Diet and exercise are key to a healthy lifestyle, but even the most disciplined men and women find themselves frustrated with stubborn pockets of fat that accumulate on the buttocks, arms, back and waistline. When diet and exercise alone aren’t enough, liposuction can help you to achieve the refined body contours you deserve.
Dr. Gill has a genuine understanding of men and woman’s bodies and ideal aesthetic proportions, which she carefully takes into consideration during her surgical planning. Through thoughtful consultations with her patients, Dr. Gill makes it a priority to understand each patient’s specific goals and desires for liposuction.
Is Liposuction Right for Me?
Liposuction, also known as liposculpture or lipoplasty, is a surgical procedure that breaks up fat deposits under the skin and removes it through a cannula—a thin, hollow tube. Liposuction is safe and effective for removing fat from the neck and face, flanks, hips, thighs, knees, arms, chest, abdomen and back. Because liposuction removes fat cells from the body, results are considered permanent. Most patients in good physical health are candidates for this procedure.
Liposuction With Dr. Gill
During your consultation, Dr. Gill will evaluate your anatomy, discuss your concerns and thoughtfully design a unique surgical plan that will safely and effectively meet your liposuction goals. In some cases, Dr. Gill may recommend a complementary procedure to address other issues or concerns that liposuction alone cannot correct, for example a tummy tuck or thigh lift.
Liposuction generally results in scars that are so fine they are very difficult to notice once fully healed. This procedure may be performed on many areas, including the abdomen, hips, flanks, back, thighs, legs, knees, arms, chest and more.
Abdomen
In both men and women, the abdomen is typically the first area of the body in which fat accumulates, whether it is a result of past pregnancies, aging, genetics or weight gain. Liposuction can be an effective, minimally invasive alternative to a tummy tuck for some patients. Liposuction can also be performed on the upper and/or lower abdomen to produce a more contoured and athletic appearance that highlights the underlying muscles.
Flanks
The flanks, or love handles, are frequently a source of frustration and make men and women look heavier than they really are. When excess fat on the flanks doesn’t respond to exercise and a healthy diet, liposuction can effectively eliminate these bulges to create a sleeker silhouette and clothing that drapes more attractively on the body.
Back
Both men and women can accumulate fat on the back. Dr. Gill performs liposuction to target different areas of the back, including where the bra straps rest, just above the hips, on the lower back above the buttocks, directly below the neck and near the armpits.
Thighs
Liposuction can be an effective way to eliminate stubborn fat on the thighs for patients who have good skin elasticity and do not need a lift. This procedure can reduce fat on the inner and/or outer thighs. It is very important to choose a liposuction specialist like Dr. Gill to treat the thighs, as the inner thighs have thin skin and can develop irregularities if the procedure is not performed skillfully.
Arms
Some patients may see substantial benefit from liposuction of the arms as an alternative to an arm lift. This option is best for patients with mild to moderate excess skin and good skin elasticity.
The Procedure
Liposuction is an outpatient procedure usually performed under general anesthesia. Prior to your procedure, Dr. Gill will mark the areas of your body to be treated. During the procedure, the treatment area will be numbed using tumescent (local) anesthesia, which maximizes both your safety and comfort. During the liposuction procedure, Dr. Gill will insert a small, hollow tube, or cannula, through very small incisions in the treatment area and manually move the cannulas in a fanning motion to break up the fat so it may be suctioned out. Once surgery is completed, Dr. Gill’s team will place you in a compression garment to help reduce swelling and maintain the new body contours while the tissues heal.
Time in surgery takes 1 to 2 hours, depending on treatment area(s) and amount of fat that needs to be removed. Depending on the number of areas treated, patients feel some discomfort for the first two to three days, which is largely controlled with oral pain medication. Some swelling and bruising also can be expected following the procedure. This will usually peak on the second or third day and dissipate over the next two to four weeks weeks. In the weeks after surgery, Dr. Gill will instruct patients to wear their compression garment continuously for 2 weeks. Light exercise can be resumed at 10-14 days after surgery. You can expect to return to work within a few days.
Liposuction FAQs
Is liposuction permanent?
Because liposuction removes fat cells from the body, results are considered permanent. However, weight gain is still possible, as the remaining fat cells can grow larger. Gaining an excessive amount of weight after liposuction can result in displacement of weight gain to other parts of the body.
What areas of the body does liposuction treat?
Liposuction may be performed on many areas of the body, including the abdomen, hips, flanks, back, thighs, legs, knees, arms, chest, face and neck.
What is recovery like after liposuction?
Most patients have a recovery period of 1 to 2 weeks, although it will depend on whether other procedures were performed at the same time and which areas were treated. Patients will wear a compression garment to reduce swelling and maintain the new body contours while the tissue heals. Dr. Gill prefers these garments to be worn continuously for the first 2 weeks after surgery. Swelling peaks within 2 to 3 days after the procedure and then begins to dissipate. Mild swelling may persist for several weeks after surgery, due to the tumescent fluid used during surgery as well as the bodies response to surgery.