Liposuction
Surgical Reduction of Body Fat with Liposuction
The most effective way to reduce body fat is through diet and exercise. Unfortunately, this can be very difficult for various reasons for many people. Even when in a healthy weight range from adhering to a good diet and regular exercise, fat can find its way to parts of the body that just won’t shift. Liposuction is a surgical technique that can be used alone or in combination with other surgical procedures to help address these areas of the body that may be resistant to diet and exercise. Dr Adrian Sjarif sees patients for liposuction consultations, and performs liposuction procedures regularly in accredited hospital facilities in Wollongong and Bowral.
Am I a Good Candidate for Liposuction?
You may be a good candidate for liposuction if you stay in good shape with regular exercise and a healthy diet, but are having trouble toning one of more or the following areas:
- Abdomen
- Hips
- Thighs
- Buttocks
- Upper arms
- Knees
- Upper back (bra-strap area)
- Neck
- Under the chin
- Male chest
It is important to note that liposuction is not a weight loss option. You will see the best results if you are not overweight, have good muscle tone and firm, elastic skin that is able to contract over the treated area after liposuction. If your skin is loose or inelastic, liposuction may not be a great option and you may be a better candidate for another type of body contouring procedure such as a body lift, abdominoplasty, arm lift or thigh lift.
If you are considering a liposuction procedure, Dr Sjarif will discuss the process with you during an initial consultation in his Wollongong or Bowral clinic. He will discuss your motivations, your general heath and your treatment goals and make an assessment as to whether liposuction is a reasonable option for you. If he determines that liposuction cannot give you the body contouring results you desire, he will suggest a suitable treatment options if available and if appropriate for your particular situation.
Surgical Details
Liposuction is performed on an outpatient basis in an accredited hospital or day surgery facility in Wollongong or Bowral. If larger volume liposuction is required or if it is combined with other surgery, then you may require an overnight stay in hospital for your safety. Liposuction is always performed under general anaesthesia administered by one of Dr Sjarif’s regular accredited anaesthetists.
Dr Sjarif will begin by making several small stab incisions around the areas of your body that have been targeted for liposuction. As much as possible, these small incisions will be placed in areas that can be easily hidden or concealed in natural creases of the body such as the groin crease or fold under the breast. This is to ensure that the scars will be inconspicuous when they have healed.
Through the incisions, a solution of fluid containing local anaesthetic and adrenaline will be infiltrated into the tissues to be liposuctioned – this combination of medications will help to provide pain relief in the post-operative period and help to reduce bruising and bleeding. After this mixture has had enough time to work, the liposuction is then performed. The fat is suctioned out of the area using thin metallic tubes called cannulas that are passed in-and-out of the area being treated. This process is quite labour intensive and will often be helped along using a reciprocating hand-piece attached to the cannulas in a procedure known as power-assisted liposuction. The process is carried out by Dr Sjarif being careful at all times to ensure that the cannula is placed only into those areas to be suctioned and the cannula is moved around constantly to ensure an even and uniform result.
Following completion of the procedure, the small incisions are then closed with dissolving stitches and the wounds covered with small waterproof dressings.
Recovering from Liposuction
In an effort to help control the bruising and swelling that commonly results from the liposuction procedure, Dr Sjarif will place you into a compression garment. The style of the garment will depend on the areas that have been treated and may include a surgical bra, an abdominal binder or compression pants.
Apart from the expected swelling and bruising to the treated areas, you should not have too many other concerns. You may experience some pain and discomfort, but these symptoms should have subsided by the end of the first week. You will be discharged home with pain medication and some anti-inflammatories. The bruising may take several weeks to completely resolve and in some cases will actually get worse before it gets better with the bruising sometimes seen to be spreading beyond the site of the liposuction treatment. The swelling can take several months to fully dissipate. Dr Sjarif may recommend you see our dermal therapist after a few weeks to commence some lymphatic massage to help this process along.
Most liposuction patients take one to two weeks off from work. Dr. Sjarif will clear you to return to work, exercise and the rest of your normal activities when you are ready. You should see immediate improvement in the treated area, with your results continuing to improve over time.
Liposuction in Wollongong & Bowral
To learn more about liposuction surgery and whether you may be a suitable candidate, please call or email Dr Sjarif today to book a consultation.
