Can exercise get rid of specific areas of fat without liposuction?

Exercise is good for the mind and body in general, and toning the muscles can help fill out loose skin in the vicinity. By suppressing the appetite, and by slightly increasing the metabolism, exercise can assist weight loss. But, unfortunately, there is no such thing as a "spot" exercise, to make the body lose weight in a certain area. Troublesome areas, typically the chin, abdomen, hips or thighs, have an tendency to accumulate fat, and there is so far no way, exercise or pills, to force the body to selectively burn away that fat. To date, only liposuction can accomplish that.

Is liposuction a good way to lose weight?

Liposuction is not a weight loss method.  Not only is it less effective for people who are obese, but also the results would be less than ideal, and there are increased risks for the significantly overweight person. The best candidates for liposuction have attained their correct body weight, and yet still have one or more difficult areas which do not respond to further weight loss or exercise. After a consultation examination, Dr. Rice recommends a diet program for overweight patients as preparation for liposuction.

Because fat is lighter than water, a large volume of fat does not account for as much weight as one might think. For example, say a person has 2 liters of fat removed from the abdomen or the thighs. Clearly, that would make a significant difference in contour and in measurements, yet the weight removed is less than five pounds.

Does liposuction take care of cellulite?

There is nothing mystical or special about "cellulite", it is just fat, but it is fat located just under the skin, making a rippled look that is quite apparent. Liposuction removes some of this cellulite fat also, but it is difficult to eliminate entirely. Weight loss by dieting is the best way. Sometimes, these skin irregularities can become more noticeable after liposuction.

Will liposuction tighten up loose skin?

Liposuction removes fat, and so also removes some of the weight that may be pulling the skin downwards. In this way, liposuction will sometimes permit the skin to tighten a little, but liposuction does not accomplish very much on its own. In fact, sometimes, removal of the underlying fat can even make loose skin more apparent. If loose skin is already a problem, liposuction may not be the best solution for the person. In this case, Dr. Rice may consider a face lift, or abdominoplasty.

What are the techniques of liposuction?

Basically, all the liposuction techniques have in common that a thin surgical instrument is used to loosen or disrupt the fat cells in the area, and then the applied suction removes the fat. Several years ago, a variation was developed, called the "tumescent" technique, which involves first injecting a large volume of salt-water into the fat, and then using thinner instruments to remove the fat, giving less discomfort, and an even better result, through very tiny incisions leaving miniscule scars.

Recently, other liposuction methods have been developed including ultrasonic and laser liposuction, both of which emulsify the fat before suctioning it out. These methods can help remove larger amounts of fat with minimal blood loss, and can be more effective in treating some areas that are difficult to treat with standard liposuction, such as male breast (gynecomastia), the upper back, front of the thighs, and revision areas. However, these methods can be more expensive, and can produce skin damage if not used correctly.

Costs

The fees for liposuction by Dr Rice include: pre-operative examination and testing, operating room, anesthesiology, recovery, medical supplies and dressings, surgeon’s fee, and post-operative checkups for 52 weeks. The fee depends upon several factors such as treatment site and the number of treatment sites. Ultrasonic liposuction increases the cost. If multiple areas are being treated at the same time, the cost is of course higher, but significant multiple procedure discount will be applied.

One can find surgeons offering lower fees for this surgery, and although lower fees do not necessarily mean that the surgeon is not experienced, there are several questions to which prospective patients must learn the answers:

Is the surgeon certified by The American Board of Plastic Surgery?

Does the surgeon have considerable experience with liposuction?

Is the surgical facility fully accredited for general anesthesia?

Will there be an M.D. Anesthesiologist present?

Will the surgeon be doing the surgery himself/herself?

Can you be sure the surgeon is not just supervising trainees?

Does the quoted fee include anesthesia, operating room, supplies and follow-ups?

You want to be certain the answer is yes to all of these before deciding.

All cosmetic surgery is prepaid, but various financing options are available. It is not appropriate for health insurance to cover cosmetic surgery, and Dr. Rice does not submit cosmetic surgery fees to insurance companies.

Can the fat come back?

Fat cannot come back unless one gains weight again, in which case all body areas will share in the weight gain. However, after liposuction, the treated areas have a permanently decreased capacity for additional fat, because so many of the fat cells have simply been removed. But there are still fat cells present, so some gain in that area is to be expected with weight gain.

For that reason, someone gaining weight after liposuction is more likely to notice the increased fat being deposited in other areas that were not treated with liposuction. That is the reason for the incorrect speculation that after liposuction, "some other area will just get fat". Only if one gains weight would an increase occur.

Is liposuction surgery painful?

Afterwards, most patients say that it feels like a large bruise. Pain medications are generally needed for a few days, and then most patients rapidly become more comfortable. Of course, the more areas that are treated, the greater the discomfort to be expected.

What is the recovery period after liposuction?

Recovery time depends on the individual, but usually follows a general pattern. For the first few days, the patients take pain medicine, usually a mild narcotic. During this time they generally stay at home, lying down or walking around. Patients cannot drive a car or operate machinery during this time. Near the one-week mark, when they are on milder medicine, they can start light exercise, such as treadmill or stationary bike, but not impact exercises like running or aerobics. The second week, weights or exercise machines can be added, and then after three weeks, running and aerobics can be done. The point at which work can be resumed depends upon how the work activities fit into the progression described above, and this is individualized. Dr. Rice recommends that a compression bandage, or elastic binder, or girdle-type garment is worn nearly continuously for the first four weeks, and generally for much of the time during several weeks or months thereafter.

Where are the scars after liposuction?