Liposuction

Description
Body sculpting through removal of fat from localised areas of the body. Techniques include ultrasound-assisted lipoplasty (UAL); power-assisted lipoplasty (PAL), superwet and tumescent techniques.

Duration of Surgery
Varies according to number of sites, technique, amount of fat to be removed and type of anaesthesia.

Anaesthesia
Local, local with intravenous sedation, regional (eg. an epidural block) or general

Recovery Time
Depending on the areas treated and the extent of liposuction, back to work within 3 to 21 days and resumption of strenuous activity in 3 to 8 weeks. Risks Infection, fat or blood clots, excessive fluid loss, friction burns, nerve damage, adverse reaction to the anaesthetic and epinephrine used in tumescence, numbness, asymmetry, contour irregularities or dimpling, pigmentation changes, sagging skin, irregular scar formation and complications related to anaesthesia in some rare cases.

Longevity Results
Noticeable improvement in the first few days through four weeks, but continued improvement for six months post-surgery as swelling decrease. Results must be maintained with proper diet and exercise.

Factoids
Liposuction can be a good adjunct to healthy living but should not be seen as a weight reduction tool.