Liposuction is the surgical removal of excess fat with a thin, straw-like instrument called a cannula that is attached to a liposuction machine. The cannula is inserted into the fat layer of the skin, where it is manipulated within the layers to remove unwanted fatty deposits. The result is a correction of bulging, fatty areas into more attractive contours.
Liposuction is a safe procedure, but there are risks and potential complications associated with any surgery. Dr. Amron performs minimally invasive liposuction with local anesthetic, which has proven 100% safe throughout his career. Additionally, Dr. Amron’s skill and technique greatly lessen the risks. When you come to our office, we will familiarize you with any risks involved and ensure you are physically fit to undergo surgery.
Dr. Amron’s philosophy is that a good candidate is someone who has stubborn areas of fat that cannot be eliminated with diet or exercise. He firmly states that liposuction is not a method of weight loss, but rather it is a way of correcting specific pockets of fat.
Someone who is proportionate but overweight is not a good liposuction candidate. In this case, Dr. Amron recommends a regimen of diet and exercise to lose excess weight. If stubborn pockets of fat are presented upon losing weight, the patient may now be a candidate for liposuction.
Most surgeries are between 45 minutes and 2 ½ hours.
Usually between three to four areas can safely be done with a single liposuction procedure. Most of Dr. Amron’s patients only need one surgery for all treatment areas. If additional areas are needed, they can be done as soon as 48 hours later.
You will be up and moving the day of your surgery. Dr. Amron recommends that every patient to take a 2-mile walk the day after surgery, because this promotes healing. Most patients return to their regular exercise routine between one to two weeks, although they may engage in mild exercise prior to that.
Final results usually take between 6-12 months, but most patients see the beginning of results within one month. Usually by 3 weeks much of the swelling is down and most patients are looking better than before the surgery and are able to wear a swimsuit and go on vacation. Prior to surgery, you and Dr. Amron will thoroughly discuss expectations.
In general, Dr. Amron prefers to focus on liposuction and not combine it with other major procedures. If very few areas are done and the other procedure can be done under IV sedation he may agree to combine procedures.
You will first meet with Christine, our patient care coordinator who will then introduce you to Dr. Amron.During the consultation, Dr. Amron will thoroughly analyze your body’s fat pockets and answer any questions you have as well as what results might realistically be expected. Once this is done, you will meet with Christine to go over your surgical plan, ask any remaining questions and schedule your surgery and pre-op appointment.
Once you have elected to move forward with surgery, a pre-op appointment will be scheduled anywhere from 2 weeks to 10 days prior to your surgery date. This appointment will include blood work, pre-op consents, pre and post op instructions, and garment measurements. You will also meet with Dr. Amron one more time so he can answer any remaining questions you may have.
The local anesthetic (lidocaine) remains in place for 12 to 24 hours following liposuction surgery, keeping you comfortable and pain free. After tumescent liposuction, patients are alert and free of nausea, grogginess and the washed out feeling that comes with general anesthesia. You will be able to walk out of the surgery center and be driven home by a companion or nurse to relax for the remainder of the day. With the Dr. Amron’s technique, there is minimal bruising, and many patients do not require post-operative medication for reduction of pain. You can usually return to work within two days. Physical exercise generally can be resumed three to seven days after liposuction.You will come to our office for a follow-up appointment within a week after surgery to check on incisions and make sure the healing process is going as planned. A six-month checkup is then scheduled to see 80% of your results. The remaining 20% of your results will be seen after 6-12 months.
Prior to tumescent liposuction, two solutions are injected into the treatment area:
Liposuction is most effective for removing specific fat deposits that do not respond to dieting or exercising. Liposuction is not used as a substitute for weight loss, but rather is a contouring procedure. As it turns out, weight loss generally comes about as a result of liposuction, but it is not the purpose of liposuction. Liposuction produces the best results when combined with a regimen of healthy nutrition and exercise.Liposuction also has many health-related applications and has been used effectively to treat non-cosmetic conditions, such as excessive sweating and non-cosmetic fat accumulation, such as lipomas (benign fatty tumors) and gynecomastia (enlarged male breasts).
