If you are considering liposuction, it is important to fully understand the procedure and know when it may or may not be necessary. We will be discussing a few factors to consider to help you determine whether you are a good candidate for liposuction and whether now is the best time to have your procedure.

What is Liposuction?

Liposuction is a popular cosmetic procedure that helps patients reshape their bodies and remove stubborn fat deposits in the abdomen, hips, buttocks, thighs, arms, chest, back, and neck. It can be performed alone if pockets of excess fat are your only concern but it is also commonly performed with other plastic surgery procedures like a tummy tuck, gynecomastia surgery, mommy makeover, and more!

Liposuction Procedure and Techniques

The most popular liposuction techniques include traditional liposuction and tumescent liposuction. Traditional liposuction involves using a small hollow tube (cannula) inserted through small incisions in the skin. The cannula then breaks up fat deposits and suction them out of the body. Tumescent liposuction uses a solution injected into the treatment area to limit bleeding and break down fat cells before removal.

There are several other options available and Dr. Sweat can discuss this in more detail at your consultation. It’s important to understand which type of procedure best suits your needs before deciding if it is time for you to have a liposuction procedure done.

When Should You Consider Liposuction?

Understanding when it is the right time for a liposuction procedure will help ensure that you get optimal results and achieve your cosmetic goals. These are some of the most important factors to consider:

1. You Tried Dieting and Exercise

It is not uncommon for stubborn fat to be left behind after dieting and exercise. If you’ve been unable to achieve the desired results through diet and exercise alone, then liposuction may be the best option.

2. You Have Good Skin Elasticity

Your skin must have some elasticity to achieve optimal results. If you have loose or sagging skin, then liposuction alone will not provide satisfactory results. Other procedures, such as a tummy tuck, arm lift, or other body contouring procedures, may also be necessary to tighten the skin and prevent additional skin sagging once the unwanted fat is removed.

3. You Are in Generally Good Health

Liposuction is a surgical procedure requiring patients to be generally healthy and free from any serious medical conditions that could put them at risk during surgery. Good health also means you are a non-smoker. Smoking can interfere with healing after surgery and lead to complications such as infection and scarring, so you must quit smoking before liposuction.

4. You Are Realistic About the Results

Liposuction is not a weight loss procedure; it is designed to target specific areas of fat that are resistant to diet and exercise. Having realistic expectations about what can be achieved with liposuction is important, so you should discuss this thoroughly with your surgeon before proceeding.

5. You Have Time to Recover

Make sure that you plan around your work schedule so that you can give yourself 6 weeks of rest after surgery. Similarly, it’s helpful to have a support system of people who can help you with daily chores, meal prepping, and errands during the first few days.

Schedule a Consultation

At J. Sweat Plastic Surgery, we understand that it can be difficult to make when considering liposuction. That’s why our team of professionals is here to answer any questions and help provide personalized results that best fit your lifestyle and needs. If you’re ready to take the next step towards achieving the body of your dreams, set up a consultation with board-certified surgeon Dr. Jeffrey Sweat today!

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Many people today are struggling with how to best reshape their bodies and many procedures can help them do so. Liposuction is one of the most popular cosmetic surgery procedures, helping patients not only remove unwanted fat deposits, but contour their bodies to feel confident, beautiful, and healthy.

How does Liposuction work?

The liposuction procedure works by removing fat from the body, and it allows you to effectively reshape your body the way you want. This is a very popular procedure used by men and women to remove excess fat around the thighs, stomach, arms, buttocks, and even under their chin. The thought of surgery puts many people off, but liposuction isn’t surgery; it’s a non-invasive procedure that gently sucks away unwanted fat from wherever it is needed.

The Three Main Types of Liposuction

There are a few different liposuction procedures we offer at J. Sweat Plastic Surgery, including the following:

Tumescent Liposuction

This is the most popular type of liposuction surgery and involves injecting a local anesthetic into your chosen area, followed by making several small incisions in your skin. A thin tube called a cannula will then be inserted under the skin to remove unwanted localized fat deposits from the areas you want to reshape.

Ultrasound Assisted Liposuction

This alternative method emits ultrasound energy into the fatty tissues and fat cells, breaking them up to allow for easier removal as fat loosens from the body. Sometimes, ultrasound can also be used with tumescent for increased body contouring.

Laser Assisted Liposuction

Similar to the use of ultrasound devices, this technique uses laser energy to break down stubborn fat deposits, which are then removed through a cannula. The cannula used during this procedure is much smaller than the one used for other types of liposuction, so it works especially well for areas like the chin, neck, and face.

What Can It Be Used to Treat?

Liposuction is a popular treatment choice for many people struggling with excess fat in specific body areas. It can be used to remove fat from any area of the body including the upper arms, thighs, abdomen, back, and more, and it’s a safe and effective procedure when performed by an experienced surgeon. While it is not a replacement for exercise, it can be used to remove fat from stubborn areas that have not responded to diet and exercise.

The body contouring procedure can also be combined with other treatments, including a tummy tuck, for the ultimate body rejuvenation.

Is Liposuction Right for Me?

If you are considering liposuction, you will need to ensure that you are a good candidate. You will also need to find an experienced surgeon who has performed this procedure before getting the best results.

