Liposuction of the face, neck and body is a very powerful technique to sculpt the face, neck and body.   I prefer to perform liposuction with microcannulas for better results.

FACE and NECK

As we age, the lower face and neck may begin to sag as early as in the mid-thirties to early forties.  In the anterior neck, fat collection can create the appearance of a turkey neck.  Use of liposuction microcannulas has improved our capacity to treat the lower face and neck in order to improve the contour of these important areas.  The improvement of shape of the lower face and/or neck from liposuction comes from not only the removal of fat but also the reorganization of collagen, which tightens the skin. Liposuction is often included in the traditional face and neck lift.   The recovery may take a few days to a week and sometimes longer,  depending on how much liposuction is performed.  A face and neck band is worn usually at night for the first two weeks.

THE BODY

There are certain parts of the body where fat is deposited and, no matter how hard we try with diet and exercise, the fatty areas remain.  These areas include the abdomen, flanks, hips, thighs, anterior neck, and upper arm.

While there are very few risks and significant advantages with liposuction, managing expectations of what is possible with the liposuction technique is important.  Anyone thinking that this is a magical cure for weight reduction needs to understand the limits of how much fat can be removed from liposuction during one operation.

Now that you have a general understanding, I will outline my approach for liposuction.  I prefer to use microcannulas rather than the large liposuction cannulas used by most cosmetic surgeons.  The microcannulas cause less trauma and therefore cause less pain and swelling.  The microcannulas also allow for more precision.  The larger cannulas are preferred by surgeons only for speed.  The possibility of having contour irregularities is much higher with the larger cannulas.

TECHNIQUE

First, I plan the operation by marking out all of the areas that a person desires to be treated.  The most significant advantage of performing liposuction under local anesthesia is the avoidance of complications like excessive bleeding and forming blood clots in the legs.  Anesthesia with intravenous sedation by an anesthesiologist is recommended when a patient has poor tolerance for any  discomfort, but the goals of liposuction must be appropriate to limit the risks.

The liposuction technique is the following: 1) The skin areas are prepared with betadine and markings are made in discrete areas where local anesthesia is injected; 2) Small incisions (less than a quarter of an inch) are made and tumescent fluid is infiltrated into the areas of fat that will be suctioned out.  The tumescent fluid contains local anesthesia and epinephrine to eliminate pain and shrink blood vessels respectively; 3) After waiting 15 minutes, the liposuction microcannula is inserted through the small incisions to remove the fat in those areas that have been marked out prior to the operation;  4) Liposuction microcannulas of different sizes are used to help remove as much fat as possible and leave behind a smooth contour.  5) The liposuction process will continue until the proper shape is achieved and no more fat can be extracted in the marked areas.

RECOVERY

It may take a few days to a couple of weeks for the swelling to disappear for most people, depending on how many areas are treated with liposuction.  If only a small area is treated, then recovery is much faster.  A compression garment may be used for the first two weeks to a month to give you support.  The final results of the liposuction will take at least 6 months to one year to see.

Liposuction is a great technique to sculpt the human face, neck and body.  Liposuction will tighten up the skin, which will also help to improve shape.  Liposuction combined with a system to harvest the fat for a natural fill breast or buttock augmentation is also an important advancement.  Liposuction is also an important part of abdominoplasty to help reshape the waistline.