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Home / Medical Services / Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery / Cosmetic Surgery / For Men / Liposuction and Awake Lipo

Liposuction and Awake Lipo

Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery

Liposuction is a surgical procedure that removes areas of unwanted fat from the thighs, abdomen, flanks, arms, back, and chin. Awake Liposuction is the newest advancement in body contouring procedures.

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Is Liposuction or Awake Lipo Right for Me?

Liposuction and Awake Lipo are ideal for individuals who experience stubborn areas of fat even after adhering to a stringent diet and exercise program. These procedures are not considered weight loss procedures, and an ideal candidate should be close to their ideal body weight and in good health.

What are the differences between Liposuction and Awake Lipo?

Instead of a combination of IV sedation and local anesthesia used in traditional liposuction, Awake Lipo is a surgical procedure performed under local anesthesia, permitting the patient to be awake, reposition and stand up as the procedure is being performed, allowing the surgeon to perform an immediate assessment and fine-tune contouring during the procedure. Additionally, Awake Lipo uses a smaller cannula, which can result in less bruising and minimal discomfort.

Your Liposuction/Awake Lipo Surgical Process

Before Surgery
Our plastic surgeons will see you in an initial consultation. The consultation offers you an opportunity to:

  • Meet with the surgeon of your choice and ask questions.
  • Review your health history and liposuction goals with your surgeon to determine if liposuction, awake lipo, or a combination of body contouring procedures, is right for you.
  • Discuss fees/financing and schedule surgery with our surgery coordinators

Day of Surgery
Your liposuction / awake lipo surgery will be performed in our fully accredited in-office surgical suite or in a same day surgical facility as an outpatient procedure.

Liposuction:

  • Generally, a combination of IV sedation and local anesthesia will be used for your procedure.
  • Depending on the number of areas treated, liposuction typically takes 1 hour.

Awake Lipo

  • Local anesthesia is injected into the areas to be treated. The anesthesia takes approximately 20 minutes to take effect. Small incisions are made in designated areas and a small tube is inserted and fat deposits are removed.
  • The physician may ask the patient to reposition or stand during the procedure to identify any additional areas that may need to be treated.

Recovery

  • You can expect to be in recovery for 1 hour after your surgery.
  • After having liposuction or awake lipo, you will be placed in a compressive garment, which will help minimize swelling and bruising that you may experience. This garment is typically worn for one month to six weeks. After the garment is discontinued, your surgeon will discuss with you your returning to your regular exercise routine.

Frequently Asked Questions about Liposuction/Awake Lipo

Where and how big are the incisions for liposuction?

The incisions are usually placed within the natural folds of the skin so that they are virtually undetectable after healing has progressed. The parts of the body that are treated determine where the incisions are placed. The incisions will vary between 1⁄8″ up to 1⁄2″ inch depending on the type of cannula and technique used.

Is liposuction effective in removing cellulite?

Cellulite can be best managed by successful weight reduction programs. There are no effective creams, medications or lotions that will improve cellulite. Liposuction does not effectively treat cellulite either although it may be somewhat helpful in selected areas.

Which areas of the body are best for liposuction and which are least effective?

Liposuction is used in the following areas most effectively: Chin and neck; upper arms; breast area; back; abdomen and waist; hips and buttocks; thighs; inner knees; and to a lesser extent, the calves and ankles. The buttocks and particularly the medial thigh areas should be treated with caution as removing too much fat may result in the excess skin being obvious.

How much weight difference will there be after liposuction surgery?

Fat tissue is not extremely dense or very heavy, thus removing three to five liters of fat from your body will not result in significant weight loss. The difference will be in your body contour, usually in inches and how your clothes fit. You may even initially gain a small amount of weight in the immediate postoperative period due to fluid that is given during surgery. Liposuction is not a treatment for obesity but it can permanently change body proportion and eliminate fat deposits that do not respond to diet or exercise.