What is Liposuction?
Liposuction is the process of removing excess fat cells from under the skin using a cannula and suction system. Typically, liposuction is performed to help patients who haven’t achieved their desired shape through diet and exercise. Imagen Body Sculpting & Cosmetic Center specializes in the most advanced minimally invasive liposuction and body contouring techniques, including SmartLipo Laser Liposuction and Vaser Liposuction.
What is the difference between liposuction and liposculpture?
Liposuction is simply the process, liposculpture is truly an art form. The surgeon is literally sculpting your dream body to help you achieve your goals. 4D Hi Def liposculpture is the pinnacle of body contouring procedures.
How does Liposuction Work?
Traditional liposuction simply uses a cannula attached to suction to remove fat cells. There have been many improvements on traditional liposuction techniques since it was first introduced in 1921. The use of tumescent liposuction allows the procedure to be performed awake as an outpatient, using only local anesthetic and oral sedation. Adding energy to the process has further refined it, resulting in shorter down times and smoother results.
What is laser lipo?
Laser liposuction adds the step of using laser energy to help break up the connective tissues and liquify the fatty deposits. Using the laser results in a less traumatic liposuction procedure with less bruising and a faster recovery. It also produces smoother results and allows the use of smaller cannulas. Smaller cannulas means smaller incisions, which in turn means smaller scars. Another benefit of laser lipo is that the warmth from the laser stimulates collagen production in the skin, improving skin elasticity.
What Areas Can You Get Liposuction?
Liposuction is commonly used to effectively treat:
- Abdomen
- Love handles
- Back
- Upper Arms
- Neck, Double Chin, Jawline
- Inner or Outer Thighs
- Knees
- Calves, “Cankles”
- Banana Roll
- Gynecomastia, “Man Boobs”*
Am I a Good Liposuction Candidate?
Ideal candidates for liposuction are within about 30 pounds of their goal weight. They have focal fat pockets are are resistant to diet and exercise. Good liposuction candidates maintain a healthy lifestyle.
If you are significantly overweight, it may be best to work on general weight loss before your liposuction procedure. If your BMI is over 30 or you struggle with obesity, your results will not be ideal.
How much weight do you lose with liposuction?
Liposuction is not a weight loss procedure. The maximum amount of fat that can be removed in a single, awake lipo procedure is 5 liters, which amounts to about 10 pounds. It is possible to have large volume liposuction, however this is a procedure that will need to be performed under general anesthesia in a hospital setting. While individual results may vary, it’s common for our patients to lose several inches from their waist. However, most of our patients lose very little weight from the procedure alone. That being said, liposuction is an investment and most patients want to take care of their investment. With renewed confidence and motivation to improve fitness and diet, it is common to see continued improvement in body weight and body fat.
Do I need a tummy tuck or lipo?
There are two cases when we generally recommend tummy tuck (abdominoplasty) over SmartLipo with Renuvion.
- Patients who have severe skin laxity with with an over-hang of belly skin (an “apron” effect)
- Patients looking to get rid of extensive stretch marks.
The “apron” of skin around the belly often results from pregnancy or significant weight loss, where the skin essentially becomes too big for your body. While Renuvion has been proven to deliver significant results for patients seeking improved skin elasticity, results and experiences vary depending on the condition of your skin and how it responds to treatment. However, we do have patients who still opt for SmartLipo with Renuvion because they are looking to avoid the risks, downtime, and scar associated with a tummy tuck or plastic surgery.
Liposuction with Renuvion can not “remove” excess skin or stretch marks. If you have extensive stretch marks on your belly, you may be happier with a tummy tuck and should discuss this with a plastic surgeon. Still, if you are looking to avoid downtime and scar, Imagen offers a variety of treatments for reducing the appearance of stretch marks including Micro RF, PRP, Nano-Fat, and Laser Resurfacing.
What is the Liposuction Process?
To begin your liposuction journey all of our patients come in for a consultation with one of our providers. During this consultation, we go over medical history, areas of concern, desired outcomes, and realistic expectations for the amount of fat reduction. If you are deemed a good candidate for liposuction, the cosmetic surgeon will determine the best type of liposuction to help you reach your goals. We will go over the procedure in detail, including the risks, and answer all of your questions. You will then meet with our office manager, who will go over the pricing in the detail and help you with financing if you need it.
