Getting rid of stubborn excess fat on different areas of the body can be very frustrating. More often than not, diet and exercise are not enough to do the job and that’s where liposuction comes in. Liposuction is when excess fats are removed from the body through the use of a small incision and a suction device in order to provide a more contoured body. For example, tumescent liposuction involves the injection of large volumes of fluid into the areas with excess fat to destroy the fat cells. The fluid consists of saline solution, local anesthetic and epinephrine. The local anesthetic numbs the surgical area while epinephrine constricts blood vessels and reduces bleeding. The fat cells, along with the fluid, are then removed from the body through a cannula attached to a suction device.
Noninvasive fat removal techniques do not require any incisions or surgery. They make use of laser energy, ultrasound energy and freezing temperatures to reduce fat. Instead of a cannula and suction, an energy-producing device is applied directly over the target area:
- Laser energy disrupts the cell membrane of fat cells which allows their stores of fat to be released.
- Ultrasound energy results in the death of fat cells without damaging the surrounding blood vessels and nerves. It also induces collagen formation since ultrasound energy is being delivered as heat.
- Cryolipolysis pertains to the use of extremely cold temperatures to freeze the fat tissue and kill it. The dead fat cells are naturally eliminated by the body through the lymphatic system.
Who is an Ideal Patient?
Before a patient is allowed to undergo liposuction, he or she must first be evaluated by a board-certified plastic surgeon. In general, anyone who is in good health, at or near their ideal weight, is at least 18 years of age and has pockets of fat that were not removed by diet and exercise is qualified for the procedure. Liposuction is used to target fat on large areas such as the abdomen and thighs. Noninvasive fat reduction is a recommended alternative if the amount of fat to be removed is minimal. It is appropriate for patients who have small bulges of extra fat and do not want to get rid of them via surgery.
What’s The Recovery Period Like?
Being the more invasive of the two, liposuction requires a longer recovery period. Patients are required to restrict physical activities for a few days following the operation. Noninvasive fat reduction has no such requirements although some swelling should be expected which may prevent the patient from resuming daily activities immediately.
How are the Results?
Traditional liposuction gives more dramatic improvements especially after the surgical area heals and the swelling goes down. The final results will not be seen for at least six months. Noninvasive fat reduction normally requires multiple treatments but the results are seen faster and are noticeable a few weeks after the treatment. Traditional liposuction always gives a much better, and long lasting, result. There’s nothing wrong with trying noninvasive methods first because a patient can always switch to traditional liposuction.