Liposuction FAQ

What are the advantages of True Tumescent Liposuction?
There are two advantages to true tumescent liposuction: The first advantage is it permits liposuction using only local anesthesia, avoiding the risks of general anesthesia, IV sedation and narcotic analgesics. The second advantage is the micro-tubes permit more precise and less traumatic sculpting of the body. No stitches are used in this procedure. It is a "walk-in walk-out" procedure, where patients recover at home and are able to return to work quickly. Patients may travel the next day, and generally resume their normal lifestyle within a few days. You can resume exercising usually after only one week.

Who is a candidate for liposuction?
If you are in good health and have one or more pockets of fat that are larger than the surrounding areas and resistant to diet and exercise, you are most likely a good candidate. A consultation session will confirm this.

What areas can be treated?
Tumescent liposuction can treat many body areas including abdomen, waist, hip, thighs, knees, flanks (back), arms, double chin, breast, and buttocks.

Is the fat permanently removed?
The fat cells removed will never come back. Weight can still be gained, but generally the more pleasing silhouette remains. Ideally, you should maintain your weight after the procedure.

What if I gain weight after the procedure?
Your existing fat cells will enlarge everywhere, but your body will stay sculpted. After you lose weight again, your fat cells will shrink down again.

Will I be left with loose skin?
Generally, the skin retracts in the same manner as with weight loss. Often, your skin sagged because of the weight of the fat behind it. Once that fat is removed, the skin is able to snap back. A majority of women who think that they need a "tummy tuck" actually do better with tumescent micro-liposuction!

How is Tumescent Liposuction performed?
In order to perform the procedure, Dr. Vu will first mark excess fat areas on your body. A large volume of saline solution containing a numbing agent (lidocaine) and a drug designed to prevent blood loss (epinephrine) is then injected using very fine needles. Tiny incisions are made in the skin, and a suction micro-tube is inserted through these. The excess fat is removed into a collection system. Since only the small incisions have to heal, you feel only minimal discomfort. An elastic compression garment is then worn to help the skin contract and heal. The result is a sculpting of bulging areas into more attractive contours.

Important Information About Tumescent Liposuction

Risks of Liposuction Surgery:
Any surgery involves the risk of infection, bleeding, scarring or serious injury, however tumescent liposuction has an amazingly good safety record. One of the reasons that tumescent liposuction is so safe is that neither general anesthesia nor IV sedation is required. A recent survey involving over 15,000 patients who had only tumescent liposuction revealed no serious complications, no serious infection, no hospitalizations, no blood transfusions, and no deaths. The greatest risks of liposuction are those associated with general anesthesia. By eliminating general anesthesia, the risks of liposuction are dramatically reduced. Patients can minimize the risk of surgical complications by not taking medications or over-the-counter preparations that might adversely affect the surgery. Patients should inform Dr. Vu of any medications being taken either regularly, or occasionally, including herbal remedies.

Risk of Irregularities of the Skin:
Tumescent liposuction uses micro-tubes, consequently it is the least likely to cause any significant or noticeable post-surgical irregularities of the skin. By magnifying the fatty compartment, the tumescent technique permits more accurate removal of fat, with greater assurance that the liposuction micro-tubes will not inadvertently approach too near the undersurface of the skin, which would cause irregularities. Liposuction might improve pre-existing irregularities of the skin such as dimpling, but prospective patients should not assume that there will be significant improvement. It is unrealistic to expect perfectly smooth skin. Patients should expect that their skin will have approximately the same degree of dimpling and irregularities as existed before tumescent liposuction surgery. Ultimately, after liposuction, the skin texture should be within normal limits. A casual observer should not notice any evidence of surgical irregularities of the skin. However, it is possible that a noticeable irregularity of skin may result, and require a little touch-up liposuction.

Cellulite:
Liposuction of the thighs, while improving the silhouette, does not necessarily eliminate the subtle "puckering" of the skin often called "cellulite". Cellulite results from the pull of fibrous tissue that connects skin to underlying muscle. While tumescent liposuction may reduce the degree of cellulite, it is unlikely to eliminate it. Liposuction should not worsen cellulite.

Liposuction and Obesity:
Liposuction is not an appropriate treatment for obesity. Liposuction is not a substitute for a prudent diet, good nutrition, and regular exercise. Obese patients may be good candidates for limited liposuction if their goal is simply to improve the shape of certain limited areas of the body.