Liposuction
Liposuction in Surrey, B.C.
Liposuction involves suctioning out stubborn, excess fat deposits through a small tube. Removing those unwanted lumps and bumps that resist diet and exercise provides you a sleeker silhouette. Common areas for liposuction in women are the neck, upper arms, hips, buttocks, abdomen, and thighs. In men, it’s often used on the chest, abdomen, or flanks (“love handles”).
Our Vancouver & Fraser Valley service areas include Surrey, Langley, Abbotsford, Chilliwack, Coquitlam, Port Moody, Port Coquitlam, Pitt Meadows and Mission, BC.
What It Can Do for You
Liposuction generally requires that your skin has some resiliency and can tighten after surgery. In cases where there’s also a lot of loose skin, liposuction may need to be combined with other procedures such as abdominoplasty, breast reduction, gynecomastia correction, or facelift.
Benefits of Liposuction
- Eliminates stubborn fat deposits that resist diet and exercise
- Improves body shape and contour
- Removes drooping age related fat (e.g. neck fat)
- Improves the fit of clothes
- Can be combined with other procedures to maximize overall results
Good Candidates
The best candidates are men or women who have:
- Are at a healthy, stable body weight
- Have good skin quality that can tighten-up after surgery
- Have stubborn pockets of fat that are resistant to diet and exercise
Liposuction is not a substitute for proper diet and exercise and a significant fluctuation in weight after surgery can reduce the benefits of the surgery. If you are planning further weight loss or plan to have children in the near future, it’s best to wait to have liposuction. In cases where there’s also a lot of loose skin, liposuction may need to be combined with other procedures such as abdominoplasty, breast reduction, gynecomastia correction, or facelift. You must also be emotionally mature, understand your motivations for having this procedure, and have realistic expectations about what the surgery can achieve. You should have no major medical problems and ideally you should not smoke as nonsmokers heal faster and have fewer risks of any surgery.
What to Expect on Your First Visit
During your initial consultation with the Plastic Surgery Group at City Centre, your plastic surgeon will discuss with you your areas of concern and the results you want from liposuction. After a careful examination, your plastic surgeon will advise you on what procedure(s) will lead to results that best fit your expectations. If you have a lot of hanging or loose skin, this may include other procedures in addition to liposuction.
Liposuction at a Glance
General anesthetic for large areas or local anesthetic for a small area (e.g. neck)
Day surgery time 30 min - 4 hours
Recovery room up to 2 hours
May resume simple activities within a couple of days
Return to work 1 week - 1 month
Procedure
The surgery is done under general anesthetic and is performed as a day-care surgery, which means you can go home the same day. The length of surgery depends on the extent of liposuction to be performed. The procedure is done through incisions less than a centimeter in length and scars are often hidden in natural skin creases (e.g. groin). The two most common techniques are suction-assisted liposuction and ultrasound-assisted liposuction. The decision for which is done often depends on surgeon preference and the extent of the liposuction.
Types of Liposuction
Suction-Assisted Liposuction
In suction-assisted liposuction, a special fluid solution (tumescent fluid) is first injected or infiltrated into the fat. This fluid helps to liquefy the fat cells so they can be more easily suctioned out with a small cannula (tube). The fluid also helps to decrease bruising after surgery and has a local anesthetic in it to minimize discomfort. Following the tumescent fluid injection, the liquefied fat is suction out with a small tube (similar to a straw) attached to a vacuum.
Ultrasound-Assisted Liposuction
In ultrasound-assisted liposuction, a specialized cannula or tube is inserted that emits ultrasonic vibrations which break up the fat cells. These are then suctioned out. There are many new techniques and technologies claiming to have similar results to standard liposuction with less downtime. While some of these may offer some benefits, most do not have as noticeable an effect as traditional liposuction and will not be appropriate for every patient. It is important to choose procedures that are FDA-approved, are well recognized by professional societies and have been clinically proven to be effective and safe. In addition, in order to minimize potential serious complications, you should ensure that the health provider performing the procedure is a Board Certified Surgeon who is licensed in that area.
