If you are at a stable weight and are healthy, but still have pockets of stubborn fat, then liposuction may be right for you. Ideally, you should be within 30% of your target weight, have firm, elastic skin and good muscle tone.

Liposuction may help you safely remove stubborn, unwanted fat deposits in your:

• Neck and chin
• Chest, for men and women
• Upper arms
• Abdomen and waist
• Back
• Hips and buttocks
• Inner and outer thighs
• Inner knee
• Ankles

The results of your surgery, and its safety, will be better if you are at a stable and healthy weight. However, Dr. Levine assesses each patient individually, so even if you are obese you may still be a candidate.

There are a few things to keep in mind when considering liposuction:

• It is not a treatment for obesity or weight issues.
• It is not a substitute for proper diet and exercise.
• It is not a treatment for cellulite.

If you are morbidly obese, suffer from severe depression, body dysmorphia, anorexia nervosa, bulimia or other eating disorders, or have severe health problems that could worsen after surgery, liposuction is not for you. Consult your primary care doctor for a health care plan that will assist you with these types of issues.

One of the most common things that patients believe is that liposuction is a way to lose weight. You may have researched liposuction and already possess a good deal of information about it. However, if you didn’t get your information directly from a licensed medical doctor, then that information may not be accurate. This is often the reason why many patients think that liposuction is a way to lose weight. Unfortunately, it is not. Liposuction will only eliminate the lumps and bulges of fat that are ruining your body contour. These fat pockets don’t weigh much, so what you’ll lose, at most, is a couple of pounds. You may not even notice a decrease in weight at all after surgery. Liposuction is just for body contouring — not weight loss.

Research suggests that fat cells — particularly abdominal fat cells — are biologically active. If you think of fat as an endocrine organ or gland, it produces hormones and other substances that can profoundly affect your health. Excess body fat, especially subcutaneous fat around the stomach or abdomen, has been shown to disrupt the normal balance and functioning of the body’s hormones. Removing this subcutaneous fat may then be beneficial for your health.

Maintaining your weight after surgery will prolong your results, which is why ideal candidates are those who are at a stable weight before surgery. Sometimes, gaining weight is unavoidable, though. So, what will happen to your results?

Liposuction permanently removes existing fat from your body. Once those unwanted fat cells have been suctioned out, you’ll never get them back. However, the remaining fat cells in the treated area can still expand, affecting your results. Fortunately, you’ll always be leaner in the treated areas because there are fewer fat cells. In fact, even with additional weight gain after surgery, studies have shown that patients were still satisfied with their results.

Your lifestyle will determine whether your results will become undone. Make sure to follow a healthy diet and exercise plan.

The amount of fat you would like to have removed versus the amount of fat you can safely have removed will be discussed in detail during your initial consultation with Dr.Levine. In most cases, less than 5 litres of fat is removed from the treated area.

A 2006 study found that 75% of patients reported mild to moderate levels of discomfort. Tumescent liposuction offers lasting pain relief, so you won’t feel any discomfort shortly after your surgery. Once the anesthesia wears off, you’ll probably be just mildly to moderately uncomfortable. Pain medication will be prescribed which will make your recovery easier.

If you recently gave birth, you should wait at least 3 months after delivery before considering plastic surgery. This is to give your body ample time to heal. It is also important to wait until you have stopped breastfeeding for at least 3 months before having liposuction. Hormonal changes that maintain milk supply will also alter a woman’s ability to lose weight during breastfeeding. In many women, a return to normal hormone levels once they have stopped breastfeeding will result in the weight loss they are looking for. Even if weight loss doesn’t happen after you stop breastfeeding, allowing your hormone levels to return to normal will have a profound effect on your liposuction results. Liposuction is often performed with a tummy tuck for your ultimate mommy makeover!

You should expect to see your results after about 4 months.

Risks and complications unique to liposuction may include:

• Bruising
• Change in skin sensation that may persist
• Damage to deeper structures such as nerves, blood vessels, muscles, lungs, and abdominal organs
• Deep vein thrombosis, cardiac and pulmonary complications
• Fluid or blood accumulation
• Irregular contours or asymmetry
• Persistent swelling
• Rippling or loose skin, worsening of cellulite

Many of these complications can be avoided by precisely following Dr. Levine’s pre- and post-operative instructions. Even with the potential risks associated with liposuction, the occurrence of complications is extremely low. In a study of over 3500 liposuction patients, there was no incidence of deep thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, hypotension, or respiratory distress. No hematoma (blood pooling under the skin), or damage to adjacent organs occurred. This makes liposuction a statistically safe procedure for a normally healthy adult.

These risks and others will be fully discussed prior to your consent. It is important that you address all your questions directly with Dr. Levine.