
- Has elastic skin and good muscle tone
- Healthy
- Nonsmoker
Preparing for Surgery
Prior to your liposuction procedure, you will be required to schedule a consultation with one of the surgeons at The Vu Center. During your consultation, we will explain the procedure step by step, as well as provide you with some time to ask any questions you may have regarding your surgery. Depending on your vision for the results, the surgeon may make some recommendations or provide you with some options to consider, such as additional procedures to include or the type of sedation you will receive.
Following the consultation, our surgeon will help you schedule your surgery and provide you with a list of pre-op instructions. It’s vital that you follow these instructions, as they could help reduce the risk for complications either during surgery or during your recovery.
Procedure Steps
Because liposuction is such a straightforward procedure, there aren’t many steps involved. Once you arrive at the location where your surgery will be performed, you will receive medications that will help make you more comfortable during the procedure. Depending on what you and your surgeon discussed during the consultation, you will either be sedated using local anesthesia, intravenous sedation, or general anesthesia.
Once you are sedated, the surgeon will make a small, inconspicuous incision near the area where you will receive the liposuction. After making the incision, the surgeon will use diluted local anesthesia to help reduce bleeding and trauma to the area. They will then insert a thin, hollow tube into the incision. During the procedure, the tube is moved back and forth to help loosen excess fat, which is then suctioned out of the body using a surgical vacuum or syringe attached to the tube. Once all of the excess fat is suctioned out of the body, the surgeon will suture the incision.
Results and Recovery
Most people experience swelling and fluid retention following their liposuction procedure, making it difficult to see the final results. However, once the swelling subsides, you should be able to see the results of your procedure within a few days.
Your surgeon may use compression garments or elastic bandages on the treatment areas to help control swelling and compress the skin to your new body contours. Additionally, there may be small, temporary drains in place to help eliminate any excess blood or fluid. Prior to leaving the surgical facility after your procedure, your surgeon will provide you with detailed post-op instructions. These instructions will contain more information about your recovery and what you can expect in the days following your procedure. If you have any questions, be sure to ask your surgeon before you leave. If questions arise later, you can always contact The Vu Center and speak to a member of our friendly staff.
Schedule a Liposuction Appointment!
Considering liposuction? At The Vu Center, our talented, board-certified plastic surgeons have years of experience performing various plastic and cosmetic procedures, including liposuction. If you or someone you know is considering liposuction, contact our Portland plastic surgery clinic to schedule a consultation today!