Myths and Facts about Liposuction

If there is a certain pill for making people beautiful in just a few seconds, perhaps everybody would pay millions just to have that pill. Yes, almost all of us want to look good because looking good opens a lot of opportunities.

While there is no magic pill for instant beauty, there are a lot of procedures that can enhance both face and body aesthetics. One of these procedures is liposuction. Liposuction is a popular cosmetic procedure which removes fat from certain areas of the body. Progressing from cutting fat using scalpels to suctioning fat using a cannula, liposuction is now the procedure of choice in removing resistant fat.

Since liposuction is a popular procedure, there are a lot of facts and myths surrounding it. Maybe you have heard people say comments such as “liposuction can make you lose weight”, or that “liposuction is a risky procedure.” But is there truth to these statements? Let us discuss some of the most common myths about liposuction and discover the truth in them.

Myth Number 1: Liposuction is a Risky Procedure

Perhaps you have heard people say that liposuction is a risky procedure which can make you lose too much blood or cause organ failure. The truth is that most liposuction procedures nowadays use local anesthesia rather than general anesthesia. Liposuction is generally considered a safe procedure.

To give you an idea of how safe liposuction is, here is what happens during a liposuction procedure. One of the commonly used fat removal techniques is tumescent liposuction. Tumescent liposuction is the removal of fat using local anesthesia in the form of very dilute lidocaine and epinephrine to shrink the blood vessels.

These substances are injected into subcutaneous fat to make the area become swollen and firm. This results to greater room in applying a cannula so that tissues surrounding fat cells are less affected. Aside from this, the tumescent fluids being injected in tumescent liposuction helps prepare the area being treated and pumps the area between the muscles and the fat cells so that the cannula that sucks away fat can move easily.

Tumescent fluids also hasten recovery and bring about fewer traumas to the tissues surrounding the fat cells which are removed. With liposuction procedures such as these, liposuction mainly involves subcutaneous tissues and does not traverse to internal organs, thus it is considered a low risk procedure.

Tumescent liposuction has its own benefits. First, through the tumescent approach, it is easy to remove fat. Secondly, this technique bypasses the need for general anesthesia and post-operative support. Recovery time with the tumescent technique is also quicker and recovery time ranges from just two to seven days, after which the person can resume this or her normal activities. That is how safe and how quick liposuction is.

Myth Number 2: Liposuction is Only for Women

If you think that liposuction is only for women, you may be wrong. Although women are said to have more subcutaneous fat tissue than men, men need to lose excess fat because of health reasons. Men are considered at high risk for cardiovascular disease and certain cancers. Also, top killers in men include diseases such as heart disease, stroke and diabetes. All these are medical conditions which result from excess fat in the body. Men also need removal of excess fat and shaping of body contours.

Myth Number 3: Liposuction is Only for Fat People but Not for Slim People

Liposuction can be beneficial for both fat and slim persons. In fat people, liposuction removes excess fat from the body. In slim people, liposuction is able to trim down heavy thighs which may not be good to look at with a narrow waist. Liposuction can improve body contours more effectively than diet and exercise alone.

Liposuction improves body contours. In the case of laser liposuction, thermal energy from lasers breaks down fat cells with a probe before fat is removed from the body. Thermal energy softens fat inside fat cells. This energy is specific only for fat cells and does not affect other adjacent cells so that there is minimal injury to the surrounding tissues. Laser liposuction is said to cause lesser damage to the surrounding tissues and muscles because the laser targets fat cells specifically. It also can become more specific on how much fat a surgeon should be removing and on how the cavity or the body should be shaped after treatment.

Myth Number 4: Liposuction Treats Obesity

Liposuction is only a cosmetic procedure which removes excess fat from a specific area in the body. This procedure is not used to remove excess weight or excess fat in all areas of the body. Liposuction only allows the removal of fat equaling to 8% of total body weight for safety. Also, liposuction is also intended for those people with good muscle tone, good skin texture and adequate fat under the skin. Excessive fat inside the abdomen is not suitable for liposuction. This is why liposuction may not be able to treat generalized fat or obesity.

Myth Number 5: Liposuction Only Has Cosmetic Benefits

If you think that liposuction only makes you look good but does not offer enough health benefits for you, you may be wrong. Liposuction may remove excess abdominal fat. Excess abdominal fat is a high risk factor for heart-disease and stroke. Removal of excess fat in certain areas can decrease blood cholesterol levels and can also improve your mental health by boosting your self-esteem. You not only look good but you also feel good.

So, are you ready for liposuction?

• Prev
• Next