ANTIAGING BODY TREATMENTS
Liposuction
Liposuction is a surgical technique to improve the
body's contour by removing excess fat from deposits
located between the skin and muscle.
It is achieved by inserting a small stainless steel
tube, called a cannula into the fat through small incisions
in the skin. This is connected to a powerful suction
pump. Fat is removed as the suction through the cannula
creates tiny tunnels through the fatty layers.
After the procedure, these tiny tunnels collapse and
thus result in an improved body contour.
There are several liposuction techniques used today,
based around pain management. These include:
- Tumescent Liposuction
- Modified Tumescent Liposuction
- Ultrasonic Tumescent Liposuction
Tumescent Liposuction
Tumescent liposuction uses large volumes of very dilute
local anesthesia injected into the fat causing the targeted
areas to be come ‘tumescent’, or swollen
and firm. The local anesthesia persists for many hours
so is no need for pain medications after surgery.
Modified Tumescent Liposuction
Modified tumescent liposuction uses a combination
of tumescent local anesthesia plus some form of systemic
anesthesia [general anesthesia or heavy IV sedation].
Tumescent liposuction is regarded as the safest form
due to the smaller ‘microcannula’ being
used. The size of the liposuction cannula can influence
the smoothness of the skin after liposuction. The use
of large cannulas tend to create irregularities more
commonly than microcannulas (outside diameter less than
3 millimeters). Surgeons who do total-body liposuction
tend to use larger cannulas.
Ultrasonic Tumescent Liposuction
This is a blending of tumescent liposuction procedures
with both non-ultrasonic as well as ultrasonic liposuction
cannulae. The cannulae used are long, slender, and highly
flexible, being gentler on the patient’s tissues.
Older liposuction cannulae are rigid and stiff rods
which tend to poke and jab at the surface skin because
they cannot bend around the natural curvatures of the
skin. The new third generation rods curve predictably
beneath the skin and are easily manipulated by the surgeon.
Using a combination of rods gives good handling for
firmer, denser fat using a stiffer ultrasonic rod, combined
with the soft flexible rods in more delicate areas immediately
under the skin. Using tiny cannulae is most beneficial
in hard to access areas around the knees or some parts
of the arms.
Liposuction Complications
Liposuction complications are often the direct result
of poor physician practice, so extreme care should be
taken in selecting a cosmetic surgeon.
- Excessive liposuction where too much fat is aspirated.
This surgical trauma causes complications.
- Unrelated surgical procedures on the same day as
liposuction resulting in prolonged exposure to anaesthesia.
- Disfiguring skin irregularities and depressions
are frequently the result of the surgeon's inattention
to detail and the size of cannula used.
Liposuction After Care
After tumescent liposuction, there is a certain amount
of blood-tinged local anaesthetic solution that remains
under the skin. This excess fluid is either slowly absorbed
over several weeks into the blood stream, or it can
be rapidly removed by drainage.
Refer to specialist
sites for before and after photos and treatment details:
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