Plastic surgery abroad - Latvia

Liposuction, also known as lipoplasty ("fat modeling"), liposculpture suction, lipectomy or simply lipo is a plastic surgery operation which removes fat from different areas on the human body: abdomen, thighs, buttocks, neck, backs of the arms and elsewhere.

Several factors limit the amount of fat that can be safely removed in one session. Ultimately, the operating physician and the patient make the decision. There are negative aspects to removing too much fat. Unusual "lumpiness" and/or "dents" in the skin can be seen in those patients "over-suctioned". The more fat removed, the higher the surgical risk.

Slim body makes feel better

Liposuction has become the most popular surgical cosmetic procedure. Women usually have liposuction performed on abdomen and thighs, men on the abdomen and on the sides.

One may get the best results removing adipose tissue from the abdomen, hips, outer thigh and buttocks. Liposuction is can not replace weight losing procedures, but used mainly to remove stubborn areas of fat that do not respond to dieting or exercising.

How liposuction works

Generally, fat is pumped out via a cannula (a hollow tube) and aspirator (a suction device).
Liposuction techniques can be further categorized by the amount of fluid injection and by the mechanism in which the cannula works.

Wet liposuction

A small amount of fluid, less in volume than the amount of fat to be removed, is injected into the area. Fluid contains lidocaine as a local anesthetic, adrenaline to contract the blood vessels and thus minimize bleeding, and a salt solution to make it saline, like bodily fluids.

Super-wet liposuction

In this method, the infusate volume is in about the same amount as the volume of fat expected to be removed. This is the preferred technique for high-volume liposuction by many plastic surgeons as it better balances homeostasis and potential fluid overload (as with the tumescent technique)
Tumescent liposuction

During this procedure surgeon injects a solution containing a local anesthetic and vasoconstrictor (often lidocaine and epinephrine respectively) directly into the subcutaneous fat to be removed. The volume of fluid creates a space between the muscle and the fatty tissue allowing more room for the cannula.

Laser assisted liposuction

It uses thermal energy to affect lipolysis

Ultrasound-assisted liposuction (UAL)

A specialized cannula is used which transmits ultrasound vibrations within the body. This vibration bursts the walls of the fat cells, emulsifying the fat (i.e. liquefying it) and making it easier to suction out. UAL is a good choice for working on more fibrous areas, like the upper back or male breast area. It takes longer than traditional liposuction, but not longer than tumescent liposuction. There is slightly less blood loss.

Villa Medica is the only clinic in Estonia which uses special liposuction device, employing advantages of modern liposuction tecniques and making the procedure less traumatic, the recovery period shorter and the final result smoother. The procedure is performed under general or spinal anesthesia, depending on the area.

The liposuction procedure is the following:

• the area is prepared, antisepted and the surgeon will make markings to see where and how much fat tissue has to be removed.
• anestesia is applied
• the surgeon will make little incisions, through which a special fluid is administered to the problematic area to break down fat. The luid also makes it easier to remove the fat and reduce postoperative swelling. The amount of the injected fluid depends on the surgeon's preferences and the specific problem. It could be three times more, the same amount or less than the amount of fat that is to be removed.
• a small metal tube (cannula) is inserted under the skin, which breaks the fat cells with vibration and sucks them out with the fluid in a vacuum.
• the incisions are stitched. The incisions could be left open for the time being, to drain fluid that accumulates beneath the skin.
• an elastic pressure bandage is put on the incision area.

To know more about liposuction

Liposuction pumpes out fat cells from the incision area, but it might not remove all fat cells,so the final result depends on your lifestyle, it's obvious you should have a healthy diet and moderate exercising.

If one does not take care about lifestyle, the remaining fat cells will start to swell and the results will wear off. The best patients for liposuction are in the right weight, whose skin is still supple enough and who have fat accumulated to one or many concrete areas on the body and it doesn't respond neither to dieting nor exercising.

Before and after liposuction

A patient isn't probably a good candidate for liposuction, if
he has chronic illness which may hinder postoperative recovery,
he or she takes some medications that might cause complications after liposuction, the skin is not supple any more,
the patient is overweight and hopes that liposuction is a solution to that.

You should also stop smoking for some time, since it hinders wound healing. You should supply yourself with painkillers and arrange for someone to take you home after the surgery.

It's advisable to stay in the clinic for a couple of days after the surgery. One may take painkillers if requires. The incision area is usually swollen for about six days to one and a half month and one can see the final result only when the swelling has gone down. Patient should wear the pressure bandage for a couple of weeks to a month and you have to wear special underwear for six weeks. The sutures will be removed after a week, but we use absorbable sutures usually; one can return to work in a week.

Taking care after liposuction

Liposuction has many alternatives:

• healthy and balanced diets,
• changing your eating habits,
• exercising,
• covering your imperfections with clothes and make-up,
• accentuating your good sides,
• also just accepting your body and looks.

Alternatives also include other plastic surgery procedures, like tummy tuck which is suitable if the skin has also lost its suppleness. In some cases you should prefer a facelift to remove excess fat from jaw, since it also makes the skin firmer and lifts the lower part of the face. The solution to men's enlarged breasts (gynecomastia) may be in breast reduction surgery, in addition to liposuction.

Side effects of liposuction

• Bruising: can be painful in the short term, and should fade after a few weeks
• Swelling: should subside gradually over a month or two
• Scars: will vary in size depending on the particular procedure, and should fade over the weeks. Scarring is an individual thing, partly dependent on heredity. For some, scar healing may take as long as a year.
• Pain: should be temporary and controlled by either over-the-counter medication, or by a prescription.
• Numbness: sometimes persists for a few weeks.