What Should I Know About Tumescent Liposuction?

Liposuction is a large and popular industry

Liposuction is a large and popular industry. Last year, even during a recession year, over 340,000 Americans underwent the procedure. The year before, when the economy was doing better, the numbers were over 455,000.

One thing that not everyone knows about liposuction is that there are a lot of ways of doing it. There are a number of different methods, and each of these methods involve different equipment, different techniques and different technology.

It might surprise readers to learn that the most popular and commonly performed type of liposuction is also one of the oldest, at least among methods of liposuction that are still practiced today.

Tumescent liposuction was conceived and invented in the mid 1980's by a California surgeon. It proved to be immensely superior to the other forms of liposuction performed at the time, improving both the results and the safety of the procedure.

The tumescent method takes its name from the word "tumesce," which means to grow firm or swollen. In tumescent liposuction, large amounts of fluids are introduced into a target area. These fluids, which include painkillers and medications which help to control blood loss, enter into the fatty tissue and cause it to firm up.

The swollen fat is then removed from the body through a special hollow needle called a cannula. The cannula, which is hooked up to a vacuum machine, is moved back and forth through the fatty tissue by the surgeon. As it does this, it breaks up and suctions out the unwanted fat. Because the fat is firm and swollen, it is much easier for the surgeon to remove it in a controlled and safe manner.

This added control made the tumescent method able to be more delicate and precise in its removal of fat, which led to better aesthetic results. Now, almost twenty-five years later, it is still the most common form of liposuction.

However, the years following the invention of the tumescent method have led to a number of other advances, some of which are growing in popularity. New methods make use of more advanced technology, such as lasers, ultrasound wave emitters and high-tech cannulas that vibrate in special patterns especially conducive to the removal of fat. However, many of the newer methods still use the tumescent technique of adding extra fluids in order to ease the removal of fat.

Currently, opinion is divided as to what method of liposuction is the best. Some doctors feel that tumescent has proven itself to be safe and reliable, while others feel that newer methods have made the tumescent method obsolete. Prospective patients are encouraged to do research on their own to find which technique they feel will best meet their needs. They are similarly encouraged to find a skilled and experienced surgeon to perform their surgery.

by: Christian Heftel

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