Liposuction - Related FAQ's

Q:I have a full face and wonder if liposuction can be done.

A: Liposuction on the neck or jowls can be done carefully even if the face is not thin. Proportion is important, and this must be taken into account when doing liposuction.

Q: Liposuction one month ago made me lose some waistline but will I lose more?

A: Continued retraction of the skin occurs as collagen builds up and pulls the skin down to underlying tissues. This occurs over three to six months. Be patient and watch your progress but continue to observe a healthy diet and exercise regularly.

Q: I saw a friend who had liposuction and now has a painful dent in the skin of her inner thigh. It looks terrible. Is there anything she can do?

A: She should go back to her surgeon to evaluate her indentation. Sometimes there is too much fat removed in one focal area and the skin can be pulled down to the muscle, become hard and even painful. This is rare. Occasionally there are superficial indentations without the painful retraction down to the base of the underlying tissue and this is not common but happens more than the previously-described significantly over-resected areas. Fat injections can be done to correct the indentation, and are often successful.

Q: I had liposuction one month ago and want to work out but do I have to wear the compression garment during my exercise?

A: I allow my patients to only wear the compression garment for half the day on the fifth and sixth weeks, and at this time if they choose to exercise they don’t need to wear the garment.

Q: Should I have a revision after my SmartLipo?

A: If you are unhappy with a liposuction result, wait at least three to six months for maximal healing and retraction and then see your surgeon to evaluate what should be done. Bruising and tenderness may be more with a second liposuction.

Q: If I am overweight and have diabetes, can I get rid of my insulin if I have liposuction?

A: Liposuction would not remove the visceral fat, or the fat that surrounds the small intestine. Liposuction can only access the fat that is underneath the skin and above the muscle. You would need to lose much of the fat behind the muscle wall with diet and exercise in order to see a change in diabetes, but this effect is not seen with all diabetes and your situation is different than someone else’s. Liposuction is not a replacement for diet and exercise.

Related FAQ's

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