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| LIPOSUCTION |
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ABDOMINOPLASTY |
| 1. What areas of the body are best suited for liposuction? |
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1. Do I have to stay overnight in the hospital following a tummy tuck? |
| 2. Can I have liposuction if I am overweight? |
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2. Where does liposuction fit into an abdominoplasty? |
| 3. Does the suctioned fat ever come back? |
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3. Can I have an abdominoplasty if I am a cigarette smoker? |
| 4. What is the down time following liposuction? |
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4. What is the recovery time? |
| 5. What about all the media stories about liposuction complications? |
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5. Should I have this operation if I am planning on having more children? |
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| LIPOSUCTION (Lipoplasty/Suction Lipectomy) |
| 1. What areas of the body are best suited for liposuction? |
| Liposuction improves localized areas of fat. The abdomen, flanks, saddle bags and inner thighs are the most commonly treated areas. If there is excess skin in an area such as the inner thighs, liposuction may not work well. If you have excess skin or a bulge of the abdomen, you may need a tummy tuck. |
| 2. Can I have liposuction if I am overweight? |
| Liposuction is a body contouring procedure, not a weight reduction plan. Liposuction complements other lifestyle changes such as diet modification and exercise. A major liposuction procedure may only remove about 10 pounds of fat. Depending on your body frame, being a bit overweight does not rule you out as a surgical candidate. It is simply not safe to perform liposuction on someone who is significantly overweight. |
| 3. Does the suctioned fat ever come back? |
| Essentially no, unless you were to gain a good deal of weight. In that case, the fat gets redistributed everywhere, including those areas that were suctioned. |
| 4. What is the down time following liposuction? |
| Given the anesthesia (local with intravenous sedation) and the small incisions, most people can plan on being back at work in a matter of 2 to 3 days. There is always some bruising and swelling, which is helped by wearing a compression garment for a few weeks following surgery. Your appearance continues to improve for up to 2 to 3 months following surgery. |
| 5. What about all the media stories about liposuction complications? |
| Liposuction is surgery, not some lunchtime procedure. There are numerous potential risks of the surgery, including those relating to the anesthesia and the cannulas used to suction the fat. Safety is our highest priority with this procedure. We will spend a good deal of time during your consultation to discuss what you may have read or seen on TV with regard to the risks of liposuction |
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| ABDOMINOPLASTY ("Tummy Tuck") |
| 1. Do I have to stay overnight in the hospital following a tummy tuck? |
| A mini or modified abdominoplasty can be done as an outpatient in our office surgical facility. This procedure is suitable for those patients whose skin excess and bulge is confined to that area below the belly button. If your problem extends above the belly button, you will likely need a standard abdominoplasty, which is done under general anesthesia in the hospital. Given the extent of this operation, most patients are much more comfortable by staying overnight in the hospital. |
| 2. Where does liposuction fit into an abdominoplasty? |
| An abominoplasty corrects sagging skin of the abdomen or a bulging abdominal wall. Liposuction can complement this procedure by additionally removing excess fat of the flanks and thighs. If there is significant fat excess of the upper abdomen, or simply a large amount of fat to be suctioned, we often recommend a staged procedure in which liposuction is done first, followed by a tummy tuck in four to six weeks. There are significant safety benefits in this approach, and this will be discussed in detail during your consultation. |
| 3. Can I have an abdominoplasty if I am a cigarette smoker? |
| No. Cigarette smokers present too great a risk with blood circulation to the newly tightened abdominal skin. |
| 4. What is the recovery time? |
| We recommend about two weeks off of work. If you have young children, you will want to make sure that you have a lot of help for the first week following surgery. |
| 5. Should I have this operation if I am planning on having more children? |
| No. Your abdomen may respond well to another pregnancy, but there is no guarantee that you will not gain a lot of weight or otherwise weaken your abdominal wall. You only want to have one abdominoplasty. |
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