Liposuction was first started by a gynecologist in the '70s in France. It is now the most commonly performed procedure in the United States. All the advances to date in technique have been to create less trauma to the tissues, thereby decreasing bleeding, bruising, and lessening risks. The exception to this is ultrasonic liposuction which is actually more traumatic to the surrounding tissues than traditional liposuction without ultrasound. The areas that ultrasound appears to be useful are areas with alot of scarring or fibrous tissue because it is easier on the surgeon. These areas include the chest in males, the back, and repeat liposuction. Studies comparing ultrasonic with traditional nonultrasonic liposuction have shown no significant difference in long term results.
Liposuction is not a method for weight reduction. It is also not a treatment for cellulite or other skin issues. Liposuction is a treatment for reshaping, a sculpting method. It is most useful for localized areas of fatty staorage tissue such as "saddle bags" and "love handles". Other commonly treated areas are the face and neck, arms, abdomen, thighs, knees, calves, and ankles. Perfectoin cannot be achieved and the goal is to reshpae as the tissues allow. Sometimes two or more operations are needed to get to maximum surgical results.
It is thought that as an adult we have a fixed number of fat cells, and that these store fat by swelling up to two hundred times their size.Weight gain does not occur evenly throughout the body, but preferes areas with specialized storage cells. These areas are genetically determined and are influenced by hormones and by "yoyo dieting". When some cells are permanently removed by liposuction, the ones left can still enlarge, or your body may choose a secondary area to store fat, one that may redistribute the fat in an even less desirable way. For this reason you should not gain weight after liposuction if you want to maintain your results, and should not have liposuction done after a strict weight loss diet, but rather before dieting if there are both a weight problem and shape issues.
The biggest unknown with liposuction is the skin. How will it heal with volume taken from under it? Will it be looser? Will there be lumps, bumps or irregularities? Does skin need to be removed as well such as in a tummy tuck (aka abdominoplasty), armpexy, thigh or buttocks lifts.
The scarring with liposuction alone is minimal, each scar being about 1 cm or less. After liposuction a compression garment such as a girdle is worn for at least four weeks. The swelling can last about three months (most is gone after one month), and the skin can still contract and improve up to six months after liposuction. Massage is an important part of the postoperative care to achieve the best results, and postoperative Endermologie maximizes results.
