Liposuction by Eoin Beckett

The Path to Youth and Beauty

The perfect body is on display and up for grabs.  Just turn on your TV – they’re everywhere. Every programme seems to burst with beautiful people with toned muscle, clear skin and no fat.  And you can bet your bottom dollar they have worked hard to get that way.  They probably follow carefully controlled diets and take plenty of exercise.  However, to get rid of excess fat that seems to hug your body in all the wrong places, liposuction can be most effective.

If you are considering liposuction, here are some facts you should know before you take your decision:

What Everyone ought to Know about Liposuction

Liposuction is a procedure in which fat deposits are surgically removed from a specific area of the body. These target areas include, but are not limited to, the abdomen, thighs, knees, breasts, buttocks, arms, back - areas vunerable to the a build up of excess fat. Plastic surgeons recommend that people within their normal weight range are the best candidates for liposuction, that is, they will see the best results.

The Liposuction Procedure

When going in for liposuction, a patient is put under anesthesia. The surgeon then makes an incision in the target area, and inserts a vacuum-like instrument that will push and pull the fat until it is lose enough to be removed altogether by suction.
After the surgery, which is a single-day procedure, the patient will wear an elastic garment around the area on which the operation has been performed. They will be prescribed antibiotics to prevent infection, and will be advised not to do any major physical exercise for at least 3 months. The patient may experience minor pain and swelling in the area. Within 10 days, the stitches are removed or fall out.

The Costs of Liposuction

Costs of liposuction generally include a surgical and a non-surgical fee. Surgical fees are made up of the actual cost of the operation, and are dependant upon the area operated on and the size of the patient. Non-surgical fees are comprised of the pre-op lab tests, supplies, nursing staff, and the cost of hiring the operating theatre. It is wise to get a written estimate by the surgeon on how much it is actually going to cost you before you leap ahead with any major decisions. Most health plans do not cover liposuction because it is deemed to be a cosmetic procedure. However, there are other financial options to cover the expense of the procedure.

The decision of whether or not to go ahead with routine liposuction is ultimately nobody’s but your own.  However, surgeons stress the need for patients to have realistic goals and expectations, and discourage over-ambitious candidates.  As a way of kick-starting a healthy lifestyle and a move toward a younger-looking, fitter body, liposuction is an effective procedure.