1. Is liposuction a reasonable treatment for obesity

No, liposuction is not a treatment for obesity. Liposuction removes fat pockets from certain areas of the body to create a more proportional figure. The ideal liposuction candidate is at their ideal weight or within 25 pounds of their ideal weight. Patients who are greater than 25 pounds of their ideal weight are not liposuction candidates. Liposuction sculpts the body to create better proportions. A common example for women would be a patient with a pear shaped figure with large hips and outer thighs (saddle bags). Liposuction works great to remove inches from those hips and outer thighs to give a slimmer appearance. Clothes fit better and hang more loosely at the hip and outer thigh. While the patient may look like they have lost weight, they have not lost weight only inches.


2. What is a successful liposuction surgery?

A successful liposuction surgery creates a slimmer appearance and better proportioned figure. The successful liposuction procedure is achieved with minimal discomfort and downtime for the patient.


3. Does liposuction cause dimpling or indentations in the skin?

Yes, one of the risks of liposuction is dimpling or indentations of the skin. To avoid the risk of dimpling it is best to use small cannulas. Cannulas are the steel tubes with holes at the end which are attached to a vaccum that suctions out the fat. Using a variety of small cannulas and going in different directions as you suction out the fat creates a smooth skin surface and avoids dimpling or indentations. It is also important to remove deep fat and leave a superficial amount of fat for the skin to sit on top of to create a smooth surface. If the patient already has dimpling of the skin prior to liposuction, the liposuction if done right should not make it worse, but it is not a treatment for cellulite.


4. What Alternatives Are There to Liposuction?

Since liposuction mainly removes inches the best alternative is exercize.


5. What type of liposuction is the best?

Different doctors may answer this question differently, but I think that tumescent liposuction done without any sedation of the patient is the safest method and gives great results.


6. How much liposuction is excessive (Staged liposuction,Megaliposuction)?

I think that patients need to have realistic expectations and from a safety point of view I would recommend no more than three areas at any one time. For example, a patient could have her outer thighs and hips treated at one session. At a later session she could have her upper and lower abdomen treated. When using the tumescent technique with no general or IV anaesthesia there is little to no downtime for the patient and doing it in stages is safer. When you attempt to do more than three areas you risk exceeding the maximum lidocaine dose that is safe for the patient.


7. How is Tumescent Liposuction performed?

Tumescent liposuction is performed using local anaesthetic (which is a lidocaine mixed in saline mixture), to swell up the area that is being liposuctioned. It works great because the lidocaine/saline mixture numbs the area to make the procedure painless. The mixture also swells up the fat and makes it easier to remove.The easier it is to remove the fat the less traumatic it is to the patient.There is also a small amount of epinephrine in the mixture which constricts the blood vessels and decreases bleeding and bruising. We have found tumescent liposuction to be superior to laser or ultrasonic liposuction with the least amount of risk to the patient.