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liposuction surgery

Your Top Liposuction Questions Answered

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woman-slim-bellyLiposuction is a plastic surgery that speaks to an extremely common frustration: unwanted fat. Many people look in the mirror and see select areas that they wish were slimmer, whether it’s their abdomen, “double chin,” thighs, upper arms, or other areas. To help you gain a better understanding of liposuction and whether it may be able to give you the body contours you prefer, I’m answering some of the most common questions I receive about liposuction as a double board-certified plastic surgeon.

After Liposuction, Will the Fat Return?

This is an important question, and the answer is that it depends on your lifestyle choices. You are generally born with a set number of fat cells and when you gain weight, you don’t develop new fat cells; your fat cells just get larger. Liposuction works by removing fat cells from a precise area. While those fat cells won’t return, you will still have some fat cells in the area, and those can get larger if you’re taking in excess calories. This means you can gain weight in the treated area, although you will typically gain weight more slowly in this area because there are fewer fat cells here than in other areas.

Will I Have Scars After Liposuction?

Every surgery leaves scarring, but fortunately, liposuction scars are very minimal. The incisions I use for liposuction are very small, so your scars will be small and usually difficult to see. Additionally, I do everything I can to place these very small incisions in the natural creases of your body which makes them even more difficult to spot. This is especially true for my minimally invasive Band Aid Liposuction, a procedure I perform in-office with gentle numbing rather than general anesthesia.

Can Liposuction Be Part of a Weight Loss Journey?

Liposuction can play a part in weight loss, but in a different way than most people think. Liposuction is not an “easier” way to lose weight. In fact, your weight will barely drop after liposuction. This surgery is designed not for removing a considerable amount of fat but for refining your curves and contours by addressing small, specific bulges of fat.

For this reason, liposuction is a popular choice for people who have lost weight through other means and reached their goal weight, but who have some stubborn areas remaining and want to enhance their results. It’s important to be at or near your goal weight before considering liposuction.

How Much Time Should I Take Off Work for Liposuction?

The good news is that liposuction tends to have a shorter recovery period than many other plastic surgeries. The bad news is that it’s not possible to know exactly how long your recovery will be. There are many factors that affect your healing period, such as the details of your procedure, your pre-surgery and post-surgery care, your health, and more. It will also depend on the work you do because you’ll be ready for desk work before you will be ready to do work that is more physically demanding. Most people will be able to return to desk work within one week of their liposuction surgery, but we will discuss your recovery in more detail during your pre-surgical consultation.

What Areas Can I Treat with Liposuction?

Liposuction is an incredibly versatile surgery that can be used for nearly any area of your body where you have unwanted fat. Some of the most common areas include the abdomen, upper arms, hips, back, “double chin,” and thighs, as well as the chest and flanks for men. For particularly small areas of excess fat, my minimally invasive Band Aid Liposuction may be an option.

If you’re considering liposuction, the first step is to schedule a liposuction consultation at my Atlanta office to discuss your specific needs and what you can expect. Call me, plastic surgeon Dr. John LeRoy, to schedule your consultation today. Follow me on Facebook for more cosmetic surgery tips and insights.

Am I a Good Candidate for Liposuction?

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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.