The body deposits fat in a certain pattern, and for the most part, we have little control over how and where this process occurs. Similarly, even with diligent diet and exercise, the pattern in which fat is eliminated sometimes complicates your aesthetics goals, leaving behind stubborn fat deposits.
At Zormeier Cosmetic Surgery & Longevity Center in Noblesville, IN, we offer a comprehensive suite of liposuction treatments to help people in this situation take that final step towards the transformed appearance they’ve been working for. This procedure allows for stubborn fat removal with a high degree of precision, allowing for effortlessly natural-looking results that harmonize with your natural contours.
How Does Liposuction Work?
While there are several ways to approach this surgical fat removal procedure, as we will explore below, the general framework for all liposuction procedures goes as follows:
- Small incisions are made around the treatment area
- In some cases, a solution containing anesthetic and other substances is injected into the treatment area
- A special tube called a cannula is inserted beneath the skin
- The fat cells are broken up in one of several ways
- The newly dislodged fat cells are extracted through the tube
- Incisions are closed and bandaged.
In your own research, you may hear various terms as it concerns the different forms of liposuction treatments, such as tumescent liposuction, power-assisted liposuction (PAL), tumescent liposuction, and more. The majority of these approaches differ in how they break up the fatty tissue (e.g., tumescent liposuction uses a special solution, power-assisted liposuction uses a small [powered] tool, etc.).
Regardless of the methodology used, when the fat cells are extracted, they are permanently gone. However, this doesn’t mean that it is impossible to regain fat in the area, as the remaining fat cells can still expand.
Who Is Liposuction For?
Prior to receiving liposuction surgery, it’s important to understand the nature and extent of the results it is meant to deliver and the medical prerequisites necessary for safely undergoing the procedure.
Contouring Vs Weight Loss
First, liposuction is meant for contouring, not significant weight loss. This surgical fat removal treatment is not in the same category, for example, as bariatric surgeries like gastric bypass. Where a successful gastric bypass can facilitate tens or hundreds of pounds of weight loss (in the 1-2 years following the procedure) depending on the patient’s preoperative weight, liposuction rarely allows for more than 7 or 8 pounds of weight loss. Rather, the focus is to eliminate small to moderate-sized, exercise-resistant fat deposits for contouring purposes. Still, when bolstered by diet and exercise, a well-executed liposuction treatment can make significant improvements in your overall aesthetic.
Medical Prerequisites
Liposuction is a safe and well-tolerated procedure that is used both for purely aesthetic concerns (stubborn fat removal) as well as medical conditions like gynecomastia. The majority of potential patients in reasonably good health will qualify for this procedure, but there are several conditions and other factors that may affect your eligibility.
These factors include, but are not limited to the following:
- Poor skin elasticity and/or texture
- Various medications (anticoagulants especially)
- Various medical conditions (heart disease, bleeding disorders, allergies to medications, diabetes, etc.)
- Habitual alcohol use, drug use, or smoking
Our team at Zormeier Cosmetic Surgery and Longevity Center of Noblesville, IN will carefully and comprehensively evaluate your health status—including your medical history and any medications/supplements you are currently taking—to ensure that you are medically eligible for liposuction. It’s also important to establish that each patient has healthy expectations of treatment.
Patient Goals, Expectations, and Mental Health
Even for well-qualified patients who present with one or more stubborn fat deposits in locations that liposuction can effectively treat, another vital part of the preoperative process is aligning your expectations of treatment with the results it can actually provide. Going hand-in-hand with this component is the importance of ensuring that each patient has a healthy self-image going into the treatment. For example, both the pre- and post-treatment liposuction scenarios can exacerbate the symptoms of body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) for many patients.
Explore Our Full Suite of Liposuction Treatments
Our team at Zormeier Cosmetic Surgery and Longevity Center specializes in a wide range of liposuction treatments, including the following:
- Laser Liposuction
- Cool Lipo Laser Liposuction
- Liposculpting
- Standard Liposuction
- BodyTite
- Microaire Power-Assisted Liposuction
This range of treatments allows us to accommodate an equally broad range of patients, from those looking for greater fat removal to those more interested in more subtle contouring work, and everyone in between. These treatments use industry-leading technologies to reduce recovery time and postoperative discomfort while maximizing efficiency of surgical fat removal. Read on to learn more about the unique advantages of each approach.
Laser Liposuction
Also referred to as laser lipolysis (lipolysis means “fat” + “cell death”), laser liposuction uses concentrated laser energy to break up fat more efficiently.
In this procedure, a thin laser fiber is inserted beneath the skin, where it applies heat energy to attack the targeted fat cells, making them easier to remove. This method typically allows for less bruising, swelling, and downtime than traditional liposuction, which requires manual force to break up the fatty tissue.
Another benefit of laser liposuction is the collateral effects of the heat energy on surrounding collagen tissue. As the tissue is heated, collagen activity increases, tightening and rejuvenating the skin over time (as the collagen fibers continue to mature).
Cool Lipo Laser Liposuction
Cool Lipo Laser Liposuction blends laser energy with suction to more effectively break up targeted fat cells. The laser energy liquifies the fat, allowing more of it to be removed for a more dramatic result.
