At Novo Medical Aesthetics, liposuction is one of the popular cosmetic procedures we offer to our clients who want to contour and shape their bodies through the removal of unwanted fat deposits. This guide aims to provide you with an in-depth understanding of liposuction, including its various techniques and the specific procedures we use for different body areas.
What Is Liposuction?
What is liposuction? Liposuction is a minimally invasive surgical procedure designed to remove excess fat deposits from targeted areas of the body to facilitate a more toned and contoured appearance.
During a traditional liposuction procedure, we insert a small, hollow tube called a cannula through tiny incisions made in targeted areas of your skin. The cannula is connected to a specialized vacuum-like device designed to suction out fat deposits. We gently manipulate the cannula in a slight back-and-forth motion to break apart the fat cells and allow them to suction away easily.
These fat deposits are permanently removed from the body, which means they won’t come back. However, that doesn’t mean new fat won’t accumulate in the future, which is why liposuction is best complemented by a healthy and balanced lifestyle.
Laser Liposuction
Laser liposuction is a more modern and less invasive approach than traditional liposuction. During laser liposuction, we use a specialized laser to liquify fat cells prior to removing them. Laser liposuction makes it easier to remove the fat cells, but the laser energy also stimulates collagen production, which promotes skin tightening and the improvement of overall skin quality.
We perform laser liposuction under local anesthesia to enhance patient comfort. The procedure begins similarly to traditional liposuction, with small incisions made in targeted areas. Then, we insert a thin laser device beneath the skin.
The laser device transmits energy to the fat cells, which causes them to rupture and ultimately liquify. We then remove the liquified fat through suction methods, or the fat cells are naturally absorbed into the body. Laser liposuction is often appropriate for small, localized areas of the body containing minimal fat deposits, such as the neck.
Depending on how extensive your procedure is, liposuction can take anywhere from one to three hours. This doesn’t include our preoperative and post-operative procedures, however, so when scheduling liposuction, you should plan for it to be an all-day affair.
Stomach Liposuction
Stomach liposuction targets excess fat in the abdominal region, which is one of the most difficult areas to eliminate fat through diet and exercise alone. Stomach liposuction helps patients achieve a flatter and firmer abdomen while enhancing their overall body contour.
We perform stomach liposuction through either traditional or laser-assisted techniques, depending on the patient’s needs and what avenue will be most appropriate for them. Following stomach liposuction, we will have you wear a compression garment for a few weeks to support the healing process.
Arm Liposuction
Arm liposuction removes excess fat from the upper arms, which is a difficult area that often accumulates stubborn fat deposits while lacking overall skin elasticity. Arm liposuction can help you achieve slimmer, more toned-looking arms, especially when you combine this procedure with resistance training.
Arm liposuction also requires a compression garment to help support healing. When we use laser liposuction on the arms, the lasers stimulate collagen production to help improve the low skin elasticity of the upper arm area.
Neck Liposuction
Neck liposuction helps remove excess fat from beneath the chin and along the jawline, which often contributes to an undefined neckline or double chin. We usually perform this procedure along with other facial rejuvenation procedures to help our clients achieve optimal results. Laser liposuction is most often used for neck liposuction since it’s a smaller and more targeted area.
Liposuction Recovery
The amount of recovery time you require depends on the extent of liposuction performed and your own body’s healing rate, as some people heal faster than others. Most clients return to work after one or two weeks of recovery and are able to resume most normal activities, like exercise, after four to six weeks.
The post-procedure care process typically includes compression garments and medications to support healing. It’s important that you follow the post-procedure instructions we give you so you can have a smooth recovery while achieving optimal results.
Is Liposuction Permanent?
Liposuction permanently removes fat deposits from the body. But it’s important to note that liposuction is a fat loss procedure, not a weight loss procedure. It’s designed for clients who are within range of a healthy weight but have stubborn fat areas that persist despite diet and exercise.
For clients who have significant weight loss goals, other interventions are more appropriate prior to receiving the body contouring technique of liposuction. Once you are cleared for movement and exercise after liposuction, you should do your best to maintain an exercise regimen.
While resistance training has numerous overall benefits for your body, the best exercise routine is the one you will stick with. So if you enjoy walking while listening to podcasts, get into a walking routine! If you love yoga, practice yoga.
Traditional and Laser Liposuction in Ridgefield, CT
At Novo Medical Aesthetics, we offer both traditional and laser liposuction to our clients in Ridgefield, CT, and the surrounding areas. The type of procedure we use will depend on what we discuss during your consultation. No two patients are the same, so everyone receives a different treatment plan.
We may use both traditional and laser liposuction together to help you achieve optimal results. To get started and to schedule a consultation, contact us today.
