Liposuction is one of the most popular plastic surgery procedures because it offers safe and effective fat removal. Traditional liposuction is performed by sucking the fat from underneath your skin with a special tube. This tube is called a cannula, and is attached to a vacuum that sucks the fat from your body. Your New York City liposuction surgeon will insert the cannula through tiny incisions made at various locations throughout your body. He or she will massage your skin and squeeze your tissue to determine the appropriate amount of that that should be removed. Your fat will be loosened by a scraping motion before it is sucked out.
Because of the suction, traditional liposuction is also called suction-assisted liposuction (SAL). You will not feel any pain because you will be under a general anesthesia. Depending on the area treated and amount of fat removed, you may be required to wear a compression garment for several weeks to help protect and shape the treated area.
New Methods Constantly Developing
New liposuction techniques are constantly being developed. However, traditional liposuction using the Tumescent solution stands the test of time.
Several other forms of liposuction include:
Ultrasound Liposuction
Ultrasound-assisted liposuction uses ultrasonic waves to emulsify the fat cells, so they are easier to remove. There are two ways that this energy can be transferred: internally through the cannula, and externally through paddles that are passed over your fat deposits. While the internal method has proven to be effective, it has higher incidents of complications than other techniques. The external method has shown to be effective only when the energy is turned up so high it causes burns.
Power-Assisted Liposuction
In power-assisted liposuction (PAL) the cannula has an oscillating tip that functions like a jackhammer to loosen up fat and other tissues. Power-assisted liposuction can make the procedure quicker and easier for the surgeon, but it may also result in more incidental damage to other tissues.
Laser-Assisted Liposuction
Laser-assisted liposuction uses a laser to liquefy the fat in the area to be treated. Once the fat is liquefied, it is removed from the body. Laser-assisted liposuction claims to remove fat with less damage to surrounding tissue, and with increased skin tightening in the treated areas, but these claims have not been approved by the FDA.
Keep in mind that with liposuction procedures constantly evolving, so are the complications. In order to better guarantee satisfactory results, it is a good idea to stick with the effective, traditional method of liposuction surgery.
