Permanent fat removal with liposuction (also called liposculpture) is, after breast augmentation, the most commonly performed cosmetic surgical procedure in the world.
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Our bodies are designed in such a way that there will almost always be some areas with extra fat that are not so easy to lose weight. In men, this is typically the stomach and in women, it is the thighs. Some people also have extra fat under the chin, others in the calves or knees and so on. When you lose weight, all the fat cells in the body will become smaller in size, but they will still be there. That is why the areas with extra fat still remain even if you lose weight. By liposuctioning areas with extra fat, the cells will be removed - forever . If you gain weight later, there will be fewer fat cells in the liposuctioned area and you will therefore gain less weight here than you would otherwise.
Liposuction performed by a plastic surgeon is to physically remove the fat cells and therefore permanently , and should not be confused with more or less frivolous external machine methods for "fat removal" that are available on the market.
The traditional method of liposuction performed by plastic surgeons is to first fill the area with anesthetic water, then use special cannulas with negative pressure and then manually suck out the fat. As the only clinic in all of Rogaland, we at Stavanger Plastic Surgery can now also offer "water-assisted liposuction" - a method that removes fat both faster , more effectively and more gently than regular liposuction!
Water-assisted liposuction is performed using a device called Body-Jet®. The principle is simple: instead of sucking the fat with “brute force”, the Body-Jet® machine has an extra tube inside the cannulas that gently injects anesthetic water into the tissue while the liposuction is being performed. This means that you get more anesthesia where you need it and that the fat is separated from the rest of the body’s cells more easily and more gently. The result is both a faster operation, less pain/discomfort and less bleeding. Less fluid is also needed prior to the liposuction, which makes it easier to get a nice and even result. Our plastic surgeons have been performing liposuction for many years and notice a big difference in our clients after the operation – water-assisted liposuction provides greater safety, better results and less discomfort than after regular liposuction!
It is also useful to know that water-assisted liposuction also works great for fat transfer . This means that instead of throwing away the fat that has been removed, it can be transferred (transplanted) to an area where there is too little fat. This can be, for example, to the breasts, to the buttocks or to the face. Our plastic surgeons have several years of experience with this type of fat transfer, and the method gives very good results. Read more about fat transfer to the breasts here !
Liposuction can be performed on mentally and physically healthy adults of all ages. Areas that can yield good results are the abdomen, hips, buttocks, flanks, outer thighs, inner knees, ankles, back, chin, chest and above the lower abdomen, to name the most important. Liposuction can also be an important addition to other surgical procedures such as abdominoplasty, breast reduction and facelift.
It is important to clarify that liposuction is not a weight loss method in itself. Liposuction removes specific areas of excess fat and cannot be used for general "thinning" of the body.
There are some medical conditions that mean that you should not have surgery. These include known bleeding disorders, a tendency to clot, serious mental illness and allergies to anesthetics. If you abuse alcohol, medication or drugs, you should not have surgery. If you have had a serious eating disorder, you must provide a statement from your treating psychologist or doctor that it is okay to have surgery. To ensure rapid healing and reduce risk, smokers should reduce nicotine use to an absolute minimum in the period around the surgery. The use of blood-thinning medications should be agreed with the doctor well in advance of the surgery.
Depending on where the liposuction is to be done and what has been agreed, you will either be given general anesthesia or extended local anesthesia during the operation. The procedure itself is performed by the surgeon first injecting a mixture of local anesthesia and water before the fat is gently removed with a specially made cannula. There are no large scars after the operation, only small marks from these thin cannulas.
If you have had general anesthesia, you will be allowed to rest for a while at the clinic after the operation. You can then go home by being picked up by someone you know, or by taking a taxi with an acquaintance. You cannot drive yourself home. For the first 24 hours, you must have an adult with you and you cannot be further away than about two hours' drive from the clinic.
The first few days you will feel sore and "sore" in the operated area. You should take it easy for the first couple of days, after which you can resume normal light activity. Social activities usually go well after about 1-2 weeks, while heavy physical activity such as running and weight training should be postponed until 4-6 weeks after the operation. Depending on the extent of the operation and the type of job, many people can work after just a few days. However, it is important that you have planned it so that you have the opportunity to stay relatively calm for at least the first week after the operation.
In order for the result to be as beautiful as possible, it is necessary to wear compression garments for at least 3 (preferably 6) weeks after the operation. The first week, it should be worn day and night without being taken off once. After a week, you can shower and wash the compression garments. It is normal for anesthetic fluid and blood to come out of the wound openings in the first few days. Small bandages are placed over the small skin openings that were made. These should normally be worn for two weeks before you take them off. If there are stitches under here, they will disappear on their own after a few weeks. After two weeks of using paper strips, you can switch to regular breathable medical paper tape. This tape is changed about once a week – not too often because it causes soreness and disturbed scar formation, but not so infrequently that it becomes very dirty. The tape should be worn until the scar is no longer red or pink.
After a few days, it is normal for the operated area to swell slightly. There may also be a bluish discoloration of the skin. This is completely normal and will resolve within a few weeks. The final result after the operation will be seen after at least 3-6 months.
Complications after such procedures are very rare and liposuction done correctly can be considered safe. Numbness and tenderness of the skin may occur, this usually subsides within a maximum of a year. Minor irregularities may occur and this can happen regardless of which method of liposuction is done. Sometimes this can be corrected afterwards. Often minor irregularities are tolerated well as the slimmer figure is still nicer than it was.
The goal of the surgery is to remove one or more areas of excess fat. The final result depends not only on how much fat is removed, but also on the quality and elasticity of the overlying skin. For the vast majority of people, the skin will retract nicely after liposuction. However, there are situations where this can be difficult, such as skin with stretch marks after pregnancy and significant weight loss. In such situations, skin often also needs to be removed for a satisfactory result.
We hope this has given you some of the information you are looking for regarding liposuction. Liposuction is one of the procedures we perform most often at Stavanger Plastic Surgery and with the option of water-assisted liposuction we can offer you a unique opportunity for less discomfort, greater safety and good results!
Book a no-obligation consultation with our experienced plastic surgeon. You can also call us at 51 55 85 00 .
The medical director for operations and procedures is plastic surgeon Bjørn Tore Haga.
Welcome to Stavanger Plastic Surgery – a center of expertise in liposuction!
