Liposuction in NYC - Fat Removal Procedure
What Is Liposuction?
Liposuction (sometimes referred to as “lipo”) is a surgical procedure whereby fat is removed from the body using suction. This technique removes excess, stubborn fat from specific areas of the body. Liposuction is one of the most popular surgical procedure in cosmetic surgery performed across the United States, but in Dr. George Lefkovits’s New York cosmetic surgery office as well.
The weight-loss journey can be difficult and stressful, especially if you have a problem area that isn’t responding to traditional diet and exercise methods. At Park Plaza, Plastic Surgery Center, our plastic surgeon offers multiple liposuction treatments. Focusing on natural looking results, Dr. Lefkovits can help you gain a smoother appearance by removing pockets of fat from the neck, arms, abdomen, waist, thighs, and calves.
Is Liposuction Fat Removal or a Weight Loss Procedure?
Liposuction is not a weight loss procedure. It is strictly a body contouring (fat reduction) procedure.
Multiple areas of the body do not respond to diet and exercise. These resistant areas are best treated with liposuction.
Which Areas of The Body Can Liposuction Treat?
If you have a desire to remove stubborn pockets of fat on certain parts of the body, liposuction may be a suitable procedure for you. It can remove unwanted fat cells from various specific areas in both men and women.
Areas of the body which are appropriate for fat removal include:
Abdomen
Hips
Buttocks
Thighs
Knees
Upper arms
Chin
Cheeks
Neck
Where Is Liposuction Performed?
Liposuction is generally performed in an outpatient setting, either in the office surgical facility or in an outpatient surgical facility. These should all be certified and accredited by a proper credentialing organization such as the AAAASF (American Association for Accreditation of Ambulatory Surgical Facilities).
Liposuction Procedure – How Is It Executed?
Prior to the advent of liposuction, the only method of removing fatty areas was to cut them out which left a large scar and an unsatisfactory result.
Nowadays, liposuction is done by using a blunt-ended tubular instrument called a “cannula” which has openings at its end to allow fat to be aspirated through a plastic tubing via its attachment to a suction machine. The cannula enters the face or body using a very small incision which usually leaves an inconspicuous scar.
Who Is a Candidate For Liposuction?
Ideally, the procedure is performed on patients with the proper weight and BMI (Body Mass Index) who still have resistant fatty pockets. But, most patients don’t have an ideal weight and are somewhat overweight. These patients, too, can have liposuction as long as their overweight is not excessive and are otherwise in good health.
If the doctor suggests that liposuction is not suitable for the candidate, he/she might propose an alternative procedure such as a tummy tuck, neck lift, or facelift.
What Should You Know Before Liposuction?
If you are considering liposuction, you should:
be in good physical health;
inform us of the medical condition(s) you have;
have realistic expectations of the outcome of the liposuction procedure;
Types of Liposuction Techniques
TUMESCENT TECHNIQUE
The gold standard of liposuction and the one with the longest track record is the “Tumescent Technique Liposuction”. This technique involves the use of a dilute anesthetic (Lidocaine) along with very dilute adrenalin. The solution expedites the procedure, with the lidocaine providing some postoperative pain relief and the adrenalin minimizing bleeding.
This is the technique that Dr. George Lefkovits prefers because of its long and successful track record.
Benefits of the tumescent liposuction technique include:
Smaller incisions
Less invasive micro-cannulas are used
More gradual, targeted, and metered treatment
Contouring an area is more effective
Shorter recovery time
Performed under local anesthesia
Less blood and fluid loss
LASER-ASSISTED LIPOSUCTION
Laser-Assisted Liposuction, which is sometimes referred to as “Smart Lipo”, uses a blunt solid probe that introduces a laser light that melts the fat into fatty oils. These oils are then removed through standard liposuction.
Dr. Lefkovits does not use this technique for various reasons:
the probe requires a larger incision than a standard cannula;
the laser can cause a skin burn;
when performing large volume liposuction, the excessive oil may leave postoperative fluid collections known as seroma;
finally, it requires a two-step process as opposed to just one used in the Tumescent Technique.
ULTRASOUND-ASSISTED LIPOSUCTION
The ultrasound-assisted liposuction uses ultrasound energy to loosen the fat which then requires extraction via standard liposuction.
This is again a two-step process instead of just one step using the Tumescent Technique and, therefore, Dr. Lefkovits does not use this technique.
How Long Is the Liposuction Procedure?
The procedure can last between half an hour and 3 hours, depending on:
area(s) of the body that are treated;
how much fat the patient would like to be removed;
the complexness of the treatment.
What Type of Anesthesia Is Used?
Dr. Lefkovits, like most plastic surgeons, uses general anesthesia in his Park Plaza Plastic Surgery Center in New York. General anesthesia is used because it allows for a total painless liposuction procedure while the anesthetist maintains complete control of the patient’s vitals.
