Liposuction is one of the best approaches to remove unwanted fat and to contour your body. Although there are many cosmetic benefits to the procedure, there are several factors you should consider before making the commitment.
Have A Consistent Lifestyle
Liposuction is generally designed as a way to contour your physique, so it only makes sense that the best candidates will be people who are generally self-disciplined in living a healthy lifestyle. If you frequently fluctuate in weight or have lost a significant amount of weight but have not maintained your weight loss for a year or so, it is best if you wait to have liposuction. Liposuction is not a permanent tool because if you gain weight, the fat will return. However, the fat cells removed during liposuction are one of the few ways to permanently remove those specific fat cells. When you lose weight, fat cells only shrink, not die, which can be a reason why regaining weight is so easy. It is also important to be consistent in your healthier lifestyle because you may not have a true idea what your body looks like. Sometimes shedding a few extra pounds or being more diligent about building muscle and sculpting your body can help you achieve the physique you want.
Consider Alternative Procedures
Although liposuction is the gold standard for fat removal, it is not necessarily the best approach for people who have small amounts of unwanted fat in a specific area. You might have a little double chin, a small pouch on your abdomen, or annoying fat pockets under your buttocks, which could benefit from an alternative procedure like cryolipolysis. Since liposuction is a more invasive procedure with longer recovery time, it is best left for larger unwanted areas of fat.
For example, some people may be relatively fit, but carry more of their fat in their abdomen, which could make them look larger than they are. In this case, you may want to use liposuction as a tool to help you achieve your ideal figure. Liposuction is also useful if you want another procedure to sculpt your body, such as the Brazilian butt lift. During this procedure, you have liposuction to remove fat in unwanted areas and have the fat redeposited in your buttocks area.
Look For Tumescent Liposuction
More doctors are using tumescent liposuction as an alternative to using traditional anesthesia during the procedure. This alternative method eliminates the risk of complications associated with general anesthesia. During tumescent liposuction, you are given small injections of lidocaine to numb the skin. The numbed area receives a couple small incisions so the cannula can be inserted without pain. These cannula are inserted into the targeted area so a solution of saline and lidocaine can be used to fill the area that will be liposuctioned.
The saline/lidocaine solution helps expand the area with fluid while providing anesthetic. Since lidocaine can be toxic at high levels, the addition of saline allows the doctor to use more lidocaine without toxicity. The lidocaine used also has epinephrine, which helps constrict blood vessels, thereby minimizing bleeding during the procedure. Once the area is filled with the solution, the doctor can begin suctioning the fat and sculpting the area. Since the area is inflated with fluid, it is easier for the doctor to maneuver instruments under the skin and see which areas need more liposuctioning. Another advantage of the tumescent approach is that the lidocaine continues to be an effective anesthetic for up to a day after the procedure, which can make post-procedural pain easier to manage.
Liposuction is one of the best cosmetic tools for sculpting your body, but it is not a decision to be taken lightly. Before you choose to have liposuction, make sure it is the right approach for your needs.