The skinny on liposuction is that it can change much more than your figure; it can change your whole outlook. “People are using liposuction to jumpstart a healthy new lifestyle,” says Anthony Griffin, MD, FACS. “After the procedure, their self-esteem goes up and they are motivated to stay slim and fit. They feel better about themselves and their body, so they take better care of it.”
The psychological windfall is just part of the reasons liposuction is the one of the top plastic surgery procedures, at Dr. Griffin’s office and across the nation. About 323,000 women and 61,000 men had the surgery performed last year in the U.S.
Dr. Griffin is one of the first in the country to use the advanced ultrasonic technique LipoSelection. It is a revolutionary procedure that targets just the fat cells you want removed meaning half the recovery time and highly accurate sculpting with less discomfort. There is also less bruising and pain since the technique is precise enough to avoid blood vessels, nerves and connective tissues.
In women, the common areas for liposuction are the hips, thighs, stomach, and neck. In males, the common areas are the “love handles” (male flanks), stomach, chest, and neck.
Other locations that are frequently targeted by liposuction include chin, cheeks, upper arms, above breasts, abdomen, buttocks, knees, calves and ankles.
The procedure improves body shape by removing exercise-resistant fat deposits with a tube and vacuum device. It is not to be confused with Tummy Tucks which flatten the abdomen by surgical removal of excess fat and skin and tightening of the muscles of abdominal wall.
While becoming adept at this procedure, Dr. Griffin received the Golden Cannula Award for his proficiency in liposuction. After a thorough assessment, he will recommend the proper liposuction technique for you, whether it be the tumescent technique, superficial liposculpture, ultrasound-assisted lipoplasty (UAL) or other variations of conventional liposuction.
Dr. Griffin states that lipo is not a weight loss program. One should consider liposuction not as weight removal but as a body contouring procedure. Only diet and exercise is proven to remove the kind of fat that can reduce diabetes, heart disease and lower your blood pressure and cholesterol. For instance only diet and exercise can effectively remove visceral fat, the kind packed around your kidneys, liver and heart.
The best way to think of liposuction is a head start to a slimmer, healthier lifestyle. With the psychological benefits and the compliments from friends that come after the body sculpting, you become motivated to eat right and exercise regularly.
Some of the most frequently asked liposuction questions at Dr. Griffin’s office include:
Q: Can you correct bad results from previous liposuction and fat injections?
A: Fortunately, yes. The Doctor is highly experienced in corrective surgery.
Q: How much does it cost?
A: The fee is based on the amount of correction and will be quoted to you at the time of your consultation.
Q: What is the down time?
A: Return to work : 4-5 days. Normal; approximately 4-6 weeks
Liposuction is an investment in your appearance that is quickly rewarded by praise and an important boost in your self-esteem. Use it as a gateway to a new you.
LipoSelection, a new technique for liposuction Dr. Griffin is using, targets just the fat cells you want removed, gently dissolving and then efficiently removing unwanted fat pockets while leaving important tissues – such as nerves, blood vessels and connective tissue – relatively undamaged to yield exceptional smooth, shapely results and fast recovery.
Most LipoSelection patients report very little discomfort and most are able to return to normal activities within days. (Traditional surgical fat removal procedures often entail recovery periods of three to six weeks.)
The procedure targets just the unwanted fat pockets from the abdomen, arms, back, hips, knees, love handles, neck and chin, saddlebags, thighs – any place you’ve developed a little “extra cushioning”.
LipoSelection by VASER is advanced ultrasonic technology unlike anything else available for fat removal: It creates a gentle way of liquefying fatty tissue before it is removed. The VASER System’s ultrasound energy simply bounces off of vital collagen tissues, leaving them relatively intact as it dissolves and gently removes softer fat cells. The result is not only a gentle treatment but a highly precise one. In fact, LipoSelection allows work with such precision that they can even shape delicate areas like the face and neck. VASER stands for vibration amplification of sound energy at resonance.