Liposuction is often the treatment of choice for isolated, stubborn pockets of fat. These bulges, which can be due to genetic factors or which become evident as you age, can affect your body shape. Although we often use amusing names to refer to these areas, they can cause distress and embarrassment to those affected by them. Areas that commonly concern patients include the sides of the tummy (muffin top), the hips, the thighs (saddle bags or riding breeches), the knees (fat pads), the calves, the ankles, the upper arms (bingo wings), the back (bra bulge) and the neck (double chin).
Reasons For Liposuction
Sometimes people find that they have areas of fat that do not respond to diet and exercise. No matter how much you go to the gym or watch what you eat, you just can’t shift that bulge. Liposuction aims to improve the shape of a part of the body by removing these pockets of fat. However, it is not a substitute for weight loss. The results of liposuction are constant, which means that these fat cells do not regenerate, even if you gain weight. The prerequisite for a good result is that the surgeon has expertise and extensive experience in liposuction. What remains after liposuction is as important as what you remove, because the outcome could otherwise be asymmetrical and irregular.
Liposuction can form an intrinsic part of procedures such as abdominoplasty or brachioplasty, and some people choose to have liposuction performed at the same time as other procedures such as breast augmentation.
The Surgery
At the Aesthetic Institute, we offer both 'traditional' liposuction and liposuction using ultrasound. Traditional liposuction usually involves injecting the area to be treated with tumescent fluid, before inserting a cannula through small incisions and sucking fat out of the body. Ultrasonic liposuction aims to dissolve fat cells before they are gently sucked out. The techniques differ in terms of their efficacy and level of discomfort. Your surgeon will discuss the options with you at your consultation and together you will decide on the best approach.
At the Aesthetic Institute we don’t perform laser-assisted liposuction, as the results can be uneven with a rough texture. Whatever type of liposuction you choose, it is important that you have a detailed consultation and the treatment is performed by a specially trained plastic surgeon. The success of the procedure is dependent on the skill of the surgeon.
On the day of your procedure, you should arrive at the hospital fasting. Before the surgery you will meet with your surgeon again and he/she will mark the surgical site. Depending on the size of the area being treated, local or general anaesthetic may be used. Normally the procedure is performed as a day case, but occasionally an overnight hospital stay is required. Following the surgery you will be closely monitored while you begin your recovery and the effects of the anaesthetic wear off.
After Surgery
Most of our patients who undergo liposuction as a stand-alone procedure will go home the same day. While in hospital, they are taken care of by professionals with extensive experience of this surgical procedure. After the procedure you will need to wear a support garment for several weeks or months, depending on the procedure. On discharge you will have been given an appointment for your first post-operative visit to the Aesthetic Institute, but patients are welcome to contact us before that if they have any concerns.
The elastic support garments are designed to prevent swelling, but moderate pain is not unusual for a few days after the surgery. After about a week the stitches are removed at the Aesthetic Institute and most patients can return to work at this stage. Until then you should remain relaxed and well rested.
What does it cost?
The overall cost for liposuction depends on a number of factors including how extensive the surgery will be, and if the procedure is to be performed as part of a combination procedure.
You can read more about our prices for different procedures and treatments here.
If you have any questions about liposuction which were not addressed here, or if you would like to book a consultation with the consultant plastic surgeon to discuss treatment options for you, please call 01 491 5738, email info@aestheticinstitute.ie or complete our Enquiry Form.