Words2Content: Tumescent Liposuction

Tumescent Liposuction - Why and How?

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Liposuction, also known as lipoplasty, suction lipectomy or liposculpture, is fast becoming the most frequent surgery in the US, doubling every 8 years. Tumescent liposuction is the technique of removing fat cells that accumulate between the skin and muscle at different places of human body such as breasts, abdomen, thighs, buttocks, calves, hips, arms, neck and elsewhere. Undergoing the surgery is relatively painless for most patients. This together with the urge to look upstart and shapely have translated into increasing demand for it..

Contrary to common perception, tumescent liposuction is not aimed at weight-reducing. In fact doctors firmly advise that if loosing weight is your primary focus, tumescent liposuction is not for you. Who qualifies for it? Here's a checklist:

1. You are an adult, preferably 18+ years old.
2. You have tried dieting and exercising to reduce fat, but some amount just won't go.
3. Your overall health is good.

Tumescent liposuction is not preferred if:

1. Your main concern is to loose weight fast.
2. Your lifestyle is such that it accelerates fat deposition.
3. You have heart problem or you are diabetic or you have an infectious disease.

In the US, over 50% of populace is said to be overweight. Reason enough for tumescent liposuction surgery to become popular, specially since under skilled hands it is possible to regain much of smooth body curvature. Since it removes undesired body fats to improve body appearance, tumescent liposuction is also referred to as body contouring.

Why fat accumulates?
Fat accumulation is governed by 2 principles. One, fat deposits more in those areas where it is easy for the body to carry around. Midsection is the prime location. Since hands and feet move constantly, basic biomechanics does not allow fat to be located there. Second, fat accumulation is faster in places where there already are fat cells. It therefore reasons that persons who lead sedentary lifestyle are more prone to fat deposition at a rate faster than people involved in active body movement.

Most of our fat is subcutaneous, that is just beneath the skin. Subcutaneous fat consists of superficial and deep layers. Superficial layers are dense and remain separated by fibrous walls. On the other hand, deep layers are less dense and have less-organized fibrous walls. Liposuction surgeons concentrate on removing fat cells from deep layers so as not to affect cellulite, thus keeping the skin intact.

How tumescent liposuction is done?
The surgery involves inserting cannulae in fat-removal areas of body through incisions not bigger than quarter of an inch to reach the intended place. When the cannulae are in place, large volume of medicated solution, which is an admixture of local anesthetic (lidocaine), a fluidized drug that contracts blood vessels (epinephrine) and intravenous salt solution, is injected into the areas before the fat is removed.

An aspirator (or ejector) is then used to suction out fat by creating vacuum that assists in suctioning effect. The main carrier of the fat cells on way out is intravenous salt solution. Tumescent surgery stretches from less than an hour to several hours in each sitting depending on fat removal area of the body.

Post-surgery care
As in case of any surgery, tumescent liposuction too calls for close observation and commensurate care of affected places of body. In particular, following steps are important:

1. Keep the incisions partially or fully open to permit uninterrupted outflow of fat-carrying fluid. This helps in speedy recovery of the affected place. Usually it takes a couple of days for all the fluid to come out. After that, keep the affected place protected by band-aids.
2. If for any reason the surgeon decides to stitch the incisions, take care to change the dressings often while the fluid is draining. In about a week's time, your surgeon will remove the drains and sutures. It may take longer depending on how long the draining continues.
3. Take medicines prescribed by surgeon that mainly control pain, swelling and numbness that occurs on account of operation.
4. Visit your surgeon for periodic check-ups and follow his instructions.
5. Though difference is noticeable as early as subsiding of swelling, in most cases it may take anything between 1 to 6 months for the final result to set in.

Summing up
Tumescent liposuction is a cosmetic surgery that frees up your body parts from unwanted fat. Even as critics argue that exercising is the best option to get rid of fats, the prospect of trimmed body after tumescent liposuction is too strong a lure to not get affected. There are many skilled surgeons who are quite adept at successfully handling the entire tumescent liposuction procedure. So if you are eager to get back your shapely body and boost your sagging morale, consider dropping in a tumescent liposuction clinic. Meanwhile, what about getting some detail idea from Rhoda Narins' book on tumescent liposuction.