Identifying The Pros And Cons Of Liposuction
Good! You’re a logical decision maker. You want to know the pros and cons of liposuction surgery and you don’t want us to hold anything back. Surgery is a decision never to be made lightly. With few exceptions, cosmetic surgery is not normally a necessary procedure. For something like liposuction (lipoplasty), there are advantages and disadvantages that need to be considered way before you schedule that surgery. I apologize in advance for the long post but I thought this topic deserved the real estate!
Analyzing the Decision
It is completely understandable and expected to have some concerns about the risks and benefits of having liposuction. You should not be the only one concerned about this.
Your doctor should also be asking plenty of questions during the initial consultation. These questions should include:
- Why are you considering cosmetic surgery?
- Do you exercise regularly?
- What is your normal diet?
He should also want to know if your weight has fluctuated much over the recent years. If your weight has fluctuated you might not be the ideal candidate for this plastic surgery. Lipoplasty is not a quick fix weight loss solution. You will still need to follow a exercise regularly and maintain a healthy, sensible diet . Knowing you have done the most you could do with nonsurgical efforts will help you justify the risks involved while having a clear picture of what you want for your body.
The clear advantage of this surgery is that relative to exercise and diet the results are quicker and more dramatic. You can be back to work in 1 to 2 weeks. For some areas like the abdomen it may be the only way to get those perfect abs since for most of us stomach fat is the most difficult to get rid of.
So what are the disadvantages? Most people are usually sold on something because they want the benefits. Unfortunately some do not look into the risks involved, which in some cases could be severe. The majority of the risks with lipoplasty revolve around the risk of surgery itself. These risks could be as present for a woman having a c-section as they would be for another having abdominal lipoplasty.
Your surgeon will most likely discuss the pros and cons of liposuction with you more than once. The doctor may also have you see a psychiatrist to make sure you are in the right frame of mind to make these decisions. During this time make sure to get a listing of the possible complications associated with this surgery. The major areas of concern are:
- Excessive Liposuction
- Minor Surgical Complications
- Major Surgical Complications
- Anesthesia Risks
- Increased Bleeding due to Drug Interactions
There is a maximum amount of liposuction that is advised for safety reasons. What does this mean? Make sure to discuss the following with your doctor:
- amount of fat that is going to be removed
- the different areas that are to be done
- whether more than one surgical procedure is going to take place that day
The more that is done in each of these areas the more the risk. Make sure to ask the doctor what is the recommended amount in all of these areas and are you in the best shape to be able to go through the process.
Ask the doctor for a full listing of the common and minor surgical complications to make sure you will at least be prepared for them if they do happen. The major surgical complications are more rare and include blood clots and injury to organs like the abdomen. Again make sure and ask a doctor for a list of these.
Anesthesia risks is a possible major complication of liposuction. When looking at the pros and cons of liposuction this is definitely an area to do your homework. Choosing the right type of anesthesia can be a life of death decision. Though minimal there have been deaths associated with the use of systemic anesthesia. Please be sure to ask your doctor about your options and check the credentials of the anesthesiologist who will be involved in your surgery.
The last risk again is one associated with surgery in general. Everyday drugs can cause increased bleeding after surgery. These drugs include but are not limited to:
- aspirin
- ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil)
- warfarin (Coumadin)
Your doctor should provide you with a list and guidelines on how soon you can use them after surgery.
So now that you know a fair amount about the pros and cons of liposuction you are ready to go to your doctor with a good list of questions. There are also a variety of resources online from plastic surgery associations. If you don’t feel you’re getting the real story from your doctors make sure you don’t get pressured. Better to be safe than sorry.
Liposuction - The Most Popular Aesthetic Surgery Today
Aesthetic liposuction surgery is the most popular of the cosmetic procedures we looked at in our previous article. It is the number one most popular surgical procedure not only for women but also for men. A total of 455,489 procedures were performed in 2005, according to the ASAPS report.
A couple of definitions would definitely help our discussion:
- Aesthetic: of, relating to, or dealing with aesthetics or the beautiful
- Liposuction (Lipoplasty): surgical removal of local fat deposits (as in the thighs) especially for cosmetic purposes
Source: Merriam-Webster Online DictionarySince the statistics taken from The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery(ASAPS) are for the United States it is not surprising that this would be the most popular procedure.
“An estimated two of every three American adults, and more than one in six children and adolescents are considered overweight or obese, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.” This is according to an article posted on CNN.com “Obesity: A Looming National Threat?”It would only be logical that Americans would be flocking to liposuction surgery not only for aesthetic reasons but also for health reasons.
If you’re overweight and you’ve tried everything to lose weight, but just can’t seem to do it, you may have considered signing up for liposuction. Liposuction sounds great. A doctor suctions all the fat out of you, leaving you lean and trim. .However, you should do your research and know all the ins and outs of the procedure before you go under the knife, so to speak. Any surgery is not to be taken lightly and it should be a last resort.
Causes of WeightGain
First of all, anyone considering this cosmetic procedure needs to seriously look at themselves and ask why they are overweight. Can it be a glandular problem or do you have psychological reasons why you might be eating too much. What about your food choices I know that sometimes I gain weight because I eat too much of the wrong things (Chocolate is the killer for me). If you’re overweight merely because of a poor diet and no exercise, consider joining a gym or signing up for a diet program that you have researched. You’d be amazed at how just a few lifestyle changes can make you look and feel better. If you’re not sure where to start, consider hiring a person trainer, they are great for that extra bit of motivation. Consider these things before liposuction.
OK, I’m Ready to Try Jump In
If you truly have tried every diet out there and you’ve bought every piece of gym equipment you see advertised on TV and you still can’t drop those unwanted pounds, then it’s time to talk to your doctor. Find a good doctor who performs liposuction and schedule a consultation. Your doctor will explain what liposuction will do for you, the risks and what to expect before, during and after the surgery. The doctor’s job is to make sure that you are completely comfortable with the procedure before you go under anesthesia. That way, you won’t have any unrealistic expectations.
Liposuction will not turn a severely overweight person into a greek god overnight. Liposuction gets rid of the fat but does not get rid of the other multitude of issues that may have brought you to the choice to undergo this aesthetic procedure. Do your homework and make sure you give yourself a fighting chance at other options. Also make sure you are a good candidate for this type of cosmetic procedure.
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