It’s no secret that some fat deposits just cannot be eliminated with diet and exercise alone. The board-certified plastic surgeons at Austin Plastic Surgery Institute (Austin PSI), located in Austin, TX, offer liposuction to patients looking to sculpt specific areas of the body by removing stubborn excess fat that can be unresponsive to diet and exercise. They have successfully performed liposuction on various areas of the body, including the arms, back, flanks, abdomen, hips, neck, calves, and thighs.
This surgical, body-contouring procedure is great for those looking to remove fat where other methods have not been successful. It is important to note that liposuction is not a weight-loss procedure. Patients who are overweight or have a high body mass index (BMI) are not surgical candidates.
Types of liposuction
At Austin Plastic Surgery Institute, our board-certified plastic surgeons offer Safelipo®
Tumescent solution includes saline, lidocaine, and epinephrine. Lidocaine helps reduce pain and epinephrine reduces bleeding. The tumescent solution helps separate the fat cells. Next, the PALS (power-assisted liposuction) system is used to emulsify and liquefy the fat so that it can be aspirated. Once all of the fat is removed, the basket cannula can be used without suction to even everything out.This offers our Austin, TX patients a smoother contour with more fat removed, and provides better results.
Almost all of our liposuction is performed under general anesthesia as an outpatient procedure. Each body part treated will take about 30 minutes for our plastic surgeons to complete.
How much fat can be removed with liposuction?
Professionals suggest that the amount of fat that can be safely removed during liposuction is less than five liters or less than 10 pounds. If more volume is removed, the patient usually will spend the night at the hospital for monitoring. Ultimately, removing too much fat from the body can lead to complications.
Because liposuction is meant to be a fat-removal procedure and not a weight-loss surgery, our board-certified surgeons at Austin Plastic Surgery Institute will remove only a safe amount.
Does fat return after liposuction?
Many of our patients have concerns that their fat will come back after liposuction. After fat cells are removed from the body, they are gone. They do not regenerate, meaning that your results are usually long-term. It is important to understand that not every fat cell can be removed. Some fat cells that live just below the skin surface are necessary because they carry the blood supply for the skin. Following a healthy diet and regular exercise regimen will help you to maintain your sculpted figure. If you do gain a large amount of weight, your body will need to store the fat. However, liposuction will alter the way that fat is distributed in your body and it could be stored in different areas of the body than before. This makes it increasingly important to maintain a healthy lifestyle after undergoing liposuction or any type of cosmetic body sculpting procedure.
Learn more about how liposuction can help you achieve your goals
If you’re considering liposuction and have questions about the procedure, we invite you to schedule a consultation with one of our board-certified plastic surgeons at Austin Plastic Surgery Institute in Austin, TX. We can help you to get the body contouring help that you desire. We offer a variety of cosmetic procedures, including liposuction, that can help you to meet your aesthetic goals. Our surgeries are performed at our fully-accredited on-site surgical center. We can provide liposuction as a standalone treatment or with a combination of cosmetic treatments to meet your needs. To learn more, call our professional team today to schedule this important consultation.
