Thigh Liposuction
Who is not a good candidate for liposuction?
Patients with excess, hanging skin will not be good candidates for liposuction. Despite the extra tightening that lasers (SlimLipo, SmartLipo) might have in dealing with small amounts of excess skin, too much skin may need to be surgically removed.
What are the risks associated with liposuction surgery?
As with any surgical procedure, there are risks. Fortunately, liposuction is fairly straightforward and most problems associated with liposuction are minimal. The most common risks include residual fat pockets that may show up several months after the liposuction procedure is completed. These may be removed by a second procedure. SlimLipo, SmartLipo, and ultrasonic liposuction techniques tend to liquify fat, making it into a kind of "fat soup " which makes for easier and more uniform removal of the fat. With these techniques there is less chance of leaving little clumps of fat behind that may show up later. With the introduction of tumescent solution - essentially, saline with some medicine mixed in to minimize bleeding - there is less risk of bruising or bleeding. Still, patients who take aspirin or ibuprofen before liposuction may be susceptible to bruising. Thighs tend to bruise more than hips or abdomen. Still, bruising will generally resolve with time as long as the patient stays out of the tanning bed or out of the sun. Infections are VERY rare with liposuction. I don t even give my patients antibiotics after their surgery because it is such a rarity.
What technique will the surgeon use to perform the liposuction?
Most plastic surgeons use the traditional technique of liposuction. The area with the fat is marked with a marking pen before surgery. With the patient awake or asleep, small puncture sites are made in the skin. Through these puncture sites, tumescent solution (saltwater with medicine mixed in to numb the area as well as help minimize bleeding) in injected into the marked area. Then a pencil-like instrument with holes on one end and connected to a liposuction machine on the other end is inserted and used to suction out fat. This is, essentially, a two-step procedure where the tumescent solution is injected and the fat suctioned out. Some doctors use an extra step in the process. After injecting the tumescent solution, they treat the fat with either ultrasound (Vaser) or laser (SlimLipo or SmartLipo) to help liquify the fat making it easier to remove. This also lessens the chance of leaving any little clumps of fat behind. In addition, the heat from the laser may help tighten the skin even more than traditional liposuction.
