So You’ve Decided To Get Liposuction. Here’s What You Need To Know.

Cosmetic surgery has been growing in popularity in recent years, due to a variety of factors, but mainly to a wider availability and a lowering of the cost.

There are more and more clinics opening across the country, such as the Masri Clinic, which means it is now easier than ever to access the surgery or procedure you want.

One of the most popular types of cosmetic surgery is liposuction. It has long been a popular surgery, but more people every year are electing to have this procedure performed.

If you are one of them, it’s important to make sure you are fully informed before going ahead.

It’s Not A Quick Fix

Liposuction will not magically give you the body shape you are after, the swelling can take some time to go down, and afterwards you will need to maintain your weight to avoid regaining the fat.

After liposuction it is important to maintain a healthy diet and exercise regime once you are healed. Liposuction mens physically removing the unwanted areas of fat, so those fat cells can not return, however if you were to gain significant amounts of weight later down the line, the areas could become fatty again,

It can take many months to see the true results, swelling takes some time to resolve, and there is often significant bruising for several weeks. So, if you are hoping to have liposuction a week or two  before a big event, this is inadvisable, you may end up not being able to even attend the event due to the bruising.

Skin Matters

Your skin over the area is important. If you have tight, elastic skin, it should easily mould itself to the new contour of your body, however if you have a large amount of excess skin, or your skin is flaccid, you may need other types of surgery to help with it.

It’s also worth noting that liposuction can not remove stretch marks or cellulite.

Always have a consultant with a registered and licensed doctor, such as those at the Masri Clinic to find out what results you can realistically expect.

It Will Not Slim You Down Four Dress Sizes

Liposuction is best used when you have already been trying to lose weight or tone up, to remove those stubborn areas of fat that just won’t shift no matter what you do, most commonly in the belly area, or on the back.

This helps to recontour a certain area, but it does not provide fat loss to your overall body. This can only be achieved with weight loss. 

Fat is not a particularly heavy substance, so it is unrealistic to expect the scales to drop much with liposuction.

Recovery Time

Recovery for liposuction is not that quick. It requires a general anaesthetic, and a short stay in hospital. It is quite painful, although with modern painkillers the pain can easily be managed.

Recovering from liposuction means that you will need at least two weeks of complete rest, this means no work and no exercising, until your doctor says it is ok to go back to your normal activities.

You will have to wear bandages or a bodysuit to compress the area that has been worked on. This helps to reduce swelling, but to do this, the bandages or bodysuit will need to be worn most of the time, including in the day and whilst you sleep, for up to six weeks. So, it is worth thinking about what your future plans are when you book your appointment.

Side Effects

Like with any procedure, liposuction can have side effects. The most common type of side effect experience is bruising and swelling, which as we have mentioned can last several weeks.

The area can sometimes feel numb, or loss of sensation, but this normally resolves after a few weeks.

The surgeon will have to make a small incision in order to remove the fat, so this incision could leave a scar. Your surgeon will do everything he can to make the scar as small as possible, but everyone’s body heals in different ways, and whilst some people may have a very discreet scar, they may be more noticeable on others.

Sometimes the results may be uneven, which can need corrective surgery.

Anaesthesia itself always carries a small risk, and any operation carries the risk of excessive bleeding, infection or an allergic reaction.

Your surgeon will explain all these risks to you, so that you are fully aware of all possible complications before going ahead with the surgery.

Always do your research before deciding on liposuction and ensure you find a licensed, experienced doctor who you trust.