liposuction surgery

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Liposuction has become one of the most frequently performed procedures in the United States. It can be done as a stand-alone procedure or in conjunction with abdominoplasty or even facelift. The ideal liposuction candidate is a person who is in good overall shape and is close to their weight goal, yet has areas resistant to diet and exercise. Thus, liposuction is a shaping procedure, not a weight loss procedure. Additionally, not every area can be treated with liposuction. For example, a large abdomen may have fat inside the abdominal wall, which is not available for liposuction.

The liposuction procedure is typically done under adequate anesthesia to allow your surgeon to do the very best job possible. For larger areas, this will be a general anesthetic. While local anesthesia can be used for smaller areas, there are limits to the area that can safely be done with this technique. Our surgery is done in our on-site, fully accredited and licensed specialty facility.

Liposuction is an exciting technique with tremendous potential to shape the body, but has limitations based on the skin quality and planned volume removal. While everyone wants to get rid of cellulite, most commonly liposuction will neither help smooth the skin, nor make it worse.

The typical procedure may involve, the neck, arms, back, abdomen, thighs, knees, or even ankles and sometimes all these areas. Surgery will take from one to 3 hours most commonly and you will wear a compression garment for 3 to 6 weeks or so post-operatively. After a liposuction procedure patients can usually return to completely normal activity within 4 to 6 weeks, but swelling to some extent may be present up to 6 to 9 months. It is common to not lose weight (because of swelling) for 2 or even more weeks. It is important to follow instructions during this time to get back to a normal life style and speed swelling resolution.

For patient safety concerns, fat aspiration is limited to under 5 liters as an outpatient. For larger volumes, it may be necessary to spend the night in the hospital for observation and fluid management.

There are many techniques for fat suction, some involving dissolution of the fat before aspiration. The board certified surgeons of Edina Plastic Surgery are well versed in all these methods and will be able to review your options and come up with a safe, effective and realistic plan to help you achieve your goals. Call us at 952-925-1765 or fill out a free consult form online to talk to one of our surgeons about whether you are a good candidate for liposuction.

Click here to see liposuction photo gallery.