Generality
Liposculpture (also known as "lipoaspiration") is a state-of-the-art cosmetic surgery, which allows for a remodeling of the body through the localized removal of fat cells.
Of course, liposculpture cannot be considered as a substitute remedy for diet or exercise, but it can be useful for removing localized adiposity that cannot be eliminated with a low-calorie diet and physical activity. Therefore, liposculpture cannot and must absolutely not be considered as a therapy for obesity or overweight.
What is Liposculpture
Liposculpture is a cosmetic surgery which consists in the aspiration of fat cells from localized areas of the body, through the use of small cannulae 12-15 cm long.
Liposculpture represents an "evolution of liposuction, since - compared to the latter - it makes use of the use of smaller diameter cannulas (2-4 mm against the 5-10 mm used in liposuction), thus allowing to perform an operation less traumatic.
At the same time, liposculpture allows to obtain a more precise and harmonious remodeling of the body figure, avoiding the formation of unsightly depressions or irregularities in the treated areas.
How it is done
Liposculpture is a real surgery and, as such, must be performed by doctors specialized in plastic surgery and be practiced in suitable structures, adequately equipped for this type of operation.
Liposculpture can be performed in different parts of the body, such as the abdomen, arms, thighs, hips, calves, knees, ankles, neck and even the cheeks.
Depending on the vastness of the area on which it is necessary to intervene, liposculpture can be performed under local anesthesia (with or without sedation), or under general anesthesia if the areas to be treated are quite extensive.
Normally, for operations carried out under local anesthesia, the patient is admitted to a day hospital; on the contrary, in case of general anesthesia, the patient will remain inside the clinic for at least one night.
The duration of the intervention varies according to the extension of the area to be treated. In any case, indicatively, a liposculpture operation can last from 30 minutes up to about three hours.
Before the intervention
Since liposculpture is a real cosmetic surgery, before undergoing such an operation, a specialist visit and a "careful pre-operative evaluation are essential.
The surgeon must, therefore, carefully evaluate the patient's state of health, making sure that there are no contraindications or particular conditions that could complicate the operation (such as, for example, cardiovascular diseases, coagulation problems, etc.).
After that, the doctor will evaluate which areas need to be treated, their extent and the degree of elasticity of the skin. This last factor is of fundamental importance. In fact, following the removal of fat cells, if the patient's skin is not sufficiently elastic, it may not adapt to the new (reduced) volumes of the body. For this reason, in individuals whose skin has lost elasticity, worse results could be obtained compared to patients whose skin is, however, still endowed with good elasticity.
In any case, before proceeding with the actual intervention, the surgeon will ask the patient to undergo specific tests, which may vary depending on the case (such as, for example, blood tests, electrocardiograms, X-rays, etc.). ).
Only after a "careful evaluation of all these factors, the specialist will be able to decide if it is appropriate to perform the liposculpture and how to perform it.
Finally, if the surgeon believes that the operation can be performed, he will provide a series of indications that the patient must scrupulously follow before undergoing the operation.
Among these, we remember:
- Follow a low-calorie diet, in such a way as to be able to identify and perform liposculpture only on fat that is actually resistant to diet and physical activity;
- Stop smoking;
- Avoid taking acetylsalicylic acid (contained, for example, in Aspirin®);
- For women, stop taking any oral contraceptives at least one month before the operation is performed;
- Always seek medical advice before taking any medication.
The intervention
The operation is performed by making very small incisions (generally in correspondence with furrows and folds of the skin) through which, first of all, a particular anesthetic mixture containing physiological solution, an anesthetic drug and a vasoconstrictor is injected, necessary to reduce any loss of blood during the aspiration of fat.
After that, the surgeon can proceed with the execution of the actual intervention.
Inside the small incisions previously made, the cannulas are inserted, connected to a syringe or to a pump, through which the fat cells are aspirated.
After the surgery
Immediately after the liposculpture operation, the surgeon will apply a special containment sheath for liposculpture to the treated areas, which must be worn for a period of approximately 2-3 weeks. The role of this sheath is to promote the healing of the treated areas, maintaining the reshaped shape that the surgeon has given to the body.
Any post-operative pain can be kept under control by taking pain-relieving or anti-inflammatory drugs.
Generally, the recovery from the liposculpture operation takes place in a rather short time. a period of at least 15-30 days.
Finally, it is necessary to avoid sun exposure for at least 30-40 days after performing the liposculpture. In any case, for any doubts, it is always good to ask the surgeon for advice.
Results
The results that can be obtained with liposculpture are usually good and fully satisfy the patient. Normally, however, these results are visible only after two or three weeks, since in the post-surgery the treated area tends to be swollen and characterized by the presence of bruises, which require some time to be completely reabsorbed.
Furthermore, the success of liposculpture strongly depends on the experience and skills of the surgeon who performed it, just as it can depend on the elasticity of the patient's skin.
Following the liposculpture operation, it is essential that patients continue to have a healthy lifestyle, characterized by regular physical activity and a balanced diet. Only by doing so, the results obtained can be permanent. In this regard, it is it is right to say a few words to dispel the myth according to which, following the liposculpture surgery, one does not gain weight anymore. In fact, it is true that the fat cells removed with liposculpture are no longer able to reform themselves; however, if the patient does not adopt correct eating habits and does not carry out adequate physical activity, the remaining adipocytes will tend to expand (due to the further accumulation of fats); as a result, bearings and grease accumulations will reappear.
Risks and Complications
As mentioned, if the liposculpture is performed by a plastic surgery specialist in clinics adequately equipped for any eventuality, it can give excellent results and can be considered a safe and low-risk intervention.
On the other hand, since it is still a surgical operation, it could lead to complications, such as:
- Infections. As with any other type of surgery, even with liposculpture there is a risk (albeit low) of developing infections. Normally, to prevent this complication, antibiotic therapy is performed both during and after surgery (peri -operative and post-operative).
- Ache. Immediately after the operation it is common to experience pain in correspondence with the treated areas, but this can be kept under control with the simple use of pain relievers.
- Edema and bruising. Bruising and swelling is also very common; however, they will tend to reabsorb and disappear within two or three weeks.
- Scars. Scars can form at the incisions made to insert the cannulae. However - in addition to being very small (about 3 mm) - these incisions are generally made in correspondence with furrows or folds of the skin, so that they can hide and mask the scars that could form later.
Furthermore, to reduce the onset of any complications - both during and after surgery - it is essential to carefully follow all the instructions provided by the surgeon, both before performing the liposculpture and during the convalescence period.
Associated interventions
Liposculpture can be performed alone, or in association with other types of interventions.
For example, a common practice is to associate liposculpture with lipofilling, that is a technique that allows you to use the removed fat cells to fill and define certain areas of the body that are depressed or "emptied" (such as, for example, the cheekbones, the neck, breasts, cheeks, buttocks, etc.).
Furthermore, liposculpture can be performed in association with other cosmetic surgery, such as, for example, abdominoplasty, breast reduction or lifting of the arms and thighs.
In any case, the decision to perform liposculpture alone or in association with other interventions rests solely with the surgeon, following an "accurate assessment of the patient's condition and the relationship between the desired results and the potential associated risks. to the same interventions.