If you’re out of town, we typically recommend that you start with a virtual consultation
When you’re ready to schedule, just let us know! We will have you stop in to the office to receive pre-op instructions one to two weeks before your surgery and pick up your prescriptions. We will answer any last-minute questions and help you arrange hotel and transportation if need be.
During Your Liposuction Surgery
The day of your procedure, you will need someone to drive you to and from the clinic. We will do some paperwork, collect your vitals and measurements and take your “before” photos. You will be given some oral medications to help you rest and relax during the procedure. Once your medications have kicked in, we will take you back to our state of the art OR and begin the procedure.
Most liposuction procedures require only local or regional anesthesia — anesthesia limited to a specific area of your body. Here at Imagen, we start with a small incision to administer the tumescent anesthesia, a combination of lidocaine (a numbing agent) and epinephrine (a blood vessel constrictor to reduce bleeding). We do not use general anesthesia. Our patients are awake but are so comfortable that they often fall asleep during their procedure.
Once you are comfortably numb, the surgeon will use the laser to liquify the fat in the treated areas. He will use small cannulas equipped with power assisted liposuction (PALS) to gently remove the unwanted fat deposits. After the fat has been removed, Renuvion will be used in the targeted areas to help with tissue contraction and collagen stimulation.
The surgeon and surgical assistant monitor your vitals throughout the procedure to make sure each patient is completely safe. The cosmetic surgeon will check throughout your procedure to make sure you are comfortable.
How long is a liposuction surgery?
The actual procedure could take as little as an hour for a small, single area fat removal or several hours if you are treating multiple areas or including a fat transfer (BBL) or abdominal etching. The duration of the procedure will also be affected by the amount of fat that you have to be removed.
After Your Liposuction Surgery
After the surgeon has completed the cosmetic procedure, the surgical assistant will apply bandages to your incisions and place you in a compression garment (faja) making sure everything fits correctly before you leave. We will monitor you until you are fully awake and help you out to your car when your ride arrives.
Our surgeon will call you in the evening to make sure you don’t have any questions and make sure you’re doing well.
It is important to follow all of your post-op instructions to allow for optimal results.
If you have any questions or concerns, it’s best to call your surgeon.
Liposuction Recovery Time
We will see you again the next morning to remove your dressings and change your compression garment. It is important that you wear the garment 24 hours a day except while showering for the next 4 weeks.
Most patients have moderate discomfort for 2-3 days after a lipo procedure. Swelling typically begins to subside after a week (though you can expect to have some swelling for several months after your procedure) and most patients are back to work in about 5-7 days.
At 1 week we will remove any stitches and make sure you’re healing well. Your first set of “after” measurements will be at your 1 month follow up and your first “after” photos will be at your 3 month visit.
Tips For Liposuction Recovery
- Follow ALL post-procedure instructions!
- Keep your compression garments on at all times (apart from showering).
- Move your body – This helps decrease inflammation and promote healing. Most people who recover rapidly after liposuction tend to walk 10-15 minutes 4-5 times/day starting the day after their lipo.
- Drink a lot of water.
- Avoid salt – Salt causes your body to retain fluid, which increases swelling.
- Consume natural diuretics like cucumber, celery, parsley, and pineapple – These will increase your urine output, which helps process swelling.
- Arnica supplements (both oral and topical) can help to reduce bruising and swelling.
Is Liposuction Risky?
Any medical procedure has associated risks. There is a difference between side effects of a procedure and complications. The most common (and expected) side effects caused by liposuction are bruising and swelling – this is part of the healing process. It is also common to experience some numbness in the treatment area, which is usually caused by swelling. These effects typically resolve in the weeks to months following your liposuction procedure.
What are the Risks of Liposuction?
Liposuction is a very popular cosmetic surgical procedure and fortunately, complications are very rare. There are over 200,000 liposuctions performed in the US each year. A recent study in the Aesthetic Surgery Journal 2 reviewed over 30,000 liposuction cases and found a complication rate of less than 1%. The complication rate is lowered even more by performing the procedure under local anesthesia and as an outpatient. Be sure to discuss the risks and benefits of any medical procedure with your surgeon.
