Liposuction is the procedure which gets rid of unwanted fat. Unfortunately, some patients are often left with lumpy results, uneven results and end up going in search of corrective solutions.
If you’re considering Liposuction to the your love handles, saddlebags, or abdomen, familiarize yourself with the procedure and the options available to your surgeon. Know exactly how your procedure will be handled before you schedule it.
Factors which help achieve smooth Liposuction results
1) Small 3mm liposuction cannula
The instrument that a plastic surgeon uses to remove the fat from your body is called a cannula. Cannulas come in a variety of sizes and are classified by the width of the long slender tube. After over 25 years of performing Liposuction, I have found that the cannula which works best is a small, thin, 3 millimeter diameter cannula. The small diameter cannula ensures that you don’t leave defects in the fatty tissue where fluids or blood can accumulate. Larger Liposuction cannulas allow fluids to accumulate and have a higher likelihood of uneven scarring and surgery results. Uneven scarring is what causes skin contour irregularities.
2) Small 1mm diameter holes at cannula tip
All Liposuction cannulas have holes at the tip where the fat enters the cannula tube to get sucked out. Although large holes allow the surgeon to remove the fat faster, small holes are best for the smoothest result. It defeats the purpose when you have a small 3mm diameter cannula (described above), but then the cannula has large oval holes! The larger oval holes can result in fluid accumulations and subsequently uneven scarring.
3) Topifoam pads under the compression garment
Immediately following surgery, topifoam pads should be placed inside your compression garment, next to your skin. The topifoam pads act like a splint on the skin holding it nice and smooth in place. Think of it like putting a lid on jello as it sets to let it set absolutely flat, even if the body is moving.
4) Post op compression garments
Following surgery, you should be wearing a compression garment for the first two weeks. You want a compression garment that is tight enough but not too tight. It should also have shoulder straps so the garment does not kink or move when you move around or sit down. It should not be removed for even 5 minutes during the first 5 days! After that, it should be worn continuously for 2 weeks, only removing it for a few minutes for a shower.
I follow this routine religiously, and it works great for me – always the smoothest results! Look at these before and after Liposuction photos to see my patients’ smooth, even results.
To learn more, watch my video about Liposuction cannulas read about the importance of Liposuction post op compression garments. In addition, it is always a good idea to read the Liposuction information page at the ASPS website.
