Liposuction is one of the most versatile of all Plastic Surgery Tools. It can reshape the soft tissues of the body from “head-to-toe.” Liposuction can divide a double chin in two, thin bulky arms, smooth bra line bulges, flatten muffin tops, remove saddlebags and debulk chunky inner thighs.
Liposuction is extremely useful, but it also has its limits. Read on to learn more.
Liposuction of the Abdomen
Liposculpture of the Abdomen and Flanks is frequently requested at my Walnut Creek Plastic Surgery office. These areas are quick to store fat and stubborn to release it. The difference between weight loss and Liposuction is leveraged to allow for selective fat reduction of these problem areas.
As long as the skin is tight, Liposuction may be the best way to reduce stubborn, disproportionate, unwanted fat. Weight loss is always encouraged, and maintaining a consistent weight is a must for the best results. However, with weight loss, genes dictate where the body sheds fat. With Liposculpture, fat is removed directly from problem areas so that patients can look and feel better in their jeans.
Liposuction can remove the bulges caused by disproportionate collections of fat, in this case flattening the belly, narrowing the waist and revealing the abs.
The patient above was close to her ideal weight. Despite her workout routine, she could not get rid of the stubborn lower belly fat. After liposuction, her lower abdomen is flat, smooth and firm, and the contours of her abdominal muscles are revealed.
Liposuction of the Abdomen with a Tummy Tuck
Unlike the patient above, the patient below has loose abdominal skin. Liposuction under these circumstances is not recommended, because removing the fat would also remove the skin’s support and create more irregular contours. The goal was to thin the abdomen and tighten the skin.
For the patient above, liposuction alone would have left her with a soft, irregular abdominal wall. Liposuction cannot tighten skin, but it can remove disproportionate fat from the the back, flanks and waist, enhancing the results of a tummy tuck, as seen above.
For the patient above, I performed a Tummy Tuck (Abdominoplasty) with Liposuction of the flanks and back to improve the contours of her entire trunk. The result is a flat belly with tight skin and hips and back to match.
Liposuction of the Back
The back is both the easiest and the hardest area for Liposuction. It is the easiest because the skin is the thickest on the body. This makes getting a smooth result simpler. The thick skin does not lend itself to contour irregularities as easily as the rest of the body. On the other hand, the thickness of the skin also makes it harder to reduce the thickness we feel when we pinch it. When compressed with a bra or a belt, folds can still occur, but after they are “emptied” with Liposculpture, they are smaller.
No woman likes bra line rolls. Liposuction can help by selectively reducing the unwanted bulge. By removing disproportionate fat from this patient’s back, her bra folds, love handles and muffin top are all improved.
Tumescent Liposuction was performed to remove the excess fat from the patient’s back. The after picture shows a significant improvement of the folds beneath her bra, the love handles and muffin top. It is not uncommon to still have some folding in the area due to the attachment of the skin, so a completely flat result, especially with lateral movement is not a realistic endpoint.
Liposuction of the Chest
Gynecomastia Reduction is one of my specialties, and I use Liposuction as part of my Male Breast Reduction Procedure in the majority of my cases. The ability to reach under the chest skin and the lateral chest to remove excess fat is a great adjunct to sculpting a masculine chest.
Liposuction is a great adjunct for Gynecomastia Reduction. Liposuction can remove the fat, while direct excision is used to remove the remaining glandular tissue for a smooth, masculine chest.
Liposuction was used along with direct excision of the hypertrophied breast tissue to reduce the size and projection of the areolae and reveal the masculine contours of this patient’s chest. Now he can wear form-fitting shirts or go shirtless with confidence.
Liposuction of the Thighs
Sometimes a little Liposuction is just enough to reach a patient’s goals. The next patient was thin, and losing more weight really wasn’t a healthy option. However, her inner thighs still rubbed and bothered her. The solution was Micro-Liposuction. This is not Liposuction performed under the microscope, but is the use of fine cannulas that allow for the removal of small amounts of fat at a time. This allows for more meticulous fat removal, and a smaller chance of getting irregularities in this area which is very sensitive to injury.
Liposuction is used to remove disproportionate fat from the inner thighs to reveal a leaner, athletic look.
The patient above is already in great shape, and at a healthy weight, but her medial thighs continue to maintain a disproportionate amount of fat. Micro-Liposuction was performed to remove small amounts of fat with each pass. This gradual reduction is used to reduce the risk of leaving irregularities in the skin due to retained fat and over-suctioning. The result is a pair of thighs that look good both in and out of clothing.
Liposculpture Consultations
When considering Liposuction, be certain to consult with a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon with experience. It is the technician, not the technique that determines the outcome. The best liposuction machine cannot provide the best results without an experienced plastic surgeon who possesses a clear vision of how to reach the goal. For consultations in the greater San Francisco Bay Area, call (925) 943-6353 to schedule your appointment.
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