Who
is suitable for liposculpture?
Liposculpture is the most commonly performed cosmetic surgical
procedure because it is safe and effective, with immediate
and substantial results. Liposuction can beautifully shape
your body by removing fatty tissue from many areas, giving
renewed confidence in the way we and others see us. And, we
FEEL healthier and lighter and more confident.
Liposculpture or liposuction is the procedure for you when you
have a kilo or more to lose from a specific site. Typically patients
will say, "I go to the gym regularly and I watch what I
eat, but I can't ever get rid of the extra fat here (pointing).
If I lose weight below XXkg my face gets thin and I lose bust
size, but I still can't get rid of this fat here (pointing again)".
In other cases the situation is not so clear-cut. Some patients
probably could, if they really tried, lose weight from this place
or there, but in reality never do. Whilst dieting and exercising
may be their ideal answer, their pragmatic answer is often liposculpture.
But let's think about situations in which liposuction is *not*
appropriate
Who is NOT suitable for liposculpture?
If you have tiny amounts of fat to lose, you may be better off having
mesotherapy treatments. These only involve injections, through
tiny needles, of a solution that dissolves fat cells.
Click over to our pages on MesoReduce for details.
On the other hand, those who are overweight pretty much everywhere
really need to lose weight through the usual approaches. Whilst
liposculpture can be performed anywhere from neck to ankles,
you would not have all areas treated in the same appointment.
Every patient is unique, in this respect as in any other. A
consultation with Dr Mahony will help sort out the best approach
for you.
What's the difference between liposculpture
and liposuction?
The easy answer is that liposculpture is very carefully performed,
and liposuction is not (according to the liposculptors!).
Liposculpture has been classically described as being performed
with syringes only whilst liposuction is described as being
performed with mechanical suction devices that supply continuous
suction. Classical liposculptors feel powered suction is less
exact. And it well may be so, in some hands, but in our opinion
the difference between a sculptor and a carpenter is found
not in the tools but in the attitude.
At Face Today Medi-Clinic we perform both syringe liposculpture
and powered suction treatments. We chose the best approach
for a given patient. Thus, we are liposculptors.
What areas can be treated?
Liposculpture can be used pretty much anywhere, from neck to
ankle. The most common areas treated include anterior neck,
upper arms, abdomen, "muffin top", "love handles", "saddlebags",
thighs, lower back.
What's it like having Liposculpture?
After your consultation, on the day of your surgery, we will
ask you to stand whilst markings are made on your skin to delineate
the areas requiring treatment. It's important to do this with
you standing, because your tissues tend to shift when you are
lying down. The result when standing is the one we want. We
plan out the procedure to ensure the correct amounts of fat
are removed from each site.
Once the markings are completed, photographs are taken. You will
be offered medication to sedate you and to relieve pain and
you may be offered antibiotics and antinauseants.
Once lying in the procedure room or operating room, local
anaesthetic will be administered to several small preselected
sites through which the suctioning will take place. Once anaesthetised,
tiny incisions will be made at these sites, and through these
incisions a fine blunt cannula will be introduced for the distribution
of dilute anaesthetic fluid throughout the fat being treated.
The anaesthetic solution is introduced into the fat slowly
and carefully, but thoroughly. This part of the process can
be uncomfortable, but once the anaesthetic solution is widely
distributed in the fat you should feel no further pain.
Systematically, methodically, one area at a time is treated,
according to the plan, a cannula around 3 or 4 mm wide is moved
back and forth through the anaesthetised fat, drawing out the
fat cells.
You will be called on to roll and reposition yourself to allow us
best access to each location needing treatment. And once it
is all done, we'll help you stand again so that the results
can be seen. Any further "touch-up" suctioning can
be performed, and then after a clean-up dressings are applied
and a compressive garment placed around the treated area to
apply pressure. You're done!
What results can I expect from
Liposuction?
Of course, at first, there will be some bruising and swelling.
Some of the anaesthetic fluid used to keep you pain-free during
the procedure will continue to drain for a day or two afterwards.
You will wear a compressive garment over the treated area;
a few days in the case of a neck treatment, or a couple of
weeks after abdominal liposculpture. This will help to reduce
the swelling and help bring about the most even result.
The appearance will improve week on week, then after several
months you'll have a good idea of the result. And the result
will be: substantial cosmetic improvement. (Of course, individual expectations
have to be discussed in consultation prior to surgery.)
Dr Mahony is available for consultations
every Tuesday morning at Face Today Medi-Clinic. 1300668573
|
