Liposuction

There are some instances where excess fat will not disappear with regular diet and exercise. If you’re bothered by these excess fat deposits, liposuction may be the answer for you. Liposuction can be performed on most areas of the body and help improve the contours of your body by removing these fat deposits and reshaping the afflicted area.

Also known as lipoplasty or suction lipectomy, liposuction is generally performed on areas such as the upper arms, abdomen, thighs, hips, buttocks, cheeks, chin and neck, among others. While it may be used in conjunction with other procedures, including a facelift, breast reduction or tummy tuck, liposuction can also be performed by itself.

If you are a healthy, non-smoker and are within 30% of your ideal weight, you may be a good candidate for liposuction. It’s also important to have firm skin and muscle tone to reap the full benefits of liposuction.

Dr. McHugh will address all of your concerns and review the different types of liposuction, including traditional, tumescent or super-wet and ultrasound-assisted, to find the best treatment plan for your case. All types of liposuction are considered surgical procedures, as they all require incisions near the area to be treated to help suction out the excess fat deposits.

Following the surgery, elastic bandages or compression bandages may be used to help control the swelling and stabilize the new contours. Dr. McHugh will provide you with full post-op instructions to follow during the healing stage.

You may experience swelling, soreness, bruising, numbness and discomfort immediately after the procedure during the initial healing. This is common and is often kept under control with medication. Your sutures will be removed 5-10 days after the procedure, if necessary, and healing will continue for several weeks thereafter. As the swelling begins to disappear, your full results will become more evident.

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Smartlipo

The Biggest Results—In The Smallest Of Places
The Smartlipo laser-assisted lipolysis system is a highly efficacious solution for destroying and permanently eliminating fat cells:

A 1064-nm Nd:YAG laser fiber is introduced through a small cannula, delivering energy directly to subcutaneous fat cells-causing them to rupture. The emitted fat melting energy also coagulates tissue, thus inducing collagen retraction and tissue tightening.
The laser causes small blood vessels to coagulate immediately—resulting in less bleeding, swelling and bruising than conventional liposuction, for faster healing and recovery.
Smartlipo can supplement or augment traditional methods of cellulite treatment.
Given the cannula's small size and gentleness of the procedure, Smartlipo is a minimally invasive treatment that only requires local anesthesia—enhancing client safety and reducing the likelihood of side effects.
A confluent red diode laser provides a powerful visual guide during treatment.
Typically only one short treatment session is needed—enabling you to maximize your client throughput.

For more information on Smartlipo, visit the Cynosure website.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are there any risks involved with liposuction?
All surgical procedures come with some sort of risk involved. Dr. McHugh will review these with you prior to the procedure to ensure you are fully informed. Some risks associated with liposuction may include dimpling, permanent bruising, numbness and irregularities in the new contours.
Is liposuction a safe procedure?
Yes, liposuction is a safe procedure when performed by a qualified plastic surgeon, such as Dr. McHugh.
Does the procedure hurt?
Many patients now report less discomfort associated with the procedure due to new technology used in liposuction. A local anesthetic is used during the procedure and this lessens the pain and discomfort immediately after the procedure. You should feel little, if any, discomfort within two to three days.
If I have liposuction, do I still need to worry about diet and exercise?
Yes! While liposuction can help with localized fat deposits that do not respond to normal diet and exercise, it is NOT considered a replacement. Regular diet and exercise can help you maintain the results achieved through liposuction
When you remove the fat deposits, is this permanent?
Some fat cells are permanently removed with liposuction; however, there are still some remaining that can grow if you do not adhere to a healthy diet and exercise regimen. Gaining weight after liposuction is still possible and problem areas may reform, although the new weight may be dispersed to other areas of the body.