Liposuction – Lipoplasty

Liposuction, also called lipoplasty or suction-assisted lipectomy, is a proven, safe surgical procedure that removes excess fat deposits from the body, face and/or neck area. It is most often used to slim down thighs, hips and buttocks, flatten the abdomen, shape the knees, calves and ankles, and eliminate a double chin.

Actual Santa Rosa Liposuction Patient

Women and men who are within normal weight ranges, but have isolated areas of fat that do not respond to diet and exercise are ideal candidates for liposuction. Localized fat is often an inherited trait and liposuction is usually the only way to eliminate it. Healthy but overweight patients may also be candidates for liposuction. Dr. Marcus can help the patient make the proper determination.

Dr. Marcus always performs liposuction using the “tumescent” technique. The tumescent technique introduces a saline solution and local anesthesia into the tissues prior to the suctioning. This solution not only anesthetizes the area but also eliminates bleeding. In addition to traditional liposuction, Dr. Marcus also uses SmartLipo® laser assisted liposuction. With SmartLipo®, a very fine laser emitting fiber is inserted through small incisions near the area to be treated. The laser tip first liquefies the fat, then the fat is removed with a liposuction cannula.

The latest liposuction technique that Dr. Marcus utilizes is SAFELipo®. SAFELipo® is an advanced liposuction technique that utilizes specialized liposuction cannulas in a very specific method to remove fat. Dr. Marcus is one of only a few liposuction surgeons worldwide trained in this advanced technique. Dr. Marcus now uses SAFELipo® in most all cases as he finds it produces less discomfort and swelling yet provides much smoother results. “I am continually amazed at the benefits of this amazing technique.” Visit www.safelipo.com for more information.

After liposuction you may be able to return to work in just a few days, although you may still be swollen and bruised. Although the bruising usually subsides fairly soon, the swelling may take weeks to months to subside. With gentle technique and advanced technologies, most patients report less pain, swelling and bruising than with the older methods.

Within two or three weeks you should begin to see visible effects of your surgery, but the full effect of the surgery may not be evident for six months to a year. The more fat that is removed, the longer it takes for full results to be seen because the skin needs to adapt to a greater change.

Although infrequent, some complications can occur with this surgery. These include bleeding, infection and reaction to anesthesia. Also some skin numbness is to be expected after surgery. It is usually only temporary, however, it is possible for some numbness to persist or even be permanent. Skin discoloration and irregularity may occur in some instances.

Liposuction – Quick Facts