Unwanted subcutaneous fat found on areas such as the hips, thighs and buttocks can be difficult to shift through exercise and diet alone. Depending on the technique of liposuction, the surgeon will break the fat down fat using ultrasound or laser technology. Once it is liquified, the cannula removes it from the body. Liposuction is usually the preferred approach as it offers a faster recovery time and allows Dr. Shahram to precisely target the fat cells. This approach gives more freedom and the capability to sculpt and contour the body to the patient’s preferences.
Patients who are considering liposuction should be as close as possible to their ideal body weight, with enough fat to remove that has been resistant to diet and exercise. The ideal candidate would have good skin elasticity and no visible signs of loose skin and be able to ‘pinch an inch’ of fat. Liposuction is not suitable for those who have a great deal of loose skin. Instead, they may wish to consider a body lift or tummy tuck.
The advancement of liposuction techniques makes the operation versatile in terms of the ideal candidate. Dr. Shahram can also offer liposuction for smaller body types or those who are looking to define and sculpt their body shape.
After liposuction, the results will be immediate that gradually improve over 1-2 months. You may experience swelling during recovery, therefore you should start to get more of an indication of your result at around three months post-op. It can take up to a year to have a final indication of your new shape.
Recovery varies from patient to patient, but with all liposuction methods, the minimal recovery time will be several days to two weeks, and you should expect bruising, swelling and soreness during this time. These side effects might persist up for up to 6 weeks if the operation was extensive. Most patients will find that they can be up and about after a couple of days and can resume light exercise. Recovery can take longer for traditional liposuction.