Preparing for Surgery
You will have a preoperative visit with a nurse to review the details of what to expect during your surgery and recovery. You may need to get some baseline blood tests and may need to meet with an anesthesiologist prior to surgery. You will be asked to stop taking all over-the-counter pain or fever medicines (except Tylenol) and blood thinners for two weeks prior to your procedure. Many herbal medicines can also cause bleeding and so need to be stopped before surgery, including ginkgo biloba, St. John’s Wort, and high doses of fish oil, flaxseed oil, or vitamin E.
Possible Complications
As in any surgery, risks include infection, scarring, delayed wound healing, bruising, or bleeding. Issues specific to this surgery are asymmetry, numb skin, and contour irregularities. Rare complications are fat emboli and injury to the overlying skin. Complications are very rare if liposuction is done by a board-certified plastic surgeon in conjunction with a board-certified anesthesiologist.
Recovery
After surgery, you will notice a difference in your body shape. However, the final result for most patients is evident after about 1-6 months. The results are permanent with a sensible diet and exercise. Simple activities are possible within a few days, but heavy lifting should be avoided for a few weeks, so parents of young children may want extra help during this time. Returning to work should be discussed with your surgeon before your surgery. Depending on your work and the extent of liposuction done, you may need to take from a few days to a few weeks off work after the surgery. It can take several months to a year for all of the swelling to subside, and for the scars to fade.
Contact Us
To learn more about how you may benefit from liposuction or to schedule a consultation with one of our board-certified plastic surgeons, please contact our Surrey office today.
Frequently Asked Questions About Liposuction
Can anyone benefit from liposuction?
If you are overweight, have a serious underlying medical condition or have unrealistic expectations of liposuction, you may not be a good candidate. If you have loose, saggy skin in addition to excess fat, you probably will not see great results from liposuction alone; a combination of both liposuction and surgical skin tightening will be required to produce attractive outcomes.
Can liposuction remove cellulite?
No, liposuction is not recommended as an effective solution for cellulite. Cellulite is a complex problem caused by fat bulging through connective tissue bands and creating noticeable dimpling or puckering of the skin. Simply removing the fat does not improve the appearance of cellulite; in fact, it may make it appear even more unsightly.
Is liposuction painful?
No. Anesthesia is used so you will not feel or remember anything from surgery.
Suction-assisted liposuction with tumescent fluid is believed to be less painful than traditional liposuction. The tumescent fluid causes the fat to swell so it is easier to remove from the body; also, the fluid contains epinephrine to temporarily shrink blood vessels. This reduces blood loss during surgery as well as bruising, swelling and post-operative pain.
If you do experience discomfort after suction-assisted liposuction or other forms of liposuction, you can manage the pain with over-the-counter or prescription medication.
How does the plastic surgeon know how much fat to remove during liposuction?
Our liposuction surgeons have performed thousands of procedures. They rely on their experience and training when determining exactly how much fat to remove from a selected area to deliver beautiful results.
Can multiple areas be treated during the same procedure?
Yes, it is usually safe to treat two or more areas at the same time. The size and quantity of the areas that need to be addressed will factor into our surgeons’ recommendations for your case.
How much bruising and swelling will I have after liposuction?
Expect mild to moderate bruising and swelling immediately after surgery. The aftereffects may peak a day or two after surgery and then gradually subside. Wearing a compression garment and applying cold compresses to the treated area(s) can help control bruising and swelling.
What happens if I gain weight after liposuction?
If you gain a significant amount of weight after liposuction (i.e., more than 10 or 15 pounds), the fat cells remaining in the treated area could enlarge, adversely affecting the results of surgery. However, many of our patients have told us that their surgical results help them stay motivated to maintain their weight through healthy diet and exercise habits.
Will I have scarring from liposuction?
During liposuction, openings are created in the skin for the surgical instruments to pass through. However, these openings are very small and placed in the natural creases and transitions of the skin whenever possible. As they heal, they do not leave noticeable scarring.
What is the difference between liposuction and a tummy tuck?
Liposuction simply removes excess body fat. Tummy tuck removes fat and skin and tightens the abdominal muscles to transform the contours of the abdomen. Liposuction is performed through tiny pinprick openings in the skin and tummy tuck requires a longer horizontal incision along the lower abdomen.