During liposuction, enough fat is removed to get a proportionate and natural result. It all depends on your unique case. The goal is not to remove as much fat as possible, but rather to remove just the right amount in the right areas. It may be as little as half a pound, or it may be up to ten pounds.
Dr. Amron’s tumescent liposuction is incredibly safe with very few significant side effects. A recent study in Dermatologic Surgery Journal reported that 112 patients who underwent the tumescent procedure had an average of two quarts of fat removed with no significant complications. Clinical studies by other specialists have also demonstrated the safety and efficacy of tumescent liposuction.
Dr. Amron will not use liposuction as a method for overall weight loss. He uses it solely as a shaping procedure for areas where genetic fat deposits have proven to be resistant to diet and exercise. The best results from liposuction occur in body areas where there is reasonable muscle tone, where skin has good elastic quality, and where fat is not excessive. In cases where there is a significant loss of elasticity, proper cosmetic results may require a combination of both liposuction and surgical skin tightening to remove the excessive loose tissue.
The safe limit for one surgery is five liters (about 11 Lbs.). But more typically it is not the amount of fat that limits the surgery but how many areas can be safely done during a single surgery.
Provided all physical criteria are met for liposuction candidacy, liposuction can technically be performed on anyone 15 – 78 years old. However, skin elasticity is a primary consideration when performing liposuction. As one’s age advances, skin elasticity gets weaker and weaker. If Dr. Amron feels the skin’s elasticity is too weak to mold to smaller contours following liposuction, he may recommend another procedure to help you reach your cosmetic goals.
Because liposuction works best on areas of good skin tone, it is generally better to have it done before pregnancy. However, each case is unique and Dr. Amron can recommend which procedure will best suit your needs, before or after pregnancy.
When liposuction is performed correctly, the contours of the body should be permanently improved. In other words, if you gain weight, your new contours and proportions should remain much the same as they were after liposuction. Weight gain will simply make these contours a little less visible. If you then lose the weight again, your contours should resume their post-liposuction size and shape.
Most patients report minimal discomfort during liposuction with Dr. Amron. The very first step is an injection of local anesthetic, which takes about 15-30 minutes to set in. During this time, patients report a mild pinching sensation. Once the local anesthetic has taken root, patients report no pain at all.
With liposuction in general, the revision rate is around 25%. However, when you come to Dr. Amron, you are putting yourself in the hands of a surgeon whose revision rate is less than 1%. Dr. Amron understands that the best result with liposuction is gotten the first time around. He possesses the skill and experience to get it right the first time, preventing the need for any further touchups.
The chance of defects or flaws after liposuction with Dr. Amron is very low. He does everything in his power to achieve a smooth, natural result and a happy patient. If he feels your chances of irregularities are high due to poor skin elasticity or skin tone, he will discuss this with you extensively and may recommend another treatment options.
No, you will not have loose skin following liposuction. When liposuction is done properly, the skin re-drapes and retracts to conform to the underlying tissue. Skin elasticity is vital to a good procedure. For this reason, Dr. Amron will perform a thorough examination to determine your skin elasticity. If he finds it may not support the new contours following liposuction, he may recommend other treatment.
Each incision Dr. Amron makes is no more than 3mm in length. This is small enough to prevent the need for stitches following surgery. He may make multiple incisions in order to adequately treat your target treatment areas. However, these are usually well-hidden and heal without incident. In the case that an incision becomes unsightly, he deals in techniques to help reduce their appearance.
Patients are generally asked to wear the compression garment for 10 days full time after surgery. After that, they can wear it part time for an additional 10 days.
Yes, you go home very shortly after surgery. However, it is necessary to have a friend or family member drive you. It is recommended that you don’t drive for the first 24 hours after surgery. It is also recommended that you have a companion with you for the first several hours after surgery. If there is no one available, we will provide you with a nurse.
In most cases you may fly 2 days after the surgery as long as you are able to walk around every hour while on the plane.
There are many factors that are taken into account when quoting liposuction costs. Such factors include:
Minor side effects will accompany liposuction, such as bruising, swelling and numbness. These are very temporary and will likely resolve in the first several days after surgery. If they persist, our office is available to help with anything you need.
