Liposuction

Indication:
Liposuction is a surgical procedure to reduce the amount of body fat, in localized areas, resulting in an improved body silhouette. Liposuction does not aim at decreasing body weight, as many people believe, since the major change will be in the body contours and not in the weight.
Optimal results from liposuction are achieved in patients with localized excess fat. When the surgery is performed in extensive areas and removes large amounts of fat, it is more likely to leave irregular marks.
In the case of liposculpture, part of the fat that is suctioned off is reinserted in areas requiring replenishment (buttocks, facial wrinkles, etc.).

Type of anesthesia:
It depends on the area to be operated on and the amount of fat to be suctioned off. Local anesthesia may be sufficient, with or without sedation, but also peridural or general anesthesia may be used.

Length of hospital stay:
Ranges from 12 to 24 hours, depending on the degree of liposuction.

Postoperative:
Usually there is some degree of edema (swelling) and bruising (purple spots), which resolve spontaneously in 21 days. During the first month, the edema improves remarkably, and the patient starts to notice a hardening of the area, due to internal healing. This hardening improves gradually during the 2nd and 3rd months, period in which there is more marked retraction of the skin.

Complications:
Complications of liposuction are rare, but the following should be mentioned: hematoma, seroma, imperfections, infection, thrombosis, accidental injuries during surgery.
Seroma, which is the most frequent complication in large liposuction procedures, represents the accumulation of a clear fluid in the operated area, forming a kind of "fluid collection" under the skin. In such cases, this collection may be emptied by needle puncture, and the problem resolves without compromising the surgical outcome.

Definitive result:
The definitive result is achieved in 6 months, but 80% may be reached in 4 months.