Liposuction

Tips for Achieving the Best Results

There are a number of things that can be done before, during and after liposuction surgery to ensure the lowest complication rate, the speediest recovery and the best results. This page will cover a number of the steps that Dr. Loftus takes to help ensure the best results. Ask your doctor if he or she takes these extra steps. If the answer is no, ask why.

Getting the Most out of Your Consultation

Evaluating your body carefully:

Careful evaluation of your body will be done by your doctor during your initial consultation. During this first visit, your doctor should make careful notes of any asymmetries, skin quality, stretch marks, and skin tone. Your doctor should point out asymmetries (no one is symmetric). If you notice that your doctor does not evaluate you carefully and make careful measurements, you should question him or her. Their failure to do so could compromise the surgery and its results.

Reducing Your Risk of Complications

Reducing Irregularities, lumps and bumps:

Irregularities, divots, puckers, and other unfavorable results are often due to the use of large liposuction rods (6-8mm) during surgery. Your surgeon can reduce your risk of these things by simply using the smaller rods (3-4mm). Ask your surgeon which he or she uses. (Hint: The reason some surgeons use the larger rods is because they are faster.)

Reducing blood clots:

Your surgeon can markedly reduce your risk of developing a blood clot in your thighs by placing compression devices on your legs during surgery. These devices gently squeeze your legs while you are asleep and are proven to reduce the risk of blood clot formation. It is important to remember that blood clots can develop in the legs even if you are having surgery on another part of the body. Blood clots can happen during ANY operation.

Reducing fat embolism:

Fat embolism has been linked to the use of large lipo rods. Be certain that your surgeon plans to use the small ones (3-4 mm).

Speeding Your Recovery

Reducing Bruising:

To help reduce bruising, your doctor will most likely inject you with tumescent fluid prior to performing your liposuction (this is standard procedure). The tumescent fluid contains (among other things) epinephrine, which is the same as adrenaline. Adrenaline constricts blood vessels and reduces bruising. Most plastic surgeons, however, use a concentration of 1 to 1 million parts of adrenaline. Your doctor can easily use a concentration of adrenaline that is higher. While being very safe, it will also dramatically reduce your bleeding and bruising and it will make your final result much smoother.

Reducing Pain:

Using extra adrenaline (as described above) will reduce pain through reduction of bruising and swelling. Further, using a muscle relaxant before (and after) surgery will help with pain. A combination of these things will get you back to work sooner.

Reducing Nausea:

One of the most common causes of nausea is pain. Dr. Loftus has found that taking the above steps to reduce pain has markedly reduced the incidence of post-operative nausea and vomiting, even in those who are prone to it. Further, Dr. Loftus advocates a number of simple medications that are very effective in reducing nausea. All of her patients receive Decadron (a steroid which reduces nausea), Zofran (an anti-nausea medication that is so effective that it is routinely prescribed for cancer patients), and Pepcid AC (this over-the-counter medication is a fabulous drug which further inhibits nausea in surgical patients). By taking all of these steps, Dr. Loftus has found that very few feel nauseated after liposuction.

Getting the Smoothest Result:

You should consider having endermologie sessions after your liposuction. Endermologie is a non-surgical treatment in which a technician applies a hand-held suction device to the skin. It applies gentle suction and pressure to the areas of liposuction, thereby "ironing out" your areas of lipo. Five sessions of this following lipo will ensure the best results.

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