Who is a good Candidate?
Those who are in good health, who have areas of excess fat which cannot be addressed despite an optimal diet and exercise regimen are potentially good candidates for liposuction.
The best candidates are those
in or near their ideal body weight range
who have good skin tone
with no excess skin or only minor sagging of the skin
who have localised excess fat deposits
who have realistic expectations of liposuction (perfection is not realistic)
committed to maintaining a healthy diet and exercise program to control their body weight post procedure
There is no definite age or weight limit for patients who are “good candidates”
Those who are overweight may benefit from a reduction of problem areas. Although not an appropriate weight loss tool, liposuction can frequently boost self esteem and provide motivation to make lifestyle modifications to reduce weight back into an ideal range. However liposuction is not an appropriate treatment for obesity. If your goal is weight loss then we can discuss alternative options to help you achieve your goal.
Are the results permanent?
Liposuction physically removes entire fat cells which do not “grow back”. In contrast when you lose weight fat cells merely become smaller without significantly decreasing in number. If you regularly consume more calories than you require after liposuction, the remaining fat cells can increase in size and the treated areas can potentially become problematic again. However they generally do not become as large as they were prior to liposuction.
Therefore it is important to optimise your diet and exercise following treatment to maintain your results. We provide a consultation with our qualified Nutritionist to help you acquire the necessary tools to keep the look you’ve achieved.
How long does the procedure take?
The total time taken will depend on the type of anaesthesia used (local or general) and the extent of area(s) being treated. Generally it takes between 2-3 hours. Larger areas such as abdomen and hips performed as a combined procedure can take up to 4 hours. It is recommended you allow at least half a day for a liposuction procedure.
You will need to come to the hospital 90 minutes prior to the procedure and stay for 1 hour following the procedure for cases performed under local anaesthetic. An overnight stay is usually required for liposuction performed under general anaesthesia.
The longer duration of the tumescent procedure is to allow adequate time for slow careful instillation of the local anaesthetic solution into the fatty tissues thereby minimising discomfort. It is also important to allow some time for the anaesthetic solution to fully disperse into the tissues as this helps increase the amount of fat obtained during liposuction. Achieving a smooth, even result involves a methodical and gradual reduction in the thickness of the fat compartments in repeated steps.
Where is the surgery performed ?
All liposuction procedures are performed at an accredited surgical facility in a fully equipped surgical operating theatre. Accreditation means it has met appropriate standards and has strict policies in place designed to maximise your safety.
If you require extra pain relief and/or sedation during the procedure, this can be safely administered by dedicated staff whose role is to continuously monitor and support your physical, psychological and emotional wellbeing throughout the procedure.
How many areas can be treated in one session?
This is dependent on whether the procedure is performed using the tumescent technique with local anaesthesia or under General anaesthesia. The safe maximum amount of local anaesthetic for the tumescent liposuction technique is based on body weight. Multiple areas may need to be treated in separate sessions to ensure your safety.
What are the pre-procedure requirements?
Preoperative blood tests, antibiotics and avoidance of certain medications are required prior to a liposuction procedure. These will be discussed in detail and documentation provided once we have determined together that liposculpture can meet your goals.
What are the risks of the procedure?
All operations carry some degree of risk. The risks associated with liposuction can be minimised with appropriate assessment of your health and adherence to pre and post treatment instructions. In patients who are in good health, tumescent liposuction is a relatively safe procedure and serious complications are rare. Common side effects include bruising, swelling and temporary numbness over the treated area. The risk of skin irregularities are minimised by the use of specialised micro-cannulas and avoidance of removing too much fat.
Comprehensive information regarding the potential risks of the procedure will be provided to enable you to make an informed decision about whether to proceed with liposuction.
Will I lose weight following liposuction?
The fat removed during liposuction does not weigh very much compared to other tissues in the body such as muscle. You may notice a variable reduction of a few kilograms on the scales once all the fluid has drained out following surgery and the swelling subsides. What you should notice is your clothes fit more comfortably or even feel loose and your silhouette is improved.
What happens to the excess skin over the fat?
Essentially the degree of skin change after liposuction is the same you might expect if you were to lose an equal amount of fat from the problematic area by dieting alone. After liposuction the skin tends to mould itself over the areas which have been treated. If your skin has good tone and elasticity the skin is more likely to be smooth. However if the skin tone is poor the skin can be loose. It may take several months to determine what the final result will be.
If there is a large amount of excess skin in areas to be treated such as the abdomen, inner thighs or upper arms, surgery to remove the excess skin in conjunction with liposuction may be required to achieve the best results. This is a more extensive procedure and is performed under general anaesthesia, either by or in conjunction with a plastic surgeon.
What happens at the Initial Consultation?
We will first listen to your concerns and gain an understanding of your goals. A comprehensive medical history will be taken and an examination performed to determine your suitability for liposuction. If liposuction can assist in achieving your goals, comprehensive written information regarding the procedure will be provided for you to consider the procedure further. The initial consultation takes approximately one hour.
* Fee appliesIf together we determine liposculpture is appropriate for you, baseline blood tests are requested and a written estimate provided. A follow up consultation is required for a detailed discussion regarding the pre and post procedure requirements, expected outcomes and completion of the informed consent process. Measurements for your compression garment are taken and appropriate hospital admission forms will be completed.
