Lipoplasty / Liposuction / Liposculpture
Cincinnati Plastic Surgery Specialists in Lipoplasty / Liposuction / Liposculpture
Thank you for considering UC Health Plastic Surgery for your plastic surgery procedure. We offer a safe, comfortable atmosphere in our modern, state-of-the-art facility located in West Chester, Ohio, convenient to both Cincinnati and Dayton, Ohio. We offer a friendly staff of nurses and administrative support to help with your scheduling issues and questions.
Lipoplasty
Procedure Benefits
- Removes “stubborn” pockets of fat
- Enhances body contour and symmetry
Private Consultation
Your surgeon, at our conveniently located Cincinnati offices, will evaluate your overall health to determine whether you are a candidate for liposuction, which has a greater risk in patients who have diabetes, heart or lung disease, poor circulation, or previous surgery in the area designated for liposuction. You will discuss your goals and expectations, and your surgeon will explain the surgical options, including the alternate procedure of a “tummy tuck” (abdominoplasty) if more appropriate. You should be prepared to discuss your complete medical history, including previous surgery, and any medications you are taking (including vitamins). You will also discuss the cost of the procedure, keeping in mind that this is usually an elective procedure which is not covered by most insurance companies.
Preparation
If you have a medical condition such as high blood pressure, it must be controlled before you can undergo this procedure. For at least two weeks prior to surgery, you must stop taking any blood-thinning medications and herbal supplements. After you have scheduled a surgery date, you will make an appointment for pre-admission testing and a physical exam. The surgery should take place within 2 weeks after the results of these tests have been returned. You will receive guidelines on eating and drinking, taking vitamins and medications, and smoking. Smoking should be stopped 2-3 months before the operation because it reduces the blood supply to tissue. In fact, some surgeons will refuse to perform elective surgery on smokers due to this risk. You should arrange for someone to drive you home from our Cincinnati offices after your surgery and to help you out for a few days if needed.
Procedure Overview
The procedure is performed in 2-3 hours as an outpatient surgery in our surgical facility in West Chester. You will receive general anaesthesia or a combination of local and regional anaesthesia. A small incision is made and a narrow tube is inserted to vacuum the fat layer beneath the skin. The tube is manoeuvred back and forth through the fat layer to break up the fat cells which are then simultaneously suctioned out through a vacuum pump or a large syringe. If you are having more than one site treated, your surgeon will move on to the next site. Your surgeon may first use a technique known as fluid injection in which a medicated solution is injected to ease fat removal while providing anaesthesia to the site and reducing blood and fluid loss; another benefit of fluid injection is a reduced amount of post-surgery bruising. Sutures will be used to close the incision(s) and a dressing will be applied to the affected site(s) of liposuction.
Recovery and Healing Time
After surgery, you will be fitted with an elastic garment to reduce swelling and maintain your new skin contour until healing is complete in 2-3 weeks. A small drainage tube may be inserted to prevent fluid build-up. You may feel some pain and burning, for which your surgeon will prescribe pain medication and antibiotics to prevent infection. Sutures are removed in 7-10 days unless they are self-dissolving. You may feel stiff and sore during the first few weeks, and you will probably notice little change in your body contour for 2-3 weeks. Typically, it will take about 3 months before the final reduction in size is obvious. You can return to work in a few days and non-vigorous activities in 5-10 days depending on the extent of liposuction. However, you should start walking around as soon as possible in order to reduce the swelling and prevent blood clots in your legs. The swelling and bruising should disappear within three weeks, although you may have some swelling for six months or more. The scars are usually very short and placed in inconspicuous areas easily hidden by clothing or bathing suits. Scars will gradually fade until they are barely noticeable one year after surgery. Your surgeon will schedule follow-up visits, and you should not hesitate to call your surgeon between visits if you experience unusual symptoms such as heavy bleeding or pain.
Procedure Risks
- Adverse reaction to anesthesia
- Swelling
- Redness and “friction burns”
- Infection
- Scarring
- Blood clots
- “Baggy” skin
- Lack of symmetry
- Excessive loss of fluid leading to shock (rare)
UC Health Plastic Surgery in West Chester, has three nationally recognized Cincinnati plastic surgeons.
Located north of Cincinnati, we serve West Chester, Mason, Loveland, Indian Hill and the rest of Greater Cincinnati and Dayton for all of their plastic surgery procedure needs.