You may be a good candidate for this body contouring cosmetic surgery procedure if you have

  • Fatty deposits in the neck, upper arms, stomach, and thighs
  • Extra fat around the waist or ‘love handles.’
  • Stubborn fat around the buttocks
  • Fatty pockets under the arms
  • Extra fat around the upper back

You may not qualify for this procedure if:

  • You are expecting to undergo some weight loss before having this procedure
  • You have a lot of loose skin in the area that you want to be treated

Schedule a Consultation

Liposuction is one of the most popular ways to reshape your body because it’s a non-invasive procedure that achieves excellent results. Set up a consultation with Dr. Jeffrey Sweat today to discuss your options for liposuction and body sculpting.

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Have you lost a significant amount of weight but are left with unsightly excess loose, hanging skin in your abdominal area? Have you recently had a baby and have stretch marks or loose skin? Do you wish for a sleeker, slimmer midsection and figure in general? If so, there are two options available for you – liposuction and abdominoplasty, also known as a tummy tuck. However, how do you choose which body contouring procedure is better for you?

Liposuction is Less Invasive and Highly Effective

The liposuction procedure is less invasive than a tummy tuck and allows you to get rid of the stubborn excess fat cells around your midsection while slimming your body. If you prefer not to take the added recovery time of a tummy tuck, liposuction may be the right way to go for you. It’s a highly effective procedure that can eliminate stubborn excess fatty tissue in the abdominal area in a single procedure. Additionally, while it is great for helping you to lose fat in your stomach area, it can also be used in other problem areas such as the hips, buttocks, arms, or thighs. However, you must keep in mind that while liposuction can remove excess fat, it doesn’t do much where tightening and toning the skin is concerned.

Another thing to keep in mind is that liposuction surgery has downtime for recovery. However, this is a shorter length of time compared with a tummy tuck. Recovery from this procedure is also easier. Many patients are able to return to their jobs after one or two weeks. Bruising and swelling gradually subside within three weeks.

Tummy Tuck Eliminates Stubborn Fat and Excess Skin

Tummy tuck surgery is a better choice for some patients. Specifically, if you are not only looking to eliminate stubborn abdominal fat and slim down and tone up your figure, this is the procedure for you. It’s more invasive but can give you more drastic results as excess skin is removed and your abdominal muscles are tightened. Many people seek the procedure when they’ve had children or have lost a lot of weight. Sometimes, a tummy tuck is done in addition to liposuction.

At J. Sweat Plastic Surgery, we offer a traditional tummy tuck and a mini tummy tuck. The traditional type can address the middle and lower abdomen while a mini tummy tuck focuses on the area below the belly button.

Tummy tuck surgery focuses on removing excess skin and fat from the middle and lower abdominal area and tightens the abs as well. Often, patients are left with a large scar that can extend from one hip to the other. The recovery time is longer than that for liposuction.

After the surgery, it can take several weeks or even months to fully recover. Individuals with stronger abdominal muscles typically have a faster recovery period. It’s important to relax and avoid pushing yourself too hard while recovering, but exercise can also help in the healing process. Scarring also fades within a year.

Liposuction and Tummy Tuck Together

Both liposuction and tummy tucks are excellent procedures alone, but some patients may want to have both together. Depending on the results you want out of your treatment, you may choose to get both procedures. Liposuction can help you to shed that excess fat you are unable to eliminate through dieting and exercise while a tummy tuck can give you tighter muscles and skin. It all comes down to what you want to achieve with your body.

Schedule a Consultation

If you’re in a Sacramento, California area and want to get liposuction or a tummy tuck or both, contact J. Sweat Plastic Surgery for a consultation with Dr. Jeffrey Sweat today.

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With summer just around the corner, you’re likely preparing for more time at the beach! But if you’re not confident with your body due to excess tissue and fat, you might consider a plastic surgery procedure to improve your contours and enhance your look. Here are the top body contouring procedures to consider this summer:

Tummy Tuck

Many people struggle to tone and contour their midsection. This could be due to a pregnancy, dramatic weight loss, or just the effects of gravity as you get older! Whatever the reason, no one wants excess tissue and loose skin weighing them down. With a tummy tuck, you can find relief from excess fat and achieve a toned and tightened abdominal area. For mild concerns, you might consider the less-extensive mini tummy tuck for a quicker recovery!

Arm or Thigh Lift

If you experience loose, hanging skin in your upper arms and thighs, it can be difficult to feel your best wearing the clothes you want. With an arm or thigh lift, this excess tissue is removed so you can feel confident with toned arms and thighs.

Body Lift

A body lift is a combination of procedures, commonly opted for after pregnancy or weight loss when many areas of the body are affected. A lower body lift typically involves the abdominal, buttocks, and inner and outer thighs. An upper body lift can address the upper abdominal area, the bra line, the upper back, and the arms. Your customized combination of procedures aims to remove hanging tissue from multiple areas of your body all at once for full-body rejuvenation.

Liposuction

Excess skin and tissue aren’t the only things that can affect your contours. Stubborn fat deposits are also a major concern and can be impossible to remove with diet and exercise alone. Liposuction techniques can be used to break up and destroy fat cells for good! The body sculpting technique can be used on the tummy, bra area, flanks, thighs, upper arms, and more and is often used in combination with a lift procedure to optimize your body contouring and fat reduction.

To get started with your custom body contouring treatments this summer, contact our office today! We can schedule our consultation with Dr. Sweat so you can be on your way to a more confident you.

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