Liposuction for Abdominal Liposuction
Liposuction often refers to abdominal liposuction or lipoplasty, which is a commonly requested procedure that helps to sculpt a person’s abdomen. Abdominal liposuction, however, can’t replace a tummy tuck, or a diet if weight is a problem. It only removes the fat layer that is resistant to diet or exercise.
Luckily, abdominal liposuction, including new techniques such as the laser liposuction, tumescent liposuction, ultrasonic-assisted suction liposuction, and the super-wet technique, helps to get rid of unwanted fat on the belly and slim down the pooch on your stomach.
The best candidates are close to their ideal weight, are healthy and have reasonable expectations of the results of the procedure. A non-smoking patient will usually see better results. Your plastic surgeon will give you more specific instructions on your diet and smoking to prepare for the procedure.
Abdominal liposuction can be performed as an out-patient, but, if larger amounts of fat are targeted, a hospital environment may be needed. The surgeon removes unwanted fat and sculpts the area of the abdomen using small incisions and a hand-held suction device. Plan on 1 to 2 hours for the surgery depending on the areas undergoing the procedure and the amount of fat to be removed.
Types of Liposuction
The various liposuction methods differ from each other. During “super-wet liposuction”, the surgeon will irrigate the area with a fluid containing a saline solution and adrenaline. This helps to break up the fat tissue and reduces bleeding. Tumescent techniques also involve injection of fluids but in larger quantities with the same results as the super-wet technique. One of the more recent method, ultrasound-assisted liposuction uses ultrasound waves to break apart the fatty tissue but still uses the suctioning cannula for fat removal from the abdomen. Another recent addition to the liposuction options is laser assisted liposuction. A small laser is inserted unto the fatty area and actually melts the fat, making it easier to suction from the treatment area. The laser also has the added benefits of sealing the small blood vessels to stop bleeding and bruising, and tightening the skin during the process.
Results from liposuction can be noticed immediately, although some types of abdominal liposuction treatments cause swelling and bruising, which may mask the final results for up to a month.
