Many people elect to have liposuction surgery performed to remove unwanted body fat. Liposuction is a surgical procedure whereby a vacuum-type surgical instrument is used to actually suction out fat from the underlying layers of the skin. Surgery of this nature can range from just underneath the skin’s surface to deeply within the body, depending on the amount of fat needing removal. Before you decide to have liposuction surgery performed, however, you should be aware of both the myths and the facts that surround this type of surgery.
Myth: Special Training Required
Fact: This myth is, unfortunately, very misleading to the general public. Because liposuction is a surgical procedure, most patients are under the impression that a specialized surgeon is needed to perform liposuction surgery. However, this is simply not the case. In general, any licensed physician is legally capable of performing liposuction therapy. Most reputable physicians, though, will not perform this type of surgery because of their limited experience with it. Although you can elect to save money by having your private physician perform a liposuction surgery, optimal results are probably better achieved with a licensed plastic surgeon or dermatologist.
Myth: There Are No Side Effects
Fact: As with any surgery, there will be a certain degree of after effects. Most commonly, liposuction patients report bruising, swelling and pain in the general surgical area after surgery. There is theoretically no way that these complications can be avoided after surgery because the body is required to heal itself after an invasive procedure; pain, bruising and swelling are just the body’s natural way of rehabilitating itself and returning to normal condition.
The after effects of surgery, however, should not be severe. The degree to which complications are experienced after surgery will depend upon how invasive the liposuction was and where it was performed. It is important to keep in mind, though, that these after effects should be completely controllable with prescription pain medications.
Myth: Intended for Extreme Weight Loss
Fact: While most people tend to think of liposuction as a great way to lose weight, this is more myth than fact. Not everyone is a candidate for liposuction surgery, and this should be explained in great detail by a surgeon prior to electing to have the surgery done. In general, patients that are most suited to liposuction surgery will not be more than 20% over their ideal weight, which means that larger patients hoping to get thin quick will likely not be eligible.
The more overweight that a person is, the higher of a risk they become in the operating room. So, while liposuction can be used for weight loss purposes, it is important to be aware that it is not the end-all solution to eliminating excess weight.
Myth: Fat will Not Return
Fact: This is another misconception that people have about liposuction. When an area of the body is liposuctioned, the fat cells in that particular area of the body are removed via a vacuum pump. After the body has had time to heal, a noticeable difference can be seen in that area of the body. The goal after having liposuction surgery is to implement a healthy diet and an exercise regimen. The body is not immune to fat, and just because it has been removed from an area of the body does not mean that it cannot return. If eating and exercise habits are not changed, the fat cells will return both in the liposuctioned area and other areas of the body.