Will I have to wear garments afterwards?
Following liposuction under local anaesthesia compression garments are essential for the first few days to help the anaesthetic solution inserted at the time of surgery to drain out thereby reducing swelling, bruising and minimising discomfort. They also help to collapse the tunnels made in the fat during the procedure improving the silhouette. If you have liposuction under general anaesthesia garments need to be worn for around 4 weeks.
Wearing garments for longer periods (1-4 weeks) following liposuction under local anaesthetic can continue to reduce swelling and maximise your comfort. They can also help with the final result by avoiding localised pressure which could result in skin indentation during the healing phase.
Liposuction to certain areas such as the legs and breasts require the use of garments for longer periods (4-6 weeks maximum)
How long will I need off work?
It depends upon the nature of your job and the type of anaesthetic you choose. Typically if you have the procedure under local anaesthetic and your job involves light physical work, you can expect to return to work in 2-3 days. Heavier labour requires approximately a week off work. If you have general anaesthesia these time frames may be lengthened by 7-10 days.
What are the costs?
The costs of liposculpture vary depending on the size and number of areas to be treated and whether the procedure is performed under local anesthetic or general anaesthetic. Once you have had your initial consultation an individualised estimate can be provided.
Are there other options for weight loss?
Diet, exercise and metabolism contribute to achieving and maintaining weight loss. Abby, our Nutritionist can work with you to create a unique and personalised treatment plan. Her goal is to provide you with the knowledge and tools to achieve and maintain your goal weight long term in the least restrictive way.
If you are obese (see section on body mass index or BMI, below for help with this) surgery may be an option to reduce your weight back into a healthy range.
Surgical treatments for obesity are performed under general anaesthesia and range in invasiveness, complexity and recovery time. Most procedures are referred to as “restrictive” and aim to reduce the size of the stomach. This results in a reduced appetite and makes you feel “full” with less food.
These procedures can be performed via a telescope placed through the mouth, such as an Endoscopic Sleeve Gastroplasty (ESG), or by laparoscopic (key-hole) surgery such as a laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy. More extensive or “malabsorptive” surgery involves the additional procedure of bypassing a large portion of the small intestine where most of the food is absorbed.
If these are more appropriate treatment options for you we can discuss these and refer you to surgeons who specialise in these procedures.
Before and After photos
Your body shape and skin quality are unique to you and results from another patient's procedure cannot guarantee what can be achieved in your case. An individualised consultation is essential to give you an idea of what can be achieved with your body shape, skin quality and desired outcomes in mind. We also recognise liposuction is a very private experience for most patients. For these reasons we do not post before and after photos on our website.
What is Body Mass Index?
Body mass index or BMI is a tool to evaluate the degree of unhealthy or excess weight.
It is easy to measure, reliable and correlated with body fat mass providing a better estimate compared with body weight alone. However it can overestimate the degree of excess weight in individuals who are overweight but are very muscular and underestimate it in older persons due to loss of muscle mass associated with ageing.
It is calculated from the weight in kilograms divided by square of height in meters.
Calculate your BMI using the equation or use the link below
heartfoundation.org.nz/wellbeing/bmi-calculator
Obesity is associated with a significant increased risk of disease and death.
It is subdivided into 3 classes
Addition of waist circumference for those with a BMI between 25-35 assesses abdominal obesity (fat around the organs) and provides independent health risk information otherwise not accounted for by the BMI value alone.
A waist circumference > 88cm in women and 102cm in men is elevated and indicates an increased risk of developing heart disease, diabetes, hypertension, elevated blood lipids and non alcohol related fatty liver disease.
If this applies to you it is best discussed and managed with your General Practitioner who looks after your overall health and wellbeing
Are there any less invasive alternatives to deal with localised areas of excess fat?
Nonsurgical and minimally invasive options for fat reduction involve several technologies. The most common modalities use heat or cooling. These treatments are not replacements for liposuction but can provide options for those who are not candidates for liposuction either by evaluation or by choice.
Cryolipolysis is a non surgical technique which disrupts fat cells using cooling techniques. It has been commercially available for the longest time and it has been the best researched. Examples of this technology are ‘Cooltech” ™ and “Coolsculpt” ™
Fat cells (adipocytes) are more susceptible to cooling than other skin cells. Precise application of cold temperatures triggers apoptosis (programmed cell death) of adipocytes. This creates an inflammatory response and as a result cells called macrophages digest the dead cells. In this way the injured fat cells are gradually eliminated from the body over a period of 4-6 months.The fat bulge decreases in size with an average fat reduction of around 20%. Further treatments may be recommended or required to obtain optimal results.
The treatment takes approximately one hour. No anaesthetic is used. After an assessment of the dimensions and shape of the fatty bulge to be treated, an appropriate size applicator is chosen. The area of concern is marked and a gel pad is placed over the skin. The applicator is then applied over the bulge and a vacuum applied to the area. After an initial cold sensation, the area in the applicator becomes numb.
References
Include ; Up To Date online medical resource, Textbook on Tumescent Liposuction (JA Klein MD), Journal of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery.
Disclaimer
The statements and photos on this website do not state or imply any guarantee of what individual results may be achieved.