Liposuction

Just like any surgical procedure, liposuction carries certain risks. While these risks are rare, those considering liposuction should educate themselves before making their decision to undergo this procedure. Below is an introduction to the risks of liposuction; for more information, schedule your consultation to speak with Dr. Perry.

Change in skin sensation
It’s possible to experience a temporary loss of skin sensation after liposuction, but sensation will return over time. In rare cases, diminished or complete loss of sensation does not completely resolve.

Skin discoloration/swelling
Commonly, skin discoloration and swelling are experienced after liposuction. It’s rare for swelling and discoloration to persist for a long time, and permanent skin discoloration is also unusual.

Unsatisfactory result
Despite realistic expectations about the results of liposuction, some patients are disappointed with the outcome. In rare cases, a patient’s results are improved through additional surgery.

Irregular skin contour
Irregularities such as dimpling, wrinkling, and skin depressions may follow liposuction, possibly requiring additional treatments, including surgery, to correct.

Asymmetry
Normal pre-surgery asymmetry in the body’s features is affected by skin, muscle tone, and bone prominence. Just as the body is not symmetrical before liposuction, it will not be symmetrical afterward.

Infection
Like tummy tuck or any other surgery that we offer at our practice, infection after liposuction surgery is unusual. However, the rare development of an infection would require treatment using antibiotics or additional surgery.

Bleeding and seroma (fluid accumulation)
It’s unusual, but possible, to have a bleeding episode during or after liposuction. If significant postoperative bleeding occurs, you may require emergency treatment to drain the blood. In addition, it is possible for fluid accumulation to occur in areas sculpted with liposuction. The draining of this fluid, as well as additional surgery, may be necessary.

Surgical shock
Especially when multiple or extensive areas are treated with liposuction, the procedure can cause severe trauma, including infections or excessive fluid loss that can cause severe illness or even death. For this reason, patients planning large volume liposuction (greater than 5000 cc’s) may be advised to be monitored post-operatively and remain overnight in the hospital.

Skin loss or chronic pain
Skin loss and chronic pain after liposuction are extremely rare conditions but can occur.

Pulmonary complications
In very rare cases, fat embolism syndrome — when the lungs trap fat droplets — can occur and is sometimes deadly. This complication necessitates hospitalization and additional treatment.

Need for additional surgery
Complications from liposuction are rare but cannot be predicted. In some cases, complications will create a need for additional surgery or other treatments.

Financial responsibilities
Fees for liposuction are not covered by health insurance. Fees will include the cost of anesthesia, lab tests, medications, cost of surgical supplies, surgery center charges, and more. If complications develop, you will incur additional charges. However, if the complication poses a health risk, your health plan will cover hospitalization, anesthesia, and/or secondary surgery.

Liposuction cannot replace weight loss, diet, and exercise.
Dr. Perry considers good candidates for liposuction to be individuals who are of a normal weight, healthy, and active both before and after their procedure.

Liposuction surgery is typically minimally painful, as anesthesia will be employed throughout the procedure. With this in mind, it’s important to note that patients experience pain differently, and one patient may find the surgery more uncomfortable than the next. Furthermore, patients generally experience some degree of soreness in the initial recovery period, but this can usually be mitigated with prescribed pain medications.

In the hands of a qualified plastic surgeon, liposuction surgery is considered quite safe.* Dr. Perry has performed liposuction for decades and prioritizes patient safety during each liposuction procedure. Please be aware, however, that liposuction is a major surgery, and all such procedures come with risks. Dr. Perry will discuss these risks in detail with you during your initial consultation.

While the length of the procedure can vary between patients, liposuction generally takes a few hours. You can realistically expect a more lengthy procedure if other surgical methods are incorporated into your care.

The fat removed from your body during liposuction is permanently removed, but that does not mean your body contour will remain static for the rest of your life. Small fluctuations in weight are normal and should not greatly affect your results; however, significant weight gain or loss can alter your shape, potentially including the areas you treated with liposuction. Sometimes weight gain or loss will not affect the treated areas, which may also lead to an unsatisfying body contour. We recommend you maintain a healthy lifestyle, including eating a nutritious diet and following a fitness program to ensure your outcome endures.

Each body responds differently in the case of weight gain, although small, normal fluctuations in weight should not have a noticeable effect on your overall results. More significant weight gain, which could occur over time because of many circumstances unrelated to liposuction (such as aging, pregnancy, or other factors), may alter your contour in the treated area or around the treated area. In some cases, these effects may go away again if you lose weight, or you may wish to have another procedure to achieve your desired shaping again.

The minimum age for liposuction is 18 years old, although there are rare exceptions in some cases depending on unique circumstances. This restriction was likely established to ensure patients are mature enough to understand that liposuction is a major decision that should be considered with great care. In some cases, older patients with weaker skin elasticity may be advised against liposuction. Otherwise, age is not often a major factor, as the main concern when determining candidacy should be overall health.

While liposuction can remove significant amounts of fat, please note that it should not be considered an alternative to weight loss strategies (e.g. exercise, diet, bariatric surgery, and so on). Rather, liposuction is for patients at a relatively healthy weight who want to remove stubborn fat buildup in specific areas.

Moreover, when conducted properly by a qualified professional, liposuction can remove up to 70% of fat in a given area. For safety purposes, larger amounts of fat are often performed in a series of procedures rather than one single surgery.

The majority of patients experience some degree of swelling after the procedure. The severity of the swelling will depend on the treatment area, the extent of fat that was removed, and other factors. Sometimes, Dr. Perry will instruct you to wear a compression garment following surgery to manage excessive swelling. You may also be advised to limit your alcohol and salt consumption for a few weeks.

Cellulite refers to dimpled fat deposits that can sometimes show up in areas prone to large fat buildup. Unfortunately, liposuction alone is not designed to remove cellulite, and can even make the dimpling more pronounced (though in rare cases, it has successfully removed very marginal amounts of cellulite).

Although the fat cells removed in liposuction cannot regrow, new ones can take their place. If you gain a significant amount of weight following surgery, the extra weight may show up in different body areas. This can be a frustrating side effect of liposuction, but it can be avoided by maintaining a healthy weight after surgery and trying to limit weight fluctuations as much as possible.