Liposuction

In Las Vegas, Nevada

Lipoplasty, Liposculpture, and Lipectomy

In performing body contouring procedures, my goal is to shape and contour the patient's body. Liposuction, a procedure used to remove excess areas of fatty tissue from specific areas of the body, is the most popular cosmetic procedure performed in the United States. The problem of localized fatty deposits affects people of all ages. Perhaps you’ve had children or spent too many years sitting in an office. Life takes its toll over time, in places we never expected. Maybe you’ve been at the gym for months or even years, desperately working towards your ideal body but all your work doesn’t seem to remove those “love handles.” Liposuction is not an alternative to weight loss; instead, it should be seen as an enhancement and a way to eliminate stubborn spots.

In fact, liposuction, the only proven method to produce permanent spot reduction and contour improvement in areas affected by excess fatty deposits, can be performed on just about any area of the body including cheeks, jowls and neck, chest and breast area, upper arms, back, waist, hips, buttocks, inner and outer thighs and knees, calves, and ankles. However, results are generally better for the abdomen, outer thighs, hips, knees, flanks, back and neck. Maybe now is the time to put you first! Advances in technology and education have produced amazing results for all types of patients.

Each of us is born with a genetically determined number of fat cells. Even if you remain at your ideal body weight for your height and age, the number and size of fat cells increases as you move through childhood and adolescence. After adolescence, fat accumulation increases the fat-cell size and no new fat cells are formed unless you approach morbid obesity (twice your ideal body weight).

Here at Ariana Cosmetic Laser Center we are able to achieve good contour results for several reasons, the first being that we use the internal ultrasound-assisted liposuction machines or the power-assisted liposuction cannulas when indicated. The advantage is that the fat is actually melted prior to being suctioned, and therefore larger quantities of fat can be removed without leaving the patient with irregularities. In addition, we use very small cannulas to suction the fat so there is less risk of the patients being uneven or having skin irregularities. Our intention is not to suction as much fat as possible as this generally leaves the patient looking unnatural, but instead our goal is to achieve great contour results for each individual patient.

Patients best suited for liposuction are not excessively overweight and have firm healthy skin. Good skin tone is required for contraction of the skin following the surgery – the better the skin’s tone, the better the result. Generally, the following five factors affect good skin tone:

• tight skin
• age – younger patients
• thick skin (like the skin of the outer thighs)
• no stretch marks
• minimal prior sun exposure

Good candidates for liposuction also have a realistic attitude about their appearance and recognize that the procedure will not drastically change their lives. Individuals with multiple risk factors such as poor circulation or heart disease may not be able to undergo the procedure safely.

Cellulite, a common but unattractive dimpling and puckering of the skin, cannot be improved using liposuction because it is caused by a combination of fibrous bands and superficial fat. Inelastic fibrous bands connect the skin and deep layer of fat, passing through the superficial layer of fat. Cellulite only occurs in areas having fibrous bands (like buttocks and thighs) because these bands tether the skin when the superficial fat compartments become distended with fat, resulting in dimpling. Removal of the cellulite would require suction of the superficial layer of fat, a procedure that may result in increased risks of skin death, dimpling, puckering and irregularity. Because these complications are difficult to correct, it is best to use non-invasive methods such as the “Velashape”, which we do in the office. I also prefer the Velashape device for improving skin retraction after liposuction, and we are one of the only offices in Nevada to offer this technology to improve skin tightening following the procedure.

Several different techniques for liposuction are used by surgeons today:

• Traditional – began in the 1970s – most common technique for cosmetic fat removal
• Ultrasonic
• Power – assisted liposuction

Standard liposuction, usually performed under local anesthesia, involves the removal of fat through suction by an instrument called a cannula, which is inserted in to the fatty area through a small incision, often less than one-fourth inch each. Usually, two incisions are sufficient for an area. When possible, incisions will be hidden in pubic hair, inside the belly button, or in natural skin creases. Incisions cannot be easily hidden when liposuction removes fat from the hip, upper abdomen and outer thighs.

Probably the most revolutionary advance in liposuction was the introduction of the tumescent technique. Although often referred to as the "new liposuction," this procedure has been commonly used for several years and is almost exclusively used as the technique of choice by most plastic surgeons. A volume of fluid greater than the amount of fat to be removed is injected into the area and then vacuumed out. Injection of the tumescent fluid, which contains saline, lidocaine (local anesthetic), and adrenaline, causes a contraction of the blood vessels that reduces blood loss and improves the final result. Because the fluid makes the nearby fat temporarily stiff, it aids in the suctioning of this fat. The local anesthesia, or numbing agent, also allows the doctor to perform liposuction without general anesthesia. Patients can remain comfortable throughout the procedure but often have less nausea and drowsiness afterwards because of the lighter anesthesia. The rod or cannula has one or more holes at the end and is attached to a suction machine or syringes that produce a vacuum. By moving the cannula through your fat, the doctor will systematically suction the deep fat. Again, small suction cannulas are inserted through very small incisions placed in inconspicuous locations (natural body creases). The tumescent technique decreases the recovery time and, in addition, significantly improves the smoothness of the result and decreases bruising and discomfort after liposuction.

Super-wet liposuction is a similar procedure using less volume of fluid and often requiring general anesthesia, lasting 1 or 2 hours. Ultrasound-Assisted Lipoplasty (UAL) is a procedure using an ultrasonic cannula that obliterates the fat with ultrasonic energy, then removal takes place with a traditional cannula. Depending on the amount of liposuction being performed, either local or general anesthesia will be used.

Immediately following your procedure, your doctor will place you in a liposuction garment that is essential to achieving good results. The garments must be worn from four to six weeks (depending on the patient and the amount of fat removed) because it provides firm pressure and support to the suctioned areas, facilitates skin retraction and optimizes your final contour. If you choose not wear your garment as instructed, you may have baggy, lumpy, irregular and uneven results. The garment is made of wash-and-wear material similar to spandex and is designed to be worn continuously. Of course, you may remove it daily for bathing. (Putting the garment back on after your shower is difficult; you may need help!) The garment, which must be very tight, is similar to a girdle and varies according to the area suctioned; it must extend below the lowest suctioned area and above the highest suctioned area.

Having your liposuction performed by a board-certified plastic surgeon will increase your chances of an uneventful recovery; however even under ideal circumstances, complications may arise as with any surgery. Before your surgery, you will be asked to refrain from smoking. You will not be able to use certain over-the-counter medications like aspirin due to a risk of increased bleeding. Your doctor will discuss your individual precautions with you in advance of your procedure.