Some plastic surgeons use local anesthesia too. Dr. Lefkovits does not use local anesthesia except for small volumes and small areas of liposuction. He does not want his patients to experience any intraoperative pain and wants to make sure an anesthetist is taking care of the patient’s vitals.
What Is the Postoperative Course?
After the surgery, the patient is taken to the Recovery Room with a compression garment where a nurse provides post-op care. Most patients can leave the facility after about 2 hours, depending on the scope of the surgery.
Patients are encouraged to drink lots of liquid, especially Gatorade. They are also instructed to get out of bed as soon as possible and to sit and ambulate as much as possible.
The patient returns after 7 days to check on the surgical sites to make sure there is no evidence of bleeding or infection.
At Park Plaza, we offer a post-op course of massage and ultrasound treatments which help with the healing process and expedite the resolution of swelling.
Because of massage and ultrasound treatments, we do not insist on the wearing of compression garments for 6-8 weeks like other centers. Instead, we suggest wearing the garments for about 3 weeks.
What Are Possible Complications?
Just like other surgery procedures, there are possible complications. These are minimized when liposuction is performed by an experienced Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon in an accredited surgical facility.
Possible complications include:
bleeding,
infection,
scarring,
irregularities,
residual fat deposits,
dizziness,
pain,
need for a touch-up.
A serious complication is a fat embolus which involves fat that has traveled to the lungs which can compromise lung function and is a very serious complication requiring hospitalization in an intensive care unit. Fortunately, this is quite rare.
Recovering From Liposuction Surgery
Return To Work
The patient should be able to return to work within a few days after the liposuction.
Pain Medication
This is different from patient to patient, and it also has to do with the area(s) being treated. Most patients only require mild pain medication, or not at all.
First Postoperative Visit
The patient returns after 7 days to check on the surgical sites to make sure there is no evidence of bleeding or infection.
Excess Skin Tightening After Liposuction
If the patient is feeling concerned about loose skin after liposuction, he might be a candidate for surgical procedures that are able to remove excess skin such as tummy tuck and/or body lift cosmetic procedure.
Results
Liposuction techniques we use at our clinic, alongside with more than three decades of experience in plastic surgery can help you attain long-lasting results. The first results are noticeable within one week of the treatment, but once bruising and swelling are gone you can expect to see these results better.
Many patients are often worried that after the liposuction excess fat is going to return. This gently does not happen as long as you don’t put on excess weight.
Liposuction Before and After Photos
Results of liposuction procedure performed on some of our patients:
This is a 27-year-old male patient shown before, and 1 year after the surgery. He underwent liposuction of his midsection (abdomen and waist)
Liposuction of the neck is a very common procedure that you can undergo regardless of your body weight. Here you can see result of a 45-year-old female patient who underwent liposuction of her neck
Arm liposuction aims to remove excess fat from under the skin of the upper arm. You can see before and after photos of the upper arm liposuction patient underwent at our clinic
Why Have Dr. Lefkovits Perform Liposuction?
Dr. Lefkovits has been performing liposuction for 35 years and is therefore very experienced in the procedure, having performed thousands of these cases.
He completed his Plastic Surgery training at Lenox Hill Hospital where he also served as Chief Resident. Lenox Hill Hospital is recognized as a leading institution for training in Aesthetic Surgery and has an illustrious, world-renowned faculty.
He is one of the few plastic surgeons who are Double Board Certified Plastic Surgeons by both the American Board of Otolaryngology as well as the American Board of Plastic Surgery.
Dr. Lefkovits has a very strong aesthetic sense and strives for natural-looking results. He will refrain from performing surgery on patients whom he feels are not good candidates for surgery.
How Much Does a Liposuction in New York City Cost?
We understand you may be having concerns regarding payment options. If you have any questions, we strongly suggest calling our office at (212) 750-9494. Members of our time will do their best to create a low-cost financing plan that fits within your budget.
Consultation Process With Dr. Lefkovits
If you’re thinking about undergoing a liposuction procedure you may be wondering what can you discuss with our plastic surgeon.
During the initial consultation:
you will fill out the form that consists of basic questions about you and your medical history;
you are given time to talk about why you want to undergo this procedure and what is your expectation;
the doctor will examine areas that are going to be treated (patients often have two or more areas treated during one procedure) to make sure you are a candidate for liposuction;
together you will decide which body areas are suitable for fat removal;
our doctor will discuss different liposuction treatment options in order to create a liposuction surgery plan;
you will get a detailed explanation of the possible risks and complications following this treatment;
you will be able to ask every question and get rid of all doubts.
Video Testimonial of One of Our Patients
Schedule a FREE Consultation at Park Plaza Plastic Surgery Center in Manhattan, New York
If you would like more information about liposuction and how it can help reduce fat deposits in certain areas of your body, please contact plastic surgeon Dr. George Lefkovits today at (212) 750-9494 to schedule your initial free consultation at our New York City office.