According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, liposuction was the fourth most popular cosmetic surgical procedure performed in the United States in 2012. A total of 202,000 procedures were performed that year.
All cosmetic surgical procedures, no matter how minor, will carry some side effects. Dr. John Griffin believes that patients should be made fully aware of any potential side effects before they make a final decision as to whether or not to undergo any cosmetic surgical procedure. Liposuction is a very good example of a relatively simple cosmetic procedure, which nevertheless does carry some side effects that patients should be aware of.
Liposuction Surgical Procedure
In a liposuction procedure, a series of small incisions are made into targeted areas of the body with excess fat. A thin, hollow metal tube is then inserted, and the excess fat is gently vacuumed out of the body. In some cases, ultrasound or light therapy may be applied before inserting the tube, so as to melt the fat, making it easier to remove. Although a liposuction procedure will not remove any excess skin following removal of fat, skin removal surgery such as a tummy tuck can be done in conjunction. Recovery from a liposuction procedure is relatively fast. Most patients can expect to be back to normal activity, such as work or school, within a week following the procedure.
The Most Common Side Effects
The most common side effects after liposuction are bruising, swelling, discomfort, and bleeding at the incision sites. Applying cold compresses to the incision sites will help reduce the amount and duration of bruising and swelling, as will taking the herb Arnica montana starting one to two weeks before the surgery until two to three works afterward. Patients can take pain medication to curb discomfort.
Excessive bleeding during and after the surgery can be avoiding any blood thinning medications or herbs beginning two weeks before the surgery until two weeks afterward. Patients should consult their primary care physician before stopping any blood thinning medication.
Patients should also stop any smoking or alcohol consumption beginning two weeks prior to surgery, as both may also thin the blood, increasing the risk for excessive bleeding. Although it is best that patients not resume smoking or alcohol consumption, they should wait until two to three weeks after the surgery to resume, if at all.
Infection at the incision sites is a less-common, but still important, potential risk of liposuction. The best way for patients to reduce the possibility of infection is to take all antibiotic medicine as prescribed. Incision sites should be kept as clean and dry as possible until fully healed. Wash hands thoroughly with antibiotic soap before changing any bandages over incisions, and do not directly touch the incisions while they are still healing.
The side effects from liposuction are not as severe as from other, more invasive cosmetic surgical procedures. Nevertheless, with a bit of care, patients can reduce these side effects in order to have a faster healing time with fewer complications.
To schedule a liposuction consultation, contact Dr. Griffin’s practice.
