Excess fat can often collect in areas such as the abdomen, flanks, thighs, arms, or buttocks. This fat can often remain despite diet and exercise, making it difficult to achieve your desired shape. Liposuction surgery is one method that can be used to reduce excess fat, flatten bulges, and shape your body. 

At Southwest Michigan Plastic and Hand Surgery in Portage, MI, we perform liposuction surgery for many people who are having a hard time slimming specific areas. If you are considering liposuction, we would love to help you learn more about this procedure and how it works.

What Is Liposuction? 

Liposuction is a surgical procedure that is used to remove excess fat from areas of the body such as the highs, stomach, or arms. It can be performed by itself or as part of other cosmetic procedures. During liposuction surgery, fat is removed from the area using a cannula which uses suction to remove the fat cells from your body.

How Does Liposuction Work? 

During a liposuction procedure, we begin by marking off the areas that will receive liposuction treatments. This gives us a guideline to work from while you are in your surgery. Next, you will be placed under general anesthesia for the duration of the procedure. 

The first step of the surgery is to make small incisions that are large enough to insert the liposuction cannula. Before removing the fat, a fluid known as tumescent fluid is inserted into the area. Tumescent fluid is a mixture of saline and medications to help reduce bleeding and soreness after surgery. The fluid also makes it easier to remove the fat. 

Once the tumescent fluid has been inserted, we use a cannula to suck out the fat. We use back-and-forth motions to ensure even fat removal. During liposuction surgery, we can remove up to 10 to 12 pounds of fat. The exact amount will depend on the individual that is being treated as well as the area from which the fat is being removed.

Once a satisfactory amount of fat and the tumescent fluid has been removed, we will then seal up the incisions with steri-strips. You will wake up from your anesthesia and spend some time in a recovery room. After a few hours, you will be able to go home and rest from your surgery. 

Recovery From Liposuction Treatments

Once you arrive home from your surgery, you will spend the next few days recovering from your procedure. We will have you wear a compression garment for around a week to help minimize swelling, remove any remaining tumescent fluid, help the skin to adjust to your new size and shape, and speed up your recovery.

You will be able to begin walking and moving around within the first couple of days. After a week of recovery, you should be able to add more exercises and activities. While you should feel recovered after a couple of weeks, it may take up to six months to see your full results. As your body heals and adjusts, the swelling can begin to go down, your skin can adjust, and you can start to see your body begin to take shape. 

What Can Be Treated With Liposuction?

• Stomach Liposuction: Stomach liposuction is a common procedure that helps remove stubborn fat from the abdominal area. It can be effective for patients who want to achieve a flatter and more toned stomach along with a more defined waistline.
• Arm Liposuction: If you have unwanted fat in your upper arms, arm liposuction can give your arms a more defined and shapely appearance. 
• Neck Liposuction: Neck liposuction is a procedure that can help reduce the appearance of a double chin and improve the overall contour of the neck and jawline. 
• 360 Liposuction: 360 liposuction is a comprehensive procedure that targets excess fat in multiple areas around the body including the stomach, back, hips, and sometimes thighs. It can create an overall more balanced and proportionate look.

Will Liposuction Leave Loose Skin?

If you have excess skin as well as excess fat in a certain area, liposuction will not be able to remove or tighten this excess skin. However, many youthful patients without too much excess skin will find that their skin has enough elasticity to adjust to the new size. 

For patients who have moderate to severe excess skin or for patients who are older and don’t have as much skin elasticity, we may recommend pairing your liposuction with other procedures to remove the excess skin. 

Liposuction is often part of a combination surgery called a mommy makeover that can involve a tummy tuck to remove excess skin and breast augmentation to restore breast shape and size after pregnancy and breastfeeding. You can talk to us if you are interested in combining your liposuction surgery with other surgeries or treatments, and we can create a plan that works for you. 

Our Liposuction Surgery in Portage, MI

At Southwest Michigan Plastic and Hand Surgery in Portage, MI, our liposuction procedures and other cosmetic surgeries are performed in our two surgical facilities that are near our offices. When you work with us, you will have access to board-certified anesthesiologists who have worked with us for many years along with access to our state-of-the-art surgical facilities. 

If you have excess fat in your stomach, hips, back, arms, neck, or other areas that won’t budge regardless of how hard you try to exercise them away, we would love to discuss all of your options with you. We want to find the treatments and procedures that are right for you. Call us today at (269) 280-2311 or contact us through our online form.