Before you think about liposuction, you may want to educate yourself in the way the procedure is performed. Once you decide to have liposuction your surgeon will explain the procedure he plans to use, but it doesn’t hurt to educate yourself in advance of even discussing liposuction with your doctor. There are variations to the basic liposuction procedure, but once you have chosen a surgeon and consulted with him on the procedure, he will advise you of the best methodology based on the areas of your body that are of concern.
You want to first understand exactly what liposuction is before you consider having the procedure. Liposuction is a procedure that is used to remove excess fat pockets from various areas of your body. The surgeon will make one of more tiny incisions close to the area he plans to suction and will insert a small hollow tube (cannula). The incisions the surgeons makes are less than one-quarter of an inch long and are placed in places where they are difficult to see such as in the folds of the skin or contour lines. The surgeon will then connect the cannula to a vacuum pressure unit by using tubing. He will then use the suction device like a vacuum cleaner to vacuum the unwanted fat from the patient’s body.
There are some variations to the basic liposuction technique that your surgeon may choose to use depending upon the areas where you need fat removed and the amount of fat pockets that are involved. One method involves putting fluid into the areas to be suctioned prior to performing the liposuction procedure. Surgeons may also use a “dry” technique or a tumescent technique which involves the introduction of a great abundance of fluids. There are also other variations of the basic liposuction methodology that your surgeon may use depending upon your individual needs.
There may be other methods your surgeon may choose to use when performing liposuction, and these will be based upon your individual needs. The end result will always be the same—suctioning of excess fat from your body—no matter what methodology your surgeon may use to perform liposuction. There are reasons one surgeon may prefer one method over the other or it may be based upon your individual needs.
Before your surgery you want to discuss with your surgeon the method he plans to use and the reasons he has chosen that method for you. There is no need for you to remain in the dark about your liposuction procedure—it is much easier for you to remain calm and confident in your surgeon if he provides the information about how he will perform your procedure. When you are well-informed and have a rapport with your surgeon you are more likely to be willing to follow his instructions before and after surgery. When you build a rapport with your surgeon you have more faith in him and trust him to make the decisions that are in your best interest.