How can you reduce your risks?
Be Honest With Your Doctor
Be honest with your surgeon. They are your partner in this process. Let them know if you smoke or drink daily and if you use any other drugs, including prescriptions. Interactions between substances can be serious. Be sure to let them know about any medical conditions that you have and any prior surgeries that you have had as well.
Follow Post-Op Instructions
If your doctor wants you to take an antibiotic around the time of your procedure, follow their recommendations. Go to all of your post-op appointments and discuss any concerns with your surgeon.
Local Anesthesia
Liposuction under general anesthesia increases your risks for medication complications and blood clots. Imagen performs liposuction under local anesthesia, which means the patient is awake during their surgery and back to normal activity faster.
Get Moving
Always be sure to get up and moving as soon as possible after your liposuction procedure. Moving around will help to prevent blood clots and embolisms, and also help you mobilize fluid, helping to relieve swelling.
How Long does Lipo Last?
Does liposuction permanently remove fat? Yes, but…
Fat reduction is a process of removing fat cells. As adults, we don’t make new fat cells. When we gain weight, out existing fat cells grow and when we lose weight they shrink. This is why you have problem areas. Stubborn fat pockets are rich with fat cells that can store any extra calories you consume. Removing some of the fat cells from stubborn pockets of fat will reduce the likelihood that you will store fat in that area. However, it will not stop you from storing fat somewhere else. Also, it’s not possible to remove every fat cell from an area, so it is possible for the remaining fat cells to grow plump again. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle and a stable weight will help your results last for the long term instead of for a limited time.
Why Choose Omaha Liposuction by Imagen?
Omaha Liposuction by Imagen is Nebraska’s Premier Cosmetic Center. Drs. Frank and Jennifer Soto opened Imagen in 2013 to offer more advanced body transformation techniques in a tranquil, spa-like atmosphere. Imagen’s board-certified surgeons have a background in emergency medicine and extensive experience. They share their knowledge with other physicians, teaching and training body sculpting all over the world. Hundreds of body sculpting procedures are performed at Imagen Body Sculpting & Cosmetic Center every year, making it possible to get results like you would see in New York, Scottsdale, Kirkland, San Francisco or Miami right here in your own backyard.
Some of the benefits you can expect from choosing Imagen as your Omaha cosmetic surgery provider include bilingual service (English and Spanish), a complimentary limo ride and hotel stay for out-of-town patients*, and zero-hidden fees, and exclusive treatments unavailable anywhere else in Nebraska.
In Nebraska Exclusively at Imagen:
- SmartLipo Triplex Micro Laser-Assisted Liposuction
- Vaser Ultrasound-Assisted Liposuction (UAL)
- 4D Hi-Definition Liposuction with Muscle Etching
- Renuvion/J Plasma Skin Tightening
- Cellulaze for Cellulite Reduction
- Nano-Fat Grafting for Facial, Hand and Scalp Rejuvenation
How Much is Liposuction?
The most common question we hear before a consultation is “How much does liposuction cost?” This is a difficult question to answer before you come in. There is no set cost for liposuction because it all depends on the complexity of your procedure and the areas of the body you’re having treated. Liposuction should be considered an investment in yourself. We try to make this investment as achievable as possible for our patients. With the support of programs like Lipo Layaway and CareCredit, you are one step closer to realizing your dreams of a more sculpted figure! Schedule your free consultation today to learn more about a customized liposuction procedure from Imagen Body Sculpting.
Is getting liposuction worth it?
For many patients, liposuction is life changing. The confidence that is gained by feeling good about yourself is priceless!
Ready for the next step? Make your consultation!
If you are interested in learning more about liposuction, Renuvion, Venus or other body contouring treatments, please call us at 402-347-4433 and one of the friendly voices at our front desk would be happy to schedule your free consultation today. At your complimentary consultation, our team will discuss your goals and the expectations for your treatment as well as cost and financing. If you are not in Omaha, Lincoln, Council Bluffs or the surrounding Nebraska/Iowa metro, we do offer virtual consultations as well!
**Disclaimer: Individual Results May Vary
Schedule a Consultation
If you are interested in learning more about Liposuction in your treatment plan, please call us at 402-347-4433 to schedule a complimentary consultation.