Am I a Good Candidate for Liposuction?

Liposuction is a highly popular plastic surgery, and this doesn’t come as a surprise to most people. After all, one look at any movie, TV show, or magazine makes it clear that our society’s beauty standard emphasizes slimmer physiques.

While liposuction can be a fantastic way to help you achieve the shape you’ve been working toward for your body, it’s important to know if this surgery truly is the right choice. As a double board-certified plastic surgeon, I have spent decades helping patients achieve their cosmetic goals, and that includes determining the best way to treat each patient’s needs. To find out if you may be a candidate for liposuction, begin by asking yourself the questions below.

What Area Do You Want to Improve?

What part of your appearance do you most want to improve? Fortunately, liposuction is a versatile procedure that I can perform for nearly any area of the body, including the abdomen, thighs, upper arms, hips, “double chin” area above the neck, and more. However, it’s important to note that liposuction is designed to treat only one or a few smaller problem areas at a time. If you want to slim down your entire body, it’s best to lose weight first and use liposuction to fine-tune your results.

What Results Do You Expect?

Like any plastic surgery, liposuction has specific uses and limitations. This procedure exclusively removes excess fat. It does not tighten your skin, nor does it reduce cellulite.

Take time to truly examine the area you are considering for liposuction. How firm is your skin in the area? Is it the size of the area that you dislike, or is it actually the quality of the skin? If you want to tighten the skin, you may be a better candidate for a different procedure like an arm lift, for example, or a combination of liposuction and a skin-tightening procedure.

Are You Healthy?

Cosmetic surgery is low-risk when it is performed by an experienced board-certified plastic surgeon. Part of the reason for this is because well-trained surgeons know how to evaluate a patient’s health to look for factors that could increase your surgical risks. This includes medical conditions that could impair your healing after surgery. At your pre-surgical consultation, we’ll discuss your medical history to look for potential risk factors and you’ll receive a medical evaluation before your surgery as well.

Are You Prepared for Your Recovery?

Liposuction may be cosmetic, but it’s still a surgery, so it will require a recovery period. To be a candidate for liposuction, you need to be prepared to take time off work and to follow all of your post-surgical care instructions. It is particularly important that you can avoid tobacco or nicotine use for several weeks before and after your procedure. All of this and more will be discussed at your consultation and pre-surgery appointment.

Fortunately, though, your recovery may be shorter than you expect. Some liposuction candidates may also be candidates for my Band Aid Liposuction, a minimally invasive surgery that I perform in-office with gentle numbing rather than general anesthesia. While this procedure still achieves fantastic results, you’ll have about half the recovery time you would have from traditional liposuction.

What Are Your Future Cosmetic Goals?

Liposuction is designed to artfully contour your physique, much in the way that a sculptor precisely shapes a sculpture. If you gain or lose a significant amount of weight after your surgery, it will affect your results. This is why ideal candidates for liposuction have a stable weight that they plan to maintain in the long term.

While these questions can serve as helpful guides, the only way to know for certain whether you are a candidate for liposuction is to schedule a liposuction consultation. Call my Atlanta office today to schedule your consultation. Follow me as well on Facebook and Twitter for more cosmetic surgery tips and insights.