Liposuction in Birmingham AL

Liposuction Treatment Areas

Liposuction may be used to reduce localized fat deposits of the:

• Abdomen and waist.
• Back.
• Calves and ankles.
• Chest area.
• Face, cheeks, chin and neck.
• Hips and buttocks.
• Inner knee.
• Thighs.
• Upper arms.

Liposuction Candidates

If you are bothered by excess fat deposits located anywhere on your body that don't respond to diet or exercise, liposuction may be right for you. Ideal candidates for liposuction are:

• Adults within 30% of their ideal weight who have firm, elastic skin and good muscle tone.
• Nonsmokers/non-vapers who are healthy and do not have a life-threatening illness or medical conditions that can impair healing.
• People with a positive outlook and specific goals in mind for body contouring.

Liposuction can be performed alone or along with other plastic surgery procedures, such as a facelift, breast reduction or tummy tuck.

Liposuction is not a treatment for obesity or a substitute for proper diet and exercise. Liposuction works for people of normal weight who have some extra fat. If you have firm, elastic skin, you will have better results. Skin that is soft and thin from stretch marks, weight loss or natural aging will not reshape as well. You may need more surgeries to remove and tighten extra skin. It is also not an effective treatment for cellulite.

Your Liposuction Consultation

The success and safety of your liposuction procedure depends very much on your complete candidness during your consultation. You'll be asked a number of questions about your health, desires and lifestyle.

During your liposuction consultation, be prepared to discuss:

• Your surgical goals.
• Medical conditions, drug allergies and medical treatments.
• Current medications, vitamins, herbal supplements, alcohol, tobacco and drug use.
• Previous surgeries.

Your plastic surgeon will also:

• Evaluate your general health status and any preexisting health conditions or risk factors.
• Take photographs for your medical records.
• Discuss your liposuction options.
• Recommend a course of treatment.
• Discuss likely outcomes of liposuction and any risks or potential complications.
• Answer any questions you have about liposuction.

Liposuction Risks and Safety

Each patient must decide if the benefits of liposuction will achieve their goals, and if the risks and potential complications are acceptable. The risks of liposuction include:

• Anesthesia risks.
• Bruising.
• Cannula breakage.
• Change in skin sensation that may persist.
• Damage to deeper structures such asnerves, blood vessels, muscles, lungs and abdominal organs.
• Deep vein thrombosis, cardiac and pulmonary complications.
• Fluid accumulation.
• Infection.
• Irregular contours or asymmetries.
• Irregular pigmentation.
• Need for revision surgery.
• Poor wound healing.
• Rippling or loose skin, worsening of cellulite.
• Swelling.
• Thermal burn or heat injury from ultrasound with the ultrasound-assisted lipoplasty technique.

Liposuction risks will be fully discussed prior to your consent. It's important that you address all of your concerns about risks with your plastic surgeon. You will be asked to sign consent forms to ensure that you fully understand the procedure and any risks.

Secondary procedures may sometimes be recommended to reduce excess skin. Special considerations are needed when large amounts, usually more than 5 liters of fat, are suctioned.

Preparing for Liposuction

Liposuction procedures are performed at our accredited Outpatient Surgery Facility in Birmingham, Alabama. Be sure to arrange for someone to drive you to and from surgery and stay with you for at least the first night after surgery.

Prior to liposuction surgery, you may be asked to:

• Get lab testing or a medical evaluation.
• Take certain medications or adjust your current medications.
• Stop smoking or vaping. Smoking decreases blood flow, which can impede wound healing and increase the risk of infection.
• Avoid taking aspirin, anti-inflammatory drugs and herbal supplements, which can increase bleeding.

Liposuction Procedure

Liposuction is a surgical procedure that uses a hollow stainless steel tube, called a cannula, which is inserted through small incisions in the skin. The cannula is then used to suction out unwanted fat from specific areas of the body such as the abdomen, hips, thighs and buttocks.

Laser- or ultrasound-assisted liposuction liquefies the fat before it is removed from the body. These techniques may offer some advantages, such as sedation rather than general anesthesia, less trauma to the site and smoother skin in the end.

Liposuction is performed using intravenous sedation or general anesthesia. Your surgeon will recommend the best choice for you.

Liposuction Recovery

After your liposuction surgery is completed, dressings or bandages will be applied to the incisions. You will need to wear an elastic bandage, support bra or a compression garment to minimize swelling and support your body as it heals. If you have drainage tubes, you may be asked to monitor and record how much fluid is emptying into the reservoir.

Your plastic surgeon will give you specific instructions on how to care for yourself after surgery. Following these instructions is essential to the success of your liposuction procedure. The instructions may include:

• How to care for your body following surgery.
• Medications to apply or take orally to aid healing and reduce the potential for infection.
• Specific concerns to look for at the surgical site or in your general health.
• When to follow-up with your plastic surgeon.

The surgical incisions should not be subjected to excessive force, motion, swelling or abrasion during the time of healing.

Liposuction Results

Your improved body contour will be apparent once the swelling and fluid retention commonly experienced following liposuction subside. With continued practices of healthy diet and fitness, the loss of excess fatty tissue should be permanently maintained. However, substantial weight gain can alter the results.

The results of liposuction with Dr. William Hedden, Dr. Stephen Gunn, M.D. or Dr. Joshua Halka will be long lasting, provided that you maintain a stable weight and general fitness. As your body ages, it is natural to lose some firmness, but most of your improvement should be relatively permanent.

It may take several months for the swelling to fully dissipate. As it does, your new contours and enhanced self-image should continue to develop.

Your improved body contour will be apparent when the swelling and fluid retention commonly experienced following liposuction subside.

Although good results are expected from your procedure, there is no guarantee. In some situations, it may not be possible to achieve optimal results with a single surgical procedure and another surgery may be necessary. It is not possible to improve lax skin tone with liposuction.

Liposuction Words to Know

• Breast reduction: Also known as reduction mammaplasty, reduction of breast size by surgery.
• Cannula: A thin, hollow tube used during liposuction to loosen excess fat.
• Facelift: A surgical procedure, also known as rhytidectomy, to reduce sagging of the mid-face, jowls and neck.
• General anesthesia: Drugs and/or gases used during an operation to relieve pain and alter consciousness.
• Hematoma: Blood pooling beneath the skin.
• Intravenous sedation: Sedatives administered by injection into a vein to help you relax.
• Lipoplasty: Another term for liposuction.
• Liposuction: Also called lipoplasty or suction lipectomy, this procedure vacuums out fat from beneath the skin's surface to reduce fullness.
• Local anesthesia: A drug injected directly to the site of an incision during an operation to relieve pain.
• Suction lipectomy: Another term for liposuction.
• Sutures: Stitches used by surgeons to hold skin and tissue together.
• Tumescent liposuction or super-wet liposuction: Involves an infusion of saline solution with adrenaline and possibly anesthetic prior to removal of excess fat.
• Tummy tuck: A surgical procedure, also known as abdominoplasty, to correct the apron of excess skin hanging over your abdomen.
• Ultrasound-assisted lipoplasty: Uses ultrasonic energy to liquefy excess fat prior to surgical suctioning.