Like standard laser liposuction, Cool Lipo Laser Liposuction enables the efficient removal of fatty deposits while decreasing downtime, bruising, and other issues, all while encouraging a skin-tightening effect.
Liposculpting
True to its name, liposculpting is similar to standard liposuction, but with an increased emphasis on more finely-tuned contouring.
Both liposuction and liposculpture promote stubborn fat removal for the following areas:
- Abdomen
- Thighs
- Buttocks
- Upper arms
- Several other locations
How (and how much) the fat is removed and recontoured is the main difference between these two treatments.
Where liposuction is primarily focused on simply removing fat deposits for a slimmer overall appearance, liposculpting uses thinner cannulas to allow for greater contouring capability. You can think of the difference between the two as the difference between a large eraser and a small eraser. Liposuction is capable of removing larger fat deposits, while liposculpting can reshape and reposition fat more effectively to create more attractive contours.
Standard Liposuction
A tried-and-true mainstay of the cosmetics industry for decades, standard liposuction has helped thousands of people dramatically improve their silhouette with quick recovery time and long-lasting results.
In this procedure, the cannula manually breaks up fatty tissue once it is inserted beneath the skin. The provider moves the cannula back and forth, dislodging the fat cells and preparing them to be suctioned out permanently.
Incisions are carefully positioned in order to be as concealed as possible as they heal, and the procedure is highly customizable.
BodyTite
Offering a considerably less invasive, and thus easier to recover from alternative to traditional liposuction that still produces impressive results, BodyTite has quickly become one of the most popular sculpting treatments out there.
This treatment uses radiofrequency energy, which serves two key functions. In addition to melting the fatty tissue for easier removal via the inserted cannula, radiofrequency energy also promotes skin tightening. This is a fitting combination, as the skin’s elasticity is sometimes not enough to accommodate for the fat removal, resulting in slightly droopy skin. With BodyTite, this is a non-issue, and with less to recover from, thanks to the use of a smaller incision.
Microaire Power-Assisted Liposuction
Introducing a powered cannula into the equation may initially sound like an element that would increase recovery time, bruising, and other issues, but in the case of Microaire Power-Assisted Liposuction, it’s actually the opposite.
This is because Microaire Power-Assisted Liposuction uses a smaller cannula while also allowing the provider to administer the treatment faster and with less manual effort. As the cannula vibrates, fatty tissue in the treatment area is broken up highly effectively, all while preserving surrounding tissues.
The result is a significant boost in fat reduction, allowing for greater control over your ability to contour and slim problem spots.
Recovery 101: Downtime, Aftercare Tips, and More
As you might expect, both the treatment type and individualized factors (i.e., your age, amount of fat removed, location, health status, etc.) can significantly affect every aspect of the post-treatment scenario, including downtime and aftercare. Hence, it’s always best to defer to your provider’s individualized post-treatment guidelines over generalized protocols.
With that in mind, we can still provide a basic outline describing what patients can typically expect following the treatment, including aftercare tips, to at least give you some context.
What to Expect From The Initial Recovery Process
Using standard liposuction as an example, patients will experience redness, swelling, bruising, and mild-to-moderate discomfort immediately following the procedure. These issues should begin to resolve within the first 2-3 days after treatment. In the majority of cases, you will be required to wear a compression garment for multiple weeks to facilitate healing and reduce swelling.
As for the timetable relating to downtime, returning to normal activities, and so on, most patients will be required to take between 1-2 weeks off of work. If your job is more physically demanding, it will likely take at least 4-6 weeks to return—the same goes for vigorous exercise.
Short-Term and Long-Term Aftercare
As mentioned, compression garments are key for ensuring a smooth and expedient recovery, as they will manage swelling. Prescribed anti-inflammatory and/or pain medications will help with the discomfort and allow you to be more functional as you begin to gradually increase your activity level.
During your first week after the treatment especially, it’s important to rest as much as possible, including sleeping for 8 hours a night and staying well hydrated. Abstaining from alcohol and cigarette smoking is essential during the recovery period, as they can interfere with healing. Following up with our team is highly recommended throughout the recovery period, as this gives us the opportunity to monitor your healing progress, answer any questions or concerns you have, and make any adjustments as needed. It’s also important to continue your dieting and exercise efforts in the long run, as this will prevent the remaining fat cells in the area from expanding.
Choose Zormeier Cosmetic Surgery and Longevity Center of Noblesville, IN for an Industry-Leading Liposuction Treatment
Proudly serving the Noblesville and Shelbyville, IN, Danville, IL, Healdsburg, CA, and Ukiah, CA areas, our team is deeply committed to providing each patient with a rewarding and transformative liposuction procedure.
As your liposuction expert, we will work with you in a collaborative effort to align your visions of renewed beauty with a fully customized treatment plan that delivers those results and more. Our industry-leading treatments are overseen by double-board certified surgeon Dr. Michele Zormeier, who applies her many years of experience to shaping our practice into the best possible version of itself.
Contact our friendly and knowledgeable team today for a consultation, and we’ll get you started on the path towards a potentially life-changing liposuction treatment.
