Liposuction is a cosmetic surgery technique that aims to contour the body by removing areas where fat has accumulated in specific areas of the body. Liposuction can be done on the abdomen, waist, hips, buttocks, back, thighs, knees, calves, ankles, arms, cheeks, and jowls.
Sometimes, these localised fat deposits can be inherited and usually cannot be removed by diet or exercise. Liposuction is often the only way to remove them.
Liposuction performed in Santiago can be done alone or in combination with other plastic surgery procedures, such as breast reduction or augmentation, abdominoplasty or further surgery.
It is worth mentioning that Liposuction is NOT a method of weight reduction. It is a way of sculpting the body and eliminating localised fat that cannot be destroyed, neither through exercise nor diets.
Requirements to perform Liposuction.
Before undergoing Liposuction, the surgeon, during the first interview, will ask you to tell him about your medical history and will also ask about your knowledge of allergies, medications and previous surgeries. The surgeon will tell you to undergo a series of tests and analyses before undergoing any process.
Some Requirements:
- Being over 18 years.
- Women who are breastfeeding cannot undergo this treatment.
- Liposuction shapes the body. It is not a slimming treatment (it is not recommended for people over 20% to 30% overweight).
- Not suffering from cardiovascular and diabetic disease or alterations in the immune system.
- In this treatment, local anaesthesia of lidocaine is used. If the patient is allergic to this component, preventive measures of the case must be taken.
- People seeking to be treated with liposculpture should have elastic and healthy skin. This has been detected in previous tests.
- It is not advisable for a person who has just undergone surgery recently.
What is the procedure of outpatient Liposuction with local anaesthesia?
After the approval of the doctor with the results of the tests, he will make an appointment for the day in which we will intervene surgically. The operation usually lasts about 1 hour, it will use local anaesthesia in the area(s) to be treated and the fat to be removed depending on each case. Local anaesthesia numbs only the affected areas and is only used when dealing with small amounts of fat and a limited number of areas. Local anaesthesia is usually associated with the tumescent method.
The procedure of Liposuction with local anaesthesia is simple, and this consists of the use of a cannula that is inserted through the skin through a small incision placed in the area to be treated, and this eliminates localised fat. The recovery time is quite fast, being able to perform everyday activities a week after the procedure and the swelling and bruising are minimal.
The treated area will be bandaged, and a girdle will be worn for one or a month and a half (it must be worn all day). In addition, lymphatic drainage is recommended to eliminate all traces of fat, blood, anaesthesia, etc. The entire area may be left with some oedema and bruises for a while that, with reasonable care and treatment, will go down at a rapid and considerable rate.
Avoid any exposure to the sun until it heals completely. The result is fully observed six months after surgery. We advise staying at body weight.
Pre and postoperative : special care
Before starting treatment, it is essential to take some precautions to avoid problems and have a good recovery. Likewise, it is necessary to be aware that this is a little push for a change in later life and that after Liposuction, you must be constant in your care.
In addition, you must make sure that the place is authorised by the Seremi of health and that it has all its facilities and infrastructure in the pavilions to be able to carry out the procedure, which must be carried out by a specialist doctor with his team made up of an armourer and an anaesthetist.
Before the procedure, you should not take aspirin or vitamin E. Ideally; you should not smoke for at least seven days before so that recovery is faster.
In addition, he recommends taking arnica or trauma a few days before to prepare the capillaries and thus reduce oedema.
During the postoperative period, you should have a balanced, anti-inflammatory diet and avoid foods that swell the abdomen. It is important not to gain weight and to do regular physical exercise 2 to 3 times a week.
In addition, Dr Ríos recommends the following:
* Perform ultrasound sessions to faster recovery, reduce skin inflammation and prevent fibrosis that can form after Liposuction. In addition, perform pressotherapy sessions to help with lymphatic drainage.
* Use a compression girdle for at least two months so that the skin retracts and adheres to the muscle.
* Avoid performing strength or exercises for seven days.
* The optimal results are observed between 30 to 60 days after finishing the postoperative treatment (lymphatic drainage + ultrasound).
Recovery after Liposuction
Feeling well immediately after surgery should not be expected. A compression garment that is the girdle should be worn for several weeks to control swelling. Antibiotics should be taken to prevent any possible infection. Drainage from the incision sites may also be experienced for a day or two after surgery. The pain can be controlled with medications prescribed by the plastic surgeon, although you may still feel stiff and sore for a few days.