How Many Sizes Does Liposuction Lose?

Liposuction is a regional skinning and body shaping procedure which has been frequently applied recently. The operation of the fat tissue being broken down and suctioned and taken out with the help of an aspirator device and cannulas is called liposuction. The liposuction procedure does not aim slimming down or losing weight directly. Slimming one to five sizes down can be achieved in the patient with the liposuction procedure, though how many sizes of slimming down will happen varies depending on the patient. It is possible to take out 3 to 4 kilos of fat from a person during the operation. The fat that is taken out is pure fat and it is known to be equivalent to an average of 5 – 6 kilos in a person’s body.

Liposuction is done to take out resistant fats that do not respond to regular diet and exercise. The preference is that the patient’s weight is ideal or close to ideal before the procedure. A maximum of 5 liters of fat can be taken out from the patient with the surgery. However, the weight loss cannot be noticed right away due to the edema in the patient’s body right after the surgery. The obvious results can be seen within approximately 2-3 months when the edema subsides and the body adapts to its new state. The patient seems as if they lost even more weight because fat was taken out from the unwanted areas with the resistant fat depositions.

Where is Liposuction Applied?

Liposuction can be done on many different areas of the body such as under the chin, neck, breasts, abdomen, hips, inside of the knees, inside the upper of the arms, waist, thighs, the backs of the legs. Liposuction can also be done as a supplementary procedure to the other body contour corrective surgeries.

Liposuction can be classified as follows, based on the auxiliary devices used during the procedure; LAL-laser assisted liposuction, VAL-vaser assisted liposuction, PAL-power assisted liposuction and the classic liposuction which is done without any device assistance.

Liposuction can be done on anyone who has excessive regional fat deposition resistant to regular exercise and diet, whose general state of health is fit for the procedure, and who is at or close to their ideal weight.

How is Liposuction Done?

Liposuction is done under local or general anesthesia depending on the scope of the procedure to be applied, that is, to size of the area of application and how many areas will receive the application. The resistant fat in the area of application is inflated by injecting a special liquid. several mm long incisions are made on or near this area and 2-4 mm wide metal pipes called cannulas are placed under the skin through these incisions. The cannulas are connected to a vacuuming device via transparent hoses. The vacuum machine is started and the cannulas are moved in the fat deposition areas at the right depths. Thus, the excess fats are removed from the area. The procedure of suctioning the fats with the vacuum continues until the desired body shape and a smooth skin surface are achieved.

How Long Does the Liposuction Surgery Take? 

The duration of the liposuction surgery might vary depending on the size and properties of the area of application specific to the patient. The fat to be taken out with the liposuction surgery should not exceed 5% of the patient’s weight in kilograms.

Careful with the Following After Liposuction

It is normal to have some amount of pain, aches or burning after the liposuction depending on the area of application. They are minimal and can be easily relieved with painkillers and some rest. If the surgery was done under general anesthesia, the patient might be kept under observation at the hospital for 1 or 2 nights. The special corsets put on the patient after the surgery should be used for 6 weeks.

The number of the fat cells decrease as the fat cells in the area of the liposuction application are removed. These cells do not re-increase in number in the future. Thus, the results obtained from the liposuction procedure maintain their permanence as long as the patient maintains their weight. However, if the patient has dramatic weight changes, the fat cells in the area continue to store fat and their volumes increase while their number stays the same. In this case, they can replace the decreased fat cells in volume.

Liposuction is a harmless procedure when done with the right methods for the right people. However, it must absolutely be done by people who are experts in the field. It is beneficial for the health as it allows liberation from the unnecessary fat load in the body. It is also an effective method for the person to get a more visually esthetic appearance.

Liposuction done especially on wider areas is a pretty serious procedure. The body’s metabolism gets a whole new balance due to the amount of the fat tissue taken out of the body. This process might cause the patient to become more vulnerable to certain complications. The risk increases as the scope of the procedure widens. Therefore, one must be careful about the major operations combined with liposuction. Performing an operation that is appropriate for the doctor’s expertise and certain principles will decrease the risk of complications. 

If the skin where the liposuction will be applied is loose, sagging is highly likely to be seen after the liposuction. Therefore, application of a tucking procedure should be preferred with the liposuction procedure. The duration of recovery after the liposuction surgery might vary depending on factors such as the patient’s blood levels, the amount of fat taken out and the general state of the patient. The recovery process will go faster if liposuction is done on small areas with local anesthesia. 

Patients going through liposuction should watch out what they eat after the post-op period. They should not put on too much weight and make sure to exercise regularly.