Battling the Bulge With Liposuction

Many individuals who are at or near their ideal weight may still have stubborn local fat deposits that won't go away. When a strict diet and exercise regimen fails to produce the results you want, liposuction can strip away these excess areas of fat.

Liposuction is one of the most popular types of cosmetic surgery today, with thousands of treatments performed each year. Also called lipoplasty, liposuction is a surgery that essentially vacuums the fat away from beneath the surface of the skin. This creates a more defined appearance in areas of the body such as the abdomen, thighs, buttocks, back, neck, and arms. At Austin-Weston, The Center for Cosmetic Surgery, we have a skilled staff of plastic surgeons in Northern Virginia who are ready to recontour your body with this state-of-the-art procedure. Reach out for a private consultation so we can get started on your treatment today.

Ideal Candidates for Liposuction

When men and women age, they may see an increase in fatty deposits around the body due to genetics or lifestyle choices. For women specifically, childbirth can leave behind a good amount of belly fat around the middle, abdomen, and thighs. The fat that is resistant to exercise is typically subcutaneous, or fat that lies on top of the abdominal muscle wall. Liposuction works to remove subcutaneous fat to help contour those troublesome areas of your body and correct your shape.

If you're unsure if liposuction is ideal for your body type, the plastic surgeons at Austin-Weston, The Center for Cosmetic Surgery can give you a medical assessment at our professional facility. The best candidates for liposuction in Northern Virginia are individuals who:

• Are in overall good health and within 30% of their goal weight

• Have excess fat on areas of the body such as the abdomen, thighs, buttocks, neck, or arms

• Have elastic skin and firm muscle tone

• Are willing to commit to a stable weight both pre-op and post-op

• Don't have any certain medical conditions that may prevent you from surgery, such as a chronic illness or infection

Please consider that liposuction cannot eliminate areas of cellulite, dimples, or stretch marks. If this is your cosmetic goal, we encourage you to connect with our expert staff and plastic surgeons in Northern Virginia so we can find you an alternative treatment to treat those cosmetic issues.

Liposuction is also not a substitute for a low-fat diet and a healthy lifestyle. A skilled member of our team will make sure you are dedicated to keeping a stable weight after the liposuction procedure. While liposuction does eliminate fat cells from some areas, the remaining fat cells can still grow if you gain weight. If we discover that this is not in your best interest, we can offer a range of other options to help you look and feel your best.

About the Procedure

Usually performed under general anesthesia on men and women in Northern Virginia, liposuction is performed with small incisions to remove fat. Based on your treatment plan, we may use ultrasonic energy to help break up especially stubborn fat deposits with a technology called VASER. This is more common in areas such as a male chest and can also be discussed with your plastic surgeon.

Your surgeon can either discard the excess fat or save it for a future procedure, such as a fat transfer or Brazilian butt lift. This occurs when the fat is extracted from one part of the body, purified, and then injected into another part of the body for cosmetic purposes. During your consultation, we can also decide if skin removal is required at the time of the surgery to create a flatter, tighter end result.

At Austin-Weston, The Center for Cosmetic Surgery, our plastic surgeons perform liposuction in an accredited surgical center. Surgery time depends on how many areas we treat, but a typical abdomen procedure can take about 1 – 2 hours to complete. When liposuction is paired with another skin tightening treatment such as a tummy tuck, it does take a more extended amount of time.

Though it only takes a couple of weeks to recover from liposuction in Northern Virginia, it's usually about three months for patients to fully see the results of liposuction. You may also expect temporary minor swelling and bruising during the recovery process. When this treatment is maintained with a well-balanced diet and exercise routine, the results can last for years to come.

Winning the Battle With Liposuction

No matter how many miles you run or diets you follow, sometimes stubborn fat won't go away without a big push. The good news is that there is a trusted and effective method of fat removal that can treat one or multiple areas at once. The plastic surgeons at Austin-Weston, The Center for Cosmetic Surgery have a proven track record for performing liposuction procedures that change the lives of patients and give them the fitter, more sculpted look they desire.

If you are concerned about facing surgery, you should know that liposuction techniques have only improved over time, making them safer and more innovative than ever. Make the decision to move forward by contacting our professional practice in Northern Virginia today. We can help you have a renewed sense of confidence with an improved quality of life.