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Is Liposuction Right for You?

When you carry stubborn fat in areas like your stomach, thighs, or upper arms, it can be easy to disguise with winter clothing. However, as the weather gets warmer and you prepare for your summer holidays, you may begin to feel more insecure about certain areas of your body.

 

If this is the case, you may be considering liposuction, also known as suction-assisted lipectomy or fat suction treatment, to target resistant fat stores and have you feeling confident in your body. 

 

What is Liposuction?

Liposuction is an effective way for men and women to improve the body’s contour by removing pockets of unwanted, stubborn fat. It can be used to treat several specific areas including the chin, neck and cheeks, the upper arms and torso, the abdomen, buttocks, hips and thighs, as well as the knees, calves, and ankles. 

Typically, liposuction can be conducted within one to two hours under general or local anaesthetic, depending on the severity of your case and desired treatment areas. This means generally liposuction patients don’t require an overnight stay at our clinic. 

Since liposuction is a minimally invasive treatment, there is very little scarring – usually requiring only one small incision. Results can be permanent providing you maintain a healthy lifestyle. However, if you do gain weight following treatment, typically you will gain it more uniformly throughout your body, rather than an accumulation in the treated areas. 

 

The Treatment

The treatment itself involves a small incision at your targeted site, just large enough to insert a hollow tube, called a cannula. The cannula will be attached to a machine that creates a strong vacuum to break up the fat and suction it out deep beneath the skin’s surface.

Once the desired results have been achieved, the surgeon will carefully close the small incision and apply a dressing to heal the wound, resulting in minimal scarring.

 

Recovery

Post-treatment, a snug elastic dressing, girdle, or body stocking must be worn over the treated area to control swelling and bleeding and help your skin shrink to fit your new contour. You will typically be required to wear this continuously for two to three weeks, then reduce wear to just the daytime for a few weeks. You will have regular follow-up visits with your surgeon where they will give you specific instructions about how long you will need to wear your dressing, depending on how quickly your body is healing.

Because you will be given extra fluids, you should expect to feel heavier following your treatment. The suctioned areas will be swollen and bruised and you may feel a burning sensation, though we will prescribe the necessary pain relief to ease the discomfort for the days following your treatment.

Any stitches will be removed within five to ten days and you should be able to return to work after a week or two, depending on the extent of your treatment. You should avoid any strenuous activity for up to four weeks though you are encouraged to begin walking around almost immediately post-treatment.

 

The Risks

Like any treatment, liposuction surgery carries risks, though these are relatively low when carried out by an experienced surgeon. 

The main risk to be aware of is trauma to the targeted areas, including bruising and swelling, especially when multiple locations are suctioned at one time. Other rare but potential complications include fluid accumulation, infection, and discolouration, rippling or bagginess of the skin around the treated area.

 

Is Liposuction Right for You?

While liposuction is great for removing unwanted fat from specific areas of the body, it is not appropriate for everyone. Since liposuction treatment gets under the skin, it cannot be used to treat cellulite or remove loose or hanging skin. If you’re looking to remove excess fat and skin around the abdomen, you may need to consider an abdominoplasty (‘Tummy Tuck’) which is a more comprehensive surgery.

If you’re considering liposuction, you should be of relatively normal weight and live a generally healthy lifestyle. You should be physically healthy and emotionally stable. We wouldn’t recommend liposuction to anyone who has had recent surgery or poor blood circulation in the targeted area as it can impact the body’s ability to heal correctly. 

An ideal candidate for liposuction treatment will have firm, elastic skin which can bounce back to fit the new contour, resulting in a better final result. Hanging skin won’t reshape to fit around your body’s new shape and may require additional treatment to surgically remove excess skin. 

 

Get in Touch

At your initial consultation, one of our expert surgeons will assess your specific areas of concern, explain the treatment and associated risks in more detail, and give you their honest advice on whether liposuction is right for you and the results you can expect to achieve. This will help you make an informed decision, confident in your choice to go ahead with the treatment.

 

To begin your journey to a more toned and contoured body this summer, please book your consultation by completing the form below. We look forward to meeting you.

If you would like to learn more about this procedure or are interested in a consultation, fill out the form below or call us on 0161 523 8261