While liposuction can offer impressive, long-lasting body sculpting results, there are several factors at play that can definitely have an impact on your final outcome. Specifically, there are four key stages in the liposuction process that can help patients achieve the best results and enjoy their new figure for years to come.
Being a Good Candidate
Good candidates for liposuction have localized fat deposits that have been unresponsive to diet and exercise alone. Overweight patients will first need to lose weight in order to be within 30 percent of their ideal weight range. This is best achieved by old-fashioned diet and exercise.
Good muscle tone and skin elasticity are also factors to consider, as these too will have a positive impact on your final results. Non-smokers are better candidates because of the inherent health risks borne by smokers. Patients who do smoke should quit several weeks before surgery and refrain from smoking throughout recovery. General good health is also essential, so patients with compromised immunity or conditions that may impair healing are not recommended candidates.
A Comprehensive Consultation
When preparing for lipo, patients should engage in entirely candid conversations with their surgeons to evaluate considerations that could be significant. In these meetings, you should disclose any lifestyle or health factors that may be relevant to your surgery. At your consultation, your plastic surgeon will likely take photographs and then recommend a customized body sculpting approach that will be best suited to your specific needs and cosmetic goals.
Realistic Expectations
Patients with realistic expectations for the outcome of their liposuction treatment are the ones who will be most satisfied with their results. For example, a common misconception about lipo is that it helps with weight loss, but this fallacy should be addressed by surgeons at the very first consultation. While liposuction permanently removes fat deposits, it’s not intended (nor is it capable) of safely removing significant amounts of weight. Some patients may see a negligible drop of a couple pounds following the treatment, but it’s important to already be at or near your target weight before scheduling liposuction.
A good place to start for men and women in ensuring that expectations remain realistic is to look at before and after photos of liposuction results from actual patients. These images help give a clearer idea of what to expect after surgery and recovery. Surgeons can help by augmenting this visual data with plenty of reading material or recommendations for other resources that could prove helpful.
An Excellent Surgeon
Finally, the most critical component for beautiful liposuction results is selecting an excellent surgeon. Verify that your plastic surgeon is experienced in the latest liposuction techniques and that he or she operates only in official medical centers with appropriate accreditations. It’s also smart for patients to verify that their plastic surgeons are board certified and maintain membership in professional medical organizations, since these qualities speak to the technical expertise and professional background of your surgeon. When undergoing any surgical procedure, the primary focus should be on finding a surgeon who will work to meet your specific needs and goals.
Just as every patient is unique, so results will vary from individual to individual as well, but ensuring these four stages are followed offers patients the best approach for liposuction success.