Liposuction - is it worth it?
When it comes to resorting to a plastic surgery intervention to improve the aspect of the body and face, we always have to consider the costs, potential risks, and the benefits that we could achieve. Lipo is among the most frequently performed plastic surgery interventions worldwide. And for a good reason. It is a minimally invasive intervention that can deliver spectacular results. More than this, the fat extracted during a liposuction session can be used to enhance other areas of the body. Let’s see together how we can determine if liposuction is worth it or not.
What you should know about liposuction
We say about liposuction that it is a minimally invasive procedure because it can be performed without too much damage to the tissues; it needs a small incision and leaves behind minimal scarring. Liposuction is a safe procedure, but certain conditions need to be met to achieve satisfactory results and avoid complications.
For example, few people know that there is an upper limit to the amount of fat that can be extracted during a liposuction session. This means that patients who are severely overweight or obese are not good candidates for the procedure. Liposuction is meant to treat only localized fat deposits - such as the ones on the tummy, the flanks, chin, upper and lower part of the back, knees, and calves. But we can’t address all areas of the body in one liposuction session. If the patient is not at a normal weight, the recommendation is to lose weight first and get liposuction after, to refine the aspect of the body and get a better definition in certain areas.
Are the results permanent after liposuction?
When liposuction is performed, a certain amount of fat that is present under the skin at the time of the procedure is eliminated. It’s not possible to eliminate all the adipose cells in one area, and not safe for the patient either. The fat cells that are extracted won’t return to the body – this is just not possible. But what is possible is for the existing fat cells to increase their volume due to a weight gain.
Undergoing liposuction is no guarantee that the patient will be thin forever. Weight gain can occur even after getting lipo. But after a liposuction intervention, the patient might tend to accumulate weight in other areas of the body more and less in the areas treated during the lipo session.
It is worth getting a liposuction only if you are committed to sustaining a stable weight and avoiding excess eating. Otherwise, the results of your procedure might be altered. Lipo is a procedure that can help you get rid of unaesthetic looking fat deposits. But it is only up to you if you can maintain the results permanently or not.
What are the potential risks associated with a liposuction intervention?
Liposuction is not a new procedure. It has been performed for decades, and it is still in high demand. The procedure is also considered to be minimally invasive due to the surgical approach. Because we only need a small incision for liposuction, the recovery period is much faster, and there is a reduced risk for complications such as infection, for example. However, any type of cosmetic or plastic surgery intervention is associated with certain risks and potential complications.
When it comes to liposuction, we can mention swelling and bruising as the most common side effects of the intervention. After the lipo session, the patients can experience swelling and bruising in the areas targeted with the procedure. This is the reason why most plastic surgeons advise patients to wear compressive corsets or compressive clothes to refine the results achieved with the intervention and reduce the swelling and bruising. Arnica Montana is also recommended to reduce the swelling.
Other risks associated with the procedure are irregularities in the areas treated with liposuction (bumps and waves, asymmetries), skin sagginess, and changes in sensitivity due to nerve damage. Complications that can occur after the surgery in extraordinary circumstances are allergic reactions, pulmonary edema or emboli, infection, and even death.
How to achieve the best results after undergoing liposuction?
Liposuction is one of the procedures that boost impressive patient satisfaction rates. However, this doesn’t mean that all patients would recommend others to undergo a liposuction. Also, not all patients had long-lasting results after undergoing this procedure. To ensure you get the best possible results after this procedure, so it’s worth the trouble, patients must be willing to follow the indications.
Before anything else, to get the best results after lipo, you should be an eligible candidate for the procedure. This means that you need to have good skin tonus, a normal weight, and no chronic or severe health conditions.
Choosing an experienced plastic surgeon is essential to minimize the risks and avoid potential complications. But what happens after liposuction is also important. Patients need to keep a healthy lifestyle with a balanced diet and physical exercises to avoid gaining weight. A weight gain can alter the results achieved with lipo and make the patient feel like it wasn’t worth it.
Final words
If you’re wondering whether it’s worth getting lipo or not, it’s important to take into consideration a few important factors. Being fully aware of what you can achieve with the procedure, how long the results last, and what the potential risks of the procedure are crucial aspects. If the patient is healthy, has realistic goals from the procedure, a good skin tonus, and localized deposits of fat that are resistant to diets and exercises, we could say that liposuction is totally worth the effort.
It’s also important to discuss your particular case with a talented and experienced board-certified plastic surgeon. Schedule a meeting today with Dr. Essie Yates at the Yates Institute for Plastic Surgery in Fort Lauderdale.