Liposuction: Then And Now

Ancient techniques--A Risky Choice At Best!

Have you ever stopped to think about how much liposuction techniques have changed over even the last twenty years? The ways that our parents and grandparents saw liposuction was drastically different than the way we often view it. There are good reasons for this, and most are excellent arguments to prove that liposuction is a very different thing than it used to be, but still may not be the best option.

Before the introduction of laser-assisted liposuction, Botox injections, and similar methods, there was just liposuction. There were two basic techniques utilized for fat elimination during surgery, and both represented serious issues for patients of all ages. In many cases, the only people brave enough to risk the surgery were those with physical deformities, the rich and famous, or those who didn’t do their homework first and probably knew no better.

The dry method was as archaic and barbaric as it sounds. This method caused a lot of blood loss, and could be lethal much easier. For each section of tissue that was surgically removed, nearly thirty percent of the tissue’s composition was blood. It is not difficult to imagine that this would quickly result in some massive blood loss.

Similarly, the wet method introduced adding epinephrine to the anesthesia solution, but still resulted in a lot of blood loss. However, the ratio of blood to tissue was cut in half, and patients saw only fifteen to twenty percent instead of the thirty percent tissue-to-blood composition ratio. This may not seem like much, but it could be the difference between life and death!

In almost all of the free world today, the dry method is not used by licensed, board-certified plastic surgeons. The risks far outweigh any potential benefits, and doctors are well aware of the dozens of more modern and innovative methodologies of approaching liposuction.

Imagine choosing a plastic surgeon simply because he or she was cheap, without first asking what method(s) they use, and how that affects you. You sign all of the paperwork, pay the fee for the surgery, and begin the preparations, only to discover that the surgeon uses ancient techniques like these to perform liposuction. This could result in tragedy!

There are much safer methods available to surgeons all over the world today, including laser assisted liposuction, ultrasound technology, and power assisted methods that make the surgery a much safer choice than it was in yesteryear. Less invasive methods are better, and liposuction should only be chosen as a last choice in most cases, but the most important thing is choosing a surgeon who really understands what he/she is doing.

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