Liposuction is a surgical procedure to remove unwanted, excessive fats from body regions such as the tummy, buttocks, thighs, knees, neck, upper arms and male breasts. Liposuction is best suitable for people who are a normal weight and in areas where the skin is tight.
The procedure involves sucking out small areas of fat that are hard to lose through exercise and a healthy diet.
What does the procedure involve?
There are various liposuction techniques available, but no single method works for all patients. Each liposuction procedure will be tailored to a patient’s needs and physical condition. This procedure can be performed under various types of anaesthesia.
Liposuction is carried out using a thin, hollow tube called a cannula that is inserted through the skin through tiny incisions. The cannula is then used to loosen the fat and create a nicer shape within the body part being treated. A special vacuum or suction device is attached to the cannula, and the fat is sucked from the body, with any incisions being sewn up at the end of the operation. The procedure takes between one to three hours to perform, depending on the size of the treatment area(s).
In most cases, you will only need to be in the hospital for a few hours, but you may need to stay overnight if a large amount of fat is to be removed.
You may experience common yet temporary side effects after the surgery, such as bruising, numbness, scars, inflammation or fluid oozing from the surgical wounds.
You may also feel mild-moderate pain after surgery, especially when a large portion of fat is removed from a particular region. However, your doctor will prescribe you analgesics for pain and discomfort.
The time required for full recovery after liposuction will depend on how much fat is removed from your body, as removing a small amount of fat will result in fast recovery (a day or two), whereas extensive fat removal would require extra time to heal. Nonetheless, you will become well enough to continue your daily activities within 3-4 weeks.
The effects of the operation should be long-lasting, so long as a patient’s weight remains stable.
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