What Are the Benefits of Liposuction?
- Restores firm body contours for an attractive silhouette
- Reduces inches from multiple areas of the body
- Removes stubborn fat from trouble zones
- Results in confidence and several inches lost
- Utilizes a minimally invasive technique
Liposuction alone does not remove excess skin or cellulite, but Dr. Agullo can create a customized approach that meets those needs by combining liposuction with other procedures. At your initial consultation, you and Dr. Agullo will discuss your goals and expectations to arrive at the best surgical plan.
Am I a Candidate for Liposuction?
The best candidates for liposuction are healthy men and women who:
- Are in good overall health
- Do not smoke
- Wish to improve the appearance of stubborn fat deposits
- Desire to have more visible muscle definition
- Have realistic expectations for their results
Are you a candidate for liposuction? Call Dr. Agullo at (915) 590-7900 to set up a consultation.
What Is Discussed During My Liposuction Consultation?
During your consultation, Dr. Agullo will:
- Discuss your wishes and expectations for your results
- Evaluate your contours to determine where fat can be removed
- Take measurements and photos
- Explain how to prepare for your liposuction
What Are My Liposuction Options?
Traditional Liposuction
- Removes fat from stubborn areas
- Commonly used for the abdomen, flanks (love handles), arms, back, lateral chest (side boob), thighs, saddlebags, mons area, and neck
- Helps create an hourglass shape
Liposculpture
- Removes fat from unwanted areas and transfers it to other areas for contouring
- Removed fat can be added to the buttocks, known as the Brazilian Butt Lift (BBL), biceps, pectoral muscles (for men), calves, biceps, and triceps
- Often used to even out asymmetries from one side of the body to the other
4D Liposculpture, or Etching
- Removes fat from unwanted places
- Defines muscles including obliques, rectus abdominis (six-pack), biceps, chest (for men), and calves
- Creates a muscular abdomen by etching the six-pack and obliques
How Is Liposuction Performed?
Dr. Agullo offers all his patients a combination of tumescent and power-assisted liposuction (PAL). VASERlipo® (ultrasound-assisted liposuction) is offered by Dr. Agullo, and is especially useful in patients that request 4D etching or those who have had liposuction before. VASER® helps break down scar tissue from previous procedures. Although Dr. Agullo used Smartlipo® (laser-assisted liposuction) in the past, he has not seen an advantage with this system but rather the added risk of burns and longer surgical times.
Tumescent Liposuction
- Also called traditional liposuction or traditional lipoplasty
- Uses general anesthesia
- A tumescent solution is injected to numb the area, reduce bleeding, and aid in fat removal
- Minimal bruising and scarring
- Can be used to remove fat from the arms, back, abdomen, hips, buttocks, and thighs
Power-Assisted Liposuction (PAL)
- Uses local “awake” anesthesia
- A rapidly vibrating cannula breaks up the fat before it is removed
- Slightly gentler than the traditional technique
- More fat can be removed in a shorter time
- Can be used on any area of the body
What Is the Liposuction Procedure?
General or sedation anesthesia is administered during liposuction, and only a few small incisions are needed in the chosen area for fat removal. Liposuction surgical techniques vary, but they all involve the same basic steps:
- Fluid is injected to wet, numb, and shrink the blood vessels
- Fatty tissue layer is prepared for removal
- Fatty tissue is removed by suctioning
During surgery, Dr. Agullo uses his steady hand to maneuver the fat-suctioning device (cannula) in a back-and-forth motion. Vacuum suctioning then permanently removes the fat from the body. Dr. Agullo checks his work for symmetry and smoothness and then closes the incisions with sutures.
At Agullo Plastic Surgery, tailored care begins with a full consultation to discuss the goals and options available.
How Should I Prepare for Liposuction?
Patients who achieve the best results with liposuction do not smoke and should be off blood-thinning medications two weeks prior to surgery. They should plan for someone to drive them to and from surgery and assist them for the first 24 hours. Two weeks is usually enough time for recovery and scheduled time off from work.
Liposuction patients must remember to bring all of their paperwork and identification and not eat or drink anything after midnight on the day of their liposuction.
What Are Your Concerns?
What Can I Expect From My Liposuction Recovery?
The extent of recovery will depend on the area treated with liposuction, the number of incisions, and whether it was combined with other procedures. Liposuction is commonly an outpatient procedure, but a hospital stay may be required for combination procedures.
After surgery, there may be some tenderness, swollen areas, or pain, which is all temporary. Any discomfort can be managed with pain medication, and compression garments help to reduce swelling. Walking will prevent blood clots, poor circulation, strokes, and other complications. Most patients are cleared to resume exercise after two weeks.
Is Liposuction Painful?
Liposuction is performed using anesthetics to help ensure your comfort during the procedure. Following the procedure, you may experience some soreness and bruising, but this discomfort can usually be handled using pain medications.
Will Liposuction Leave Scars?
Liposuction should not create significant scarring because it only requires small incisions. Scars tend to heal with time and can also be treated with scar fading creams.
When Will I See My Liposuction Results?
Patients should know that liposuction is not intended for significant weight loss, cellulite removal, or skin removal. Results with liposuction may not be apparent for several weeks when the swelling has fully subsided. Your more slender contours are generally permanent, but childbirth or weight gain after surgery will influence your outcome.
What Are Some Frequently Asked Questions About Liposuction?
Liposuction alone does not tighten skin. In the past, patients with loose skin would require excision of the skin. Dr. Agullo employs two skin tightening technologies that can be performed at the same time as liposuction. Renuvion® (formerly J-Plasma®) and InMode BodyTite® use the power of radiofrequency energy to tighten the tissue after liposuction. Many patients are able to avoid scars from more invasive procedures like arm lifts, thigh lifts, and tummy tucks.
If a patient needs to have a significant amount of fat removed with liposuction, Dr. Agullo may recommend dividing the procedure into smaller targeted surgeries over the course of a month since an extensive procedure involves greater risks. Complications with liposuction are rare, but the risks include infection, edema, hematoma, seroma, and problems with anesthesia. In general, liposuction is considered a safe cosmetic procedure.
Virtually any cosmetic procedure can be performed in conjunction with liposuction. The advantage of combining procedures is a lower overall cost and less time spent in surgery and recovery. Tummy tuck surgery is most commonly chosen as an adjunct to liposuction because it removes excess skin and fat at the same time. Since liposuction does not remove excess skin, other skin removal surgeries, such as the arm lift, body lift, and thigh lift, are also performed along with liposuction to produce the best results.
Liposuction is a body contouring procedure that removes moderate amounts of fat, but it cannot prevent the effects of weight fluctuations on your results. The best way to prolong your liposuction results is to maintain a healthy lifestyle, including a healthy diet and consistent exercise.
