Liposuction & Body Contouring

Liposuction involves fat removal via suction cannula.  It requires only tiny skin incisions for placement of the cannula, and no skin is typically removed.  Liposuction is ideal for diet and exercise resistant pockets of fat in an otherwise non-obese patient with good skin tone. Stretch marks reflect areas where the natural springs in the skin have been unsprung and the skin is often unable to recoil or tighten properly after liposuction. For this reason, patients with stretch marks may require some skin removal in addition to liposuction.

Liposuction can often be performed as an office procedure. It involves the use of local anesthesia for placement of small incisions. A fluid is injected into the fat, called tumescent fluid, which is a dilute local anesthetic solution. The tumescent fluid anesthetizes the fat and makes it firm and suitable for suction removal.  It also reduces bleeding to almost none. The recovery involves some soreness to the treated areas for several days, after which the patient may resume exercise. The patient must wear a compression garment for 1-2 months after the procedure. This helps reduce swelling in the first few weeks, and helps to keep the skin smooth as the skin retightens in the remaining weeks as the swelling goes away.