subject: What You Need To Know About Liposculpture [print this page] Liposuction is a procedure designed to remove excess body fat in the appropriate patient. Liposculpture, which is a term often used sometimes used interchangeably with the word liposuction, is a procedure which removes fat as well, but generally done so in smaller areas to define parts of the body better. Liposculpture for the most part uses the same principles of liposuction, but there are differences mainly in the areas where it is applied, the instruments used and the tissue planes where they are placed.
Liposculpture uses suction to remove the fat between the muscle and skin. This surgery is performed using local or sedation anesthesia, which reduces the risk to the patient. Although liposculpture can be performed on almost any area of the body, some of the most common areas are the stomach ("cubes" or "six-pack"), back, grooves between the muscles of the arms to define the muscle better, neck, chin and crease of the back.
While general liposuction procedures remove larger amounts of fat, the goal in liposculpture is not only to remove fat, but more so to define muscles and tissue planes better. By using smaller suction tubes, and placing them in slightly different tissue planes, the surgeon has the ability to sculpt the boundaries between muscles thereby defining them better. For instance, in selected patients, the rectus abdominal muscle borders can be better defined giving the chiseled appearance frequently desired. Or the line in the back of the torso can be accentuated to give the appearance of a lean muscular look. Perhaps a patient does not see a clear separation between the biceps muscle and arm bone, and liposculpture can define this better.
During the liposculpture procedure, patients are given medications to numb the areas to be treated and may also be given a light sedative to induce relaxation. Liposculpture utilizes small, precisely placed well hidden incisions no bigger than 2-3 milimeters and small thin tubes are used to suction fat and define the anatomy better. After the procedure is complete, the surgeon wraps the areas with compression bandages to reduce swelling and to promote adherence of the tissue planes.
Recovery from the procedure is rather quick and most patients are able to return to normal, everyday activities just a few days after surgery. Patients will experience mild symptoms such as minor pain and bruising, but they are usually short-lived. The results become more pronounced as time passes like any procedure.
Although liposculpture is safe and effective for most people, there are some patients who are not good candidates for the procedure. Patients who are significantly overweight or obese should consider an alternative procedure to reduce their body fat. This is because liposculpture is designed to remove small amounts of body fat that will not go away with an exercise plan and proper diet. People who experience fluctuations in weight are also not ideal candidates for liposculpture because gaining weight will cause fat to accumulate in treated areas.
Patients with unrealistic expectations are not good candidates either and such patients will be informed of the limitations of any procedure as it relates to his or her body. Patients must also be in good physical health before undergoing any type of surgery. Since liposculpture is considered a cosmetic procedure, it is not covered by health insurance and can be costly.
Liposculpture is a procedure that has worked well for many people, giving them a more slender, contoured appearance in the areas mentioned above. The combination of proper nutrition, exercise, healthy lifestyle, and perhaps some surgical intervention with liposuction/liposculpture can help patients feel better about themselves.
