Changing Techniques in Liposuction

Everyone, even the skinniest of supermodels, has pockets of fat that don’t respond to diet and exercise. Certain areas of the human body simply seem to inhibit getting to these pockets of fat.

Fortunately, liposuction was developed to remove those pockets of fat. Most people are at least somewhat familiar with the procedure. But different techniques are constantly being introduced to increase the effectiveness and lessen the discomfort of modern liposuction. Here are a few of the newer techniques.

First, the basics. In traditional liposuction a cannula is inserted through tiny incisions into the fat layer beneath the skin. The cannula is attached to a vacuum that suctions out the fat cells. In the procedure, the cannula is pushed and pulled through the fat layer, breaking up the fat cells so they can be suctioned out. In the early days of the procedure, the cannula movement was quite aggressive, which created a good deal of bruising and soreness in the patient. Today’s methods don’t usually employ that same amount of aggressive movement.

Technique variations

The basic procedure is still used, but several variations have been introduced.

• Fluid Injection — In this technique, a medicated solution is injected into the fatty areas before liposuction. The fluid is a mixture of intravenous salt solution, lidocaine (an anesthetic), and epinephrine (a drug that contracts blood vessels). This helps the fat be removed more easily, reduces blood loss, and provides anesthesia during and after the procedure. It also reduces bruising. Different amounts of fluid can be injected for various offshoots of this technique.
• Ultrasound-Assisted Lipoplasty — This technique utilizes a special cannula that also produces ultrasonic energy. As the cannula passes through the areas of fat, the ultrasonic energy explodes the walls of the fat cells, liquefying the fat. The fat is then suctioned out. This technique improves the ease and effectiveness of liposuction in fibrous areas of the body.

Do you have a stubborn pocket or two of fat? Maybe liposuction could be the answer. Set up an appointment with Dr. Hetzler and let’s discuss your options.