Sometimes, diet and exercise aren’t enough to give you the body you want. There’s no shame in still having stubborn deposits of excess fat after you worked hard to lose weight. Our bodies are predisposed to store fat in certain areas, and those places can become more resistant to diet and exercise as we age.
If you’re struggling to put the finishing touches on your weight loss, liposuction may be the procedure for you. Dr. Jonathan Kramer is one of Boise’s premier plastic surgeons. He is dedicated to helping his patients look and feel younger. He serves Boise and surrounding areas of Idaho. Call (208) 344-4900 today to set up a consultation.
What Can Liposuction Treat?
Liposuction can remove excess fat deposits from many areas of the body to improve your contours and proportions, including the:
- Abdomen
- Buttocks
- Back
- Hips
- Thighs
- Face
- Neck
- Chin
- Calves and ankles
- Upper arms
Am I a Liposuction Candidate?
It’s important to note that liposuction isn’t a weight-loss procedure. It’s not a solution to obesity or an alternative to a healthy lifestyle. Instead, it’s the culmination of your weight-loss process. Combined with diet and exercise, it can help you maintain a slimmer, healthier body. Before you undergo liposuction, you should have reached your weight-loss goal. Additionally, good liposuction candidates:
- Exercise regularly and are physically fit
- Eat a healthy diet
- Have firm, elastic skin and toned muscles
- Are generally healthy, with no illnesses or medical conditions
- Don’t smoke, or are willing to quit smoking before the procedure and throughout the recovery
The Liposuction Procedure
Your liposuction will be performed under general anesthesia. Once you’re sedated, Dr. Kramer will make small incisions in the treatment areas. A tumescent solution comprised of lidocaine, epinephrine, and adrenalin will be injected into the treatment area to help break up the fat cells. Then, he’ll insert a thin tube called a cannula through the incision into the underlying layer of fat. The cannula is connected to a surgical vacuum that sucks the fat out.
The amount of time your procedure takes will depend on the number and locations of fat deposits that Dr. Kramer removes. Most liposuctions are performed on an outpatient basis, but Dr. Kramer will assess the situation and recommend the best option for you.
Recovery After Liposuction
Whether you go home immediately following your procedure or the next day, you’ll need someone to drive you to your house. Dr. Kramer will provide you with a surgical garment to help control swelling and accelerate your skin’s healing process.
You’ll feel some moderate discomfort after your liposuction, but it should dissipate in about two weeks. You should be able to return to work in two to three days. If your job requires heavy lifting or manual labor, you might need to take more time off.
As soon as you’re physically able, you should begin a regimen of light walking. This will facilitate blood flow and reduce your risk of clots. It should take about four to six weeks until you’re able to resume your regular exercise routine. Dr. Kramer will give you specific aftercare instructions that you should follow carefully.
Maximizing Your Liposuction Results
Your results will become apparent as your swelling decreases. You’ll start to notice them after a few weeks, and it may take three to four months before you reach your final outcome. In this regard, patience is key.
The fat cells removed during your liposuction will never come back. In that way, the procedure is permanent. However, you can still gain weight. That post-liposuction weight will be distributed throughout your remaining fat cells, which could lead to weight gain in unexpected areas. If that happens, your figure may lose the contours and proportions you achieved through your treatment.
For that reason, it’s critical to maintain a healthy lifestyle after your liposuction. You must be committed to a nutritious diet and regular exercise. That’s the only way to ensure your results last a lifetime.
Liposuction Q&A
How long will my liposuction results last?
The liposuction procedure permanently removes fat cells in the areas you have treated. However, just because you have fewer fat cells, you are not guaranteed to stay slimmer in those areas. Remaining fat cells have the capacity to grow in size and store more fat, although the improved relative contours will remain. For this reason, you will have the longest-lasting results if you maintain a healthy lifestyle that includes regular exercise and a responsible diet.
Am I a good candidate for liposuction?
The most important thing to keep in mind about liposuction is that it’s meant to improve your body shape, not to help you lose weight. If you aren’t near your goal weight, liposuction isn’t a “quick fix” to help you get there. People who are at a healthy weight and who have thicker, more elastic skin tend to see the best lipo results.
What can I expect during recovery?
Liposuction is still a surgical procedure, but in general the recovery period is straight forward. You will need to take it easy for a few days after surgery, but most people are back to work and their other usual activities in about a week. To reduce swelling and speed healing, exercise and more strenuous activity can be added back after about 6 weeks. Dr. Kramer will instruct you to wear a compression garment to enhance final results for about six weeks after surgery.
Will I have scars?
Liposuction is performed using a surgical cannula to break up and remove fat tissue in the treatment area. This is inserted through a series of small incisions. Any incision on the skin has the potential to create a scar, but in general these small incisions heal to the point where they are not noticeable.
Schedule Your Boise Liposuction Consultation Today
Dr. Kramer is dedicated to helping his patients look and feel the way they’ve always wanted to. He serves patients in Boise and surrounding areas of Idaho. Call (208) 344-4900 today to schedule a consultation.
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