Liposuction
Conveniently located to serve the areas of Newport Beach, CA
Ever since its introduction, liposuction for body sculpting has remained one of the most highly sought procedures in the world. This is due to Board Certified Plastic Surgeons being able to target fatty deposits that may not react to exercise or diet no matter how hard someone tries. Fatty deposits that are generally localized affect both men and women of all body types, ages and fitness levels. Liposuction is typically performed to sculpt the body and reduce unwanted fat from areas such as: hips, buttocks, thighs, abdomen, knees, upper arms, cheeks, chin and neck. There have been many advancements with technology and new types of liposuction have be used with great success. Tumescent liposuction and other liposuction techniques are providing quicker recovery times and more pinpoint accuracy.
Learn more about Liposuction at our Newport Beach, Orange County office.
Schedule A ConsultationContents
- 1 Before and After Photos
- 2 Who is Liposuction recommended for?
- 3 Pre-operation
- 4 Post-operation
- 5 Costs
- 6 Recovery
- 7 FAQ
- 7.1 How does Liposuction work?
- 7.2 Is Liposuction safe?
- 7.3 What areas of the body can be improved with liposuction?
- 7.4 Will the fat grow back with weight gain?
- 7.5 Can Liposuction Treat Cellulite?
- 7.6 What about my husband’s protruding “beer belly”?
- 7.7 Why does the pricing for liposuction vary so much?
Before and After Photos
It is not uncommon for a patient to request liposuction to multiple areas of their body at the same time. Some patients opt to have a portion of the fat transferred to other areas of the body to help contour their shape or fill in areas missing the volume that they desire. Fat transfer procedures are extremely popular and include the Brazilian butt lift, fat transfer to sunken under eyes, nasalabial folds (smile lines) and also for scar revision to camouflage previous injuries or procedures.
Who is Liposuction recommended for?
The best candidates for liposuction are those who are close to their ideal weight and have fatty areas that are unresponsive to exercise and diet. The best time to consider liposuction is after a patient has stabilized their weight. For those patients that are moderately overweight, liposuction could be an incentive for additional weight loss through proper diet and exercise. Liposuction alone should not be a substitute for a healthy lifestyle. Ideal liposuction patients have good skin tone and good skin elasticity, clear of stretch marks, thus allowing skin to properly tighten after the removal of fat without leaving results of any skin looseness or bagginess.
Pre-operation
How can I prepare?
As for any surgery, a patients’ health and well-being is our main priority. We require that patients who are undergoing surgery be healthy with normal lab work (your labs will be performed within 2 weeks of surgery). Furthermore, Dr. Bandy provides patients with a vitamin protocol to being before surgery to aid in the recovery and healing process. During your consultation 2 weeks before surgery, our staff will thoroughly review with you all important information that needs to be completed prior to surgery in order to ensure the best outcome and easiest recovery possible.
Will anesthesia be administered?
Yes, the procedure will be performed under a general anesthetic.
Is painful?
A bruising period can last for several weeks and is not uncommon for bruising to last for a month. Pain can be controlled by medication that is prescribed at the time of the patients pre-operative appointment usually 1-2 weeks prior to a patients scheduled surgical date
What if I am sick before?
If a patient is noted to be sick prior to a procedure, it is advised to contact Dr. Bandy’s office immediately to discuss the best way to move forward.
How long before I see results?
Results of liposuction typically take at least 4-6 weeks (and possibly longer) to be seen, as swelling and discoloration take time to resolve.
Post-operation
Is scarring expected after?
Typically incision sites for liposuction are extremely small and are hidden in natural folds or inconspicuous areas of the body. Incisions typically heal well and scarring is minimal.
Can I drive home after?
If you are having surgery under a general anesthetic, you will need someone to drive you home after surgery.
Should I try avoiding touching the area after?
After surgery it is advised to avoid touching the incision areas as they will be covered with steri-strips.
What activity should I refrain from after?
Following liposuction, patients are advised to try to avoid placing direct pressure on the buttocks area. Patients are also advised to limit going up and down stairs to once a day for 2 weeks. While climbing stairs, you are to do it slowly, one step at a time. DO NOT stay in bed or be sedentary for prolonged periods of time as this increases your risk of blood clots. Do not over exert yourself. Avoid strenuous activity and exertional exercise for at least 3 weeks. No lifting over 5 pounds for 2 weeks.
Do I need to take any medication after?
A patient is usually prescribed an antibiotic and a pain medication. If a patient is undergoing a general anesthesia, sometimes they are prescribed an anti-nausea medication to combat any feelings of nausea that some patients experience after having a general anesthesia.
Costs
What is the average cost?
The cost of liposuction depends on how many areas are being treated and the complexity of the case. In order to obtain an accurate price for your surgery we advise meeting with Dr. Bandy for a consultation.
Are there financing options?
The patient has multiple financing options. For example, the patient can pay for the surgery on credit card, and make monthly payments back to their credit card. Additionally, CareCredit is a financing company specific for cosmetic surgery; patients can apply for CareCredit, and there are multiple options for CareCredit. Sometimes, patients opt to make payments directly to the office. This is a prepayment plan where a patient would pay until he or she pays the entire balance for the surgery; then, they would have their surgery.
Recovery
What is the recovery time and the healing process?
