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Things You Ought To Know First Before Undergoing
Liposuction Surgery
Charlene J. Nuble
According to the medical dictionary of Medline Plus, liposuction
is the removal of excess body fat by suction with specialized
surgical equipments, typically performed by a plastic surgeon.
With the removal of excess body fat, the body appearance improves
and evens out distorted body parts. Breasts, buttocks, abdomen,
and the face area are some of the most popular body parts that
undergo liposuction.
Foremost reason why people resort to liposuction is for cosmetic
reasons. They want to eradicate "love handles", unsightly fat
bulges, an abnormal chin line, etc.
Liposuction also helps improve function by reducing fat
deposits on the inner thighs, thus allowing easier access to the
Another reason for undergoing liposuction is body shaping that
cannot be achieved by diet and/or exercise.
A note of caution, liposuction is not a cure for generalized
obesity.
Liposuction is not as easy as just going to the doctor and
telling him or her, "I want a liposuction right now." People who
want to have liposuction must meet certain criteria:
There should be a preliminary consultation. This includes history
of the patient, a comprehensive physical examination, and a
psychological health examination;
There should be a second consultation to give time for the
patient to think over the planned liposuction surgery;
If the patient is married, the spouse's presence may be required
during the consultation;
The patient should ask questions about liposuction, express the
reasons for the consultation, and must feel satisfied with the
answers to their questions;
The patient must fully understand the pre-operative liposuction
preparations, the liposuction procedures, and the precise
post-operative liposuction care to avoid lethal complications;
The patient must have realistic expectations. Liposuction
enhances the body appearance and boost self-confidence but it
will never result to a perfect body.
Because liposuction is a medical procedure, there are risks
involved. Some of the complications that may happen upon having
liposuction are:
Fluid imbalance due to the removal of a lot of liquid during
liposuction and/or injection of large amounts of liquid during
liposuction which can result to shock, heart problems, or kidney
problems.
Infections happen after any surgery and some physicians prescribe
an antibiotic to patients having liposuction so it is important
to keep the wound clean. Infections may be life threatening such
as necrotizing fasciitis (bacteria eating away the tissue) or the
toxic shock syndrome caused by bacteria associated with surgery.
Embolism occurs when tiny globules of fat trapped in the blood
stream blocks the blood flow to the tissue. This may cause
permanent disability. Signs of pulmonary embolism are shortness
of breath or difficulty of breathing.
Drug reactions or overdose from lidocaine is fatal. Lidocaine is
a drug that numbs the skin and large doses of this is used during
liposuction. The effects of lidocaine are lightheadedness,
restlessness, drowsiness, slurred speech, muscle twitching, and
convulsions. Overdose of this drug may cause the heart to stop
which is naturally fatal.
Burns caused by the ultrasound probe during ultrasound assisted
liposuction.
Visceral perforations or puncture wounds in the organs may
require another surgery and can be fatal. During liposuction, the
physician does not see where the probe (canula) is, so it is
possible to harm internal organs.
Skin death (skin necrosis) occurs when skin changes color and
fall off. This may also cause infection.
Paresthesias is an altered sensation at the site of liposuction.
This may be in the form of increased sensitivity in the area or
loss of feeling. Some cases of this are permanent.
Swelling
Death
Given that the surgery had no major complications, recovery from
liposuction can still be difficult.
The liposuctioned area appears larger than before because of
swelling.
Special compression garments must be worn for two to three weeks
to reduce swelling, bleeding, and to help contour the new body.
The patient starts to feel better after a week or two after
liposuction.
Walking is recommended after liposuction to prevent blood clots
forming in the legs. Finally, exercise and diet will help keep
your new shape.
© Charlene J. Nuble 2005. For up to date links and information
about liposuction, please go to
http://www.besthealthlink.net/
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