Liposuction & Body Reshaping
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Liposuction is a cosmetic body-contouring procedure that helps to eliminate pockets of stubborn fat all around the body. Although following a healthy diet and a regular exercise regimen are the best and safest ways to lose weight, many people just cannot seem to eliminate fat pockets from problem areas. This is particularly true for the legs, thighs, buttocks, hips, stomach, arms, and neck. These areas often need liposuction in Columbus to appear leaner.
By choosing liposuction in the Columbus, Ohio area, our patients are able to have pockets of fat in these areas removed using a specialized suction device. Liposuction is performed using a series of small incisions that can be virtually unnoticeable once fully healed. Board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Jason Lichten is happy to talk with you and help you determine whether liposuction will yield the results you desire.
What Is Liposuction?
Liposuction is a procedure used to remove excess fatty tissue from specific areas. It can lead to generally permanent changes as long as you maintain your weight. If you have a high degree of skin elasticity, it aids in skin retraction after liposuction, allowing the skin to shrink and shape itself to the new contours created by the procedure.
VASER Liposuction
The VASER procedure utilizes ultrasound energy to target fat while leaving other vital tissues intact. Ultrasound liposuction has been utilized for years, especially for areas with denser or thicker tissues like the male chest.
Dr. Lichten uses VASERlipo to shape and sculpt multiple areas with less swelling, pain, and downtime than traditional liposuction. It is a minimally invasive procedure, but it is powerful enough to reduce large areas of fat. VASER is an alternative to traditional liposuction that can provide similar results.
Liposuction Candidates
If you have reached a relatively stable weight and still have specific areas from which you would like to remove excess fat, you may be a good candidate for liposuction. The best candidates are healthy patients with good skin elasticity and a relatively stable weight.
Keep in mind that liposuction is not a weight-loss procedure – it is designed to target problem areas that persist despite diet and exercise. During your consultation, Dr. Lichten will perform a physical examination, go over any pertinent medical history, and ask what your goals are to determine if you are a good candidate for liposuction in Columbus.
“Dr. Lichten has a special way of…making a person feel beautiful. After the procedure when I simply looked in the mirror, emotions overtook me…he gave me more in that moment than I could ever express.”
“Highly recommend for liposuction. Had no luck previously with cool sculpting and went here to get better results. One procedure and my double chin is gone!”
For those women and men with loose abdominal skin and muscles, Dr. Lichten may recommend a combination of liposuction and tummy tuck in Columbus, Ohio, to create a trimmer and tighter abdominal appearance.
However, liposuction is not ideal for patients with heart problems, diabetes, weak immune systems, or circulatory problems. It is not recommended for pregnant or nursing women, people taking blood thinners, or those allergic to lidocaine, which is used during liposuction. Liposuction should not be used to treat cellulite.
The Liposuction Consultation
During the liposuction consultation, be prepared to talk about your cosmetic goals, medical treatments, drug allergies, health problems, current medications, vitamins, and supplements. You should also discuss your use of drugs, tobacco, and alcohol, if any, and previous surgeries.
Dr. Lichten will assess your general health, check for any health risk factors, talk about your liposuction options, and suggest your ideal treatment. You will also talk about the potential results and any potential complications. Don’t hold back when it comes to asking questions about the procedure.
The Liposuction Procedure
Dr. Lichten begins each liposuction procedure by making incisions at the treatment site. Through these incisions he inserts tumescent solution to numb the area and reduce bleeding and bruising. He then inserts a small tube called a cannula and moves this device back and forth through the layers of fat to break away the fat cells from surrounding tissue and suction them out.
The net effect is to create a slimmer and more flattering profile. The time it takes Dr. Lichten to perform liposuction can vary considerably, with larger areas and larger volumes of fat requiring added surgical time. Talk with him during the consultation to learn more specifics about the liposuction procedure.
Liposuction Terminology
Many of Dr. Lichten’s patients have questions about different types of liposuction they may have heard advertised or found while googling.
Tumescent liposuction refers to the use of tumescent fluid, which is a combination of saline and medications that provide some pain control and help to reduce blood loss. Dr. Lichten uses tumescent solution in every liposuction procedure he performs.
Power Assisted Liposuction uses a vibrating canula to help break up and remove fat cells. This can often remove higher volumes of fat in less time. Dr. Lichten performs the PAL liposuction procedure, using the MicroAire PAL system.
Laser liposuction techniques such as Smartlipo™ or Slimlipo™ use a laser fiber inserted under the skin and moved back and forth to deliver energy directly to the fat cells, causing them to rupture. The fat is then suctioned away. Some physicians also suggest that the laser energy interacts with the dermis of the skin and actually causes skin tightening, but it does have the potential to burn the skin. Dr. Lichten does not perform laser liposuction because he doesn’t feel like the technology in its current form provides any additional benefit to his existing liposuction technique.
But there are reasons to be skeptical about laser liposuction. For instance, Smartlipo is limited to treating small areas of fat, so it is not a replacement for conventional liposuction. Laser liposuction is a relatively new procedure within the field of plastic surgery and as a result, the long term effects are still unknown.
Water Jet Assisted Liposuction (Body-Jet) utilizes a slightly pressurized stream of saline to dislodge the fat and simultaneously remove it.
Personalizing Your Liposuction
Dr. Lichten will be happy to discuss these techniques with you and evaluate whether they are the best option for your liposuction procedure in Columbus. Dr. Lichten can also combine liposuction with breast augmentation, breast lift, tummy tuck, male breast reduction, female breast reduction, or facelift procedures for optimal contouring. Be sure to discuss your options with a board-certified plastic surgeon like Dr. Lichten before considering any procedure.
Liposuction Recovery
Your recovery will vary based on the type of liposuction performed. You can expect some bruising, swelling, and discomfort. These issues will subside over time and pain can typically be managed with over-the-counter medication. Compression garments may need to be worn during the recovery process. Our team at Central Ohio Plastic Surgery will provide you with post-operative instructions following your liposuction in Columbus.
Liposuction Cost
During your consultation, Dr. Lichten himself will go over the liposuction options available to you and go over the expected cost of your liposuction procedure in Columbus. Price may be affected by factors like total surgical time and anesthesia fees. Our team can also let you know about the financing options available to you.
Alternatives to Liposuction
If you are looking for non-surgical alternatives to liposuction, CoolSculpting, TriPollar Apollo, and Kybella are excellent options.
CoolSculpting freezes fat cells using cooling energy, a process known as selective cryolipolysis. The fat cells are gradually and naturally filtered out of the body, resulting in natural fat reduction. The surrounding cells are left unharmed.
TriPollar Apollo is a non-invasive radiofrequency energy treatment used to shrink subcutaneous fat cells by accelerating the metabolic process. This results in circumferential reduction, along with cellulite reduction and tightening of loose skin.
Kybella is a minimally invasive injectable treatment used to reduce the appearance of a double chin. Composed of synthetic deoxycholic acid, this product destroys submental fat cells to contour and sculpt the chin.
Dr. Lichten can help identify which solution suits you best according to your needs and goals.
Liposuction Before & Afters
Schedule a Consultation for Your Liposuction
Contact Central Ohio Plastic Surgery today to schedule a consultation for your liposuction in Columbus with board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Lichten. He can let you know if liposuction can provide you with the results you are looking for.
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