Patients that undergo a liposuction procedure are usually required to wear a specialty compression garment for several weeks to achieve maximum results. These garments provide firm compression and support to suctioned areas, also allowing for skin retraction to optimize final body contour. The garments used are required to be worn on a continuous basis day and night, however will be removed for bathing. Dr. Bandy does provide these garments for her patients, however additional garment purchase is recommended and can be purchased at an additional cost from our office. The amount of time a patient is required to wear this specialty garment is determined by Dr. Bandy and varies depending on the area(s) that are treated, how much fatty tissue is suctioned and how the patient is healing. Recovery is dependent on which area(s) are being suctioned as well as if multiple areas are suctioned simultaneously. Patients should expect significant bruising to certain areas of the body. A bruising period can last for several weeks and is not uncommon for bruising to last for a month. Pain can be controlled by medication that is prescribed at the time of the patients pre-operative appointment usually 1-2 weeks prior to a patients scheduled surgical date.
Is there a post-operative recovery facility that you recommend?
We do have a post operative recovery facility that we refer our patients to in Orange County, CA and Los Angeles, CA. In these situations, they will be picked up by the post operative care facility from our recovery room and brought to the recovery center where they are recovered overnight, and then brought back the next day for their follow up appointment.
We are here to listen and address your concerns.Schedule A Consultation
– Dr. Amy Bandy, Over 20 Years of Experience
FAQ
How does Liposuction work?
Liposuction is performed with a patient under general anesthesia. Traditional liposuction is performed by making small incisions that are often less than 1/4 of an inch in length. If possible, incisions will be placed in the natural fold of a patient’s body, in pubic hair or inside the belly button. Once matured and with proper post surgical care, scars are small and hardly noticeable. A small canella is then inserted into the incision that was made. As the surgeon makes slow passes to remove fat beneath the skin’s surface, the body area being targeted is infused with a solution that helps break up fat and helps with the removal process. The surgeon must make slow, detailed maneuvers as this is when the surgeon is contouring and shaping the figure. This is where the surgeon becomes the artist and it is essential that a patient feel comfortable that both the surgeon and the patient share the same vision.
Is Liposuction safe?
As with any surgical procedure, liposuction carries risks. With our patients’ safety being our number one priority, Dr. Bandy strictly adheres to recommendations placed by the American Board of Plastic Surgery stating that 5 liters should be the maximum amount of aspirate (fluid, fat and blood) that is removed during any liposuction procedure. Patients requesting a total volume reduction of greater than 5 liters would need to have a second liposuction procedure to accommodate their requests. Prior to a procedure, a patient answers a thorough health and family health history questionnaire to determine if a patient is more at risk for certain post surgical complications such as blood clotting. Patient blood samples are also sent to pathology for certain testing to determine if the patient can sustain a procedure like liposuction. All precautions are taken to ensure that the patient have a pleasant experience with the best results possible.
What areas of the body can be improved with liposuction?
Areas of liposuction performed for men and women are generally the abdomen, hips, flanks, inner and outer thighs, arms, chin (submental), bra area and the pubic area. For men with projecting breast tissue, liposuction can also be performed to remove unwanted breast tissue that has formed. Other less common areas of liposuction include calves, forearms and the fatty area directly above the tailbone.
Will the fat grow back with weight gain?
This is a question that until answered correctly, sometimes haunts patients. No, this fat will not grow back. Humans are born with a number of fat cells which are not able to be reproduced with growth or aging. Each individual cell can grow bigger or smaller with weight gain or weight loss, but there will never be an instance where someone grows additional fat cells. A patient that continues with an improper diet and no exercise can still gain weight as each fat cell that remains can still significantly expand, however some patients notice that areas that once stayed small with weight gain might now expand. The fat that is accumulated with weight gain still needs to be stored somewhere, and with fat cells in areas treated with liposuction no longer being present, new fat is forced to be stored in the fat cells that remain. This is why it is important to adopt a healthy lifestyle after any liposuction treatment.
Can Liposuction Treat Cellulite?
Many patients have the misconception that with the removal of fat, cellulite will no longer exist in the treated area. Any area present of cellulite that is treated with liposuction may show signs of improvement, however it is not always the case. Cellulite is formed by fibrous tissue within the body that is interwoven through tissue and fat. Cellulite appearance can be improved with diet and exercise, but can change with puberty, metabolism, diet, exercise, weight loss, weight gain, and fluctuation in skin laxity. There is no proven treatment to correct cellulite. However, there have been several advances in the aesthetic industry and there are options which have been shown to improve the appearance of cellulite. These options may be discussed at the time of a pre or post operative consultation with Dr. Bandy and/or her staff as our office does provide SmartWave therapy to reduce the appearance of cellulite.
What about my husband’s protruding “beer belly”?
Typically, any fat that is on an upper abdomen that is hard to the touch is only controllable through diet and exercise. This fat is untreatable with liposuction because this fat is under the abdominal muscle and is not situated directly under the dermis. This fat is unreachable and is too closely surrounded by organs. Don’t lose faith, this area will shrink in size with a proper diet and a well maintained exercise program.
Why does the pricing for liposuction vary so much?
Liposuction surgery time can vary considerably, it depends on the area of your body and the amount of fat being removed, the technique used and the type of anesthesia.
