Plastic Surgeon & Medical Spa Serving Norman, Edmond, Oklahoma City & Nearby Central Oklahoma
If you have a few stubborn areas of fat that haven’t responded to your fitness efforts, then you may benefit liposuction. At Genesis Plastic Surgery and Medical Spa, we perform liposuction for men and women who would like to remove targeted areas of fat in order to achieve a more toned body contour. For many people, liposuction is the ideal option to put the finishing touches on your workout regimen and deliver the beautiful figure you desire.
Eating a healthy diet and getting plenty of exercise are the best ways to maintain a toned, fit body. However, there are many times when your efforts don’t deliver the results you expect. This is largely due to genetics. Your body is wired to store fat in certain areas, and you may not like the areas where this fat accumulates.
You can learn about your options and receive individualized treatment recommendations by speaking with Dr. Jayesh Panchal in person. Please call 405-340-9949 to schedule a consultation at our office in Edmond, Oklahoma.
- Benefits of Liposuction
- Areas Liposuction can Treat
- Am I a Candidate for Liposuction?
- Liposuction Techniques
- Your Customized Liposuction Procedure
- Liposuction Recovery
- Liposuction Risks
- Fat Cell Removal is Permanent
- Fat Transfer: Putting Your Unwanted Fat to Good Use
- What Makes Dr. Panchal Different?
- Contact our Edmond Plastic Surgeon
Benefits of Liposuction
Many of our liposuction patients find the procedure to be a life-changing experience. You may experience a variety of benefits, including:
- Improved and more proportional body contour
- More toned, fit physique
- Improved self-confidence
- Improved appearance in clothing and swimsuits
It is also common for individuals to find that they are more motivated to live a healthy, active lifestyle after liposuction in order to maintain their results. Ultimately, these lifestyle adjustments will pay huge dividends in the long run, helping you stay healthier as you get older.
Areas Liposuction can Treat
Liposuction is an extremely versatile body contouring procedure and can be used to remove unwanted pockets of fat in just about any area of your body. Some of the most common liposuction treatment areas include:
- Abdomen
- Flanks (to eliminate “love handles” or “muffin tops”)
- Back
- Hips
- Buttocks
- Thighs
- Face, neck and jowls
- Chin
- Upper arms
- Calves
- Ankles
- Chest (as part of a male breast reduction procedure)
Dr. Panchal often performs liposuction as part of a mommy makeover in order to help women get rid of excess baby fat that has lingered after childbirth.
Am I a Candidate for Liposuction?
Ideal candidates:
- Are in good overall health
- Have realistic expectations for the outcome of the procedure
- Are at or near a stable, healthy weight
- Exercise regularly and are physically fit
- Have one or more localized areas of fat they would like to eliminate
- Do not smoke or are willing to quit smoking prior to surgery and throughout the recovery period in order to promote proper healing and the best possible results
While liposuction will help remove unwanted fat from targeted areas of your body, it’s important to understand that this procedure is not a tool for weight loss. In order to be considered a good candidate, you must already be able to maintain a healthy weight. Liposuction should be considered a way to put the finishing touches on your diet and exercise efforts, not a substitute for maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
Liposuction Techniques
Dr. Panchal uses some of the most advanced liposuction techniques, including:
- Tumescent liposuction – This traditional liposuction method uses a fluid containing local anesthesia (lidocaine and epinephrine) and adrenalin to break up the fat and facilitate its removal
- Power-assisted liposuction (PAL) – A vibrating cannula is used to break up fat cells (excellent for removing larger quantities of fat reliably and rapidly. Most popular technique currently.
- Other options for liposuction include Vaser which is an ultrasound assisted liposuction which is associated a higher risk of complications and currently not the most popular technique for liposuction.
These techniques allow for better definition of the areas where liposuction is being performed while reducing bruising and swelling after surgery. Dr. Panchal will determine the right liposuction technique for your procedure based on the area being treated and your unique aesthetic goals.
Your Customized Liposuction Procedure
During your initial consultation, Dr. Panchal will examine the areas where you want to have liposuction performed. He will also discuss which liposuction method will work best for your procedure, the location of the small incisions and the final outcome that can be expected.
Dr. Panchal only performs liposuction at outpatient surgical centers such as Oklahoma Surgicare in Oklahoma City. If a large amount of fat is being removed or if liposuction is combined with another procedure such as a tummy tuck, you may need to stay overnight at the medical center.
Small volume liposuction can be performed under local anesthesia, but moderate to large volumes of fat removal need to be performed under general anesthesia.
It is difficult to predict the time required to perform this surgery. Small area liposuction can be performed in an hour, but a longer time is needed when fat is removed from several different areas of your body.
A small incision is made and fluid is injected into the site undergoing liposuction. This fluid makes it easier to remove the fat while reducing the amount of bleeding and bruising.
A tumescent technique or a super wet technique will be used for injecting the amount of fluid. Dr. Panchal will use a very small tube called a cannula to remove the fat via suction. The cannula is moved back and forth until all the fat has been taken out.
Sometimes a mechanical vibrating cannula is used and sometimes an ultrasonic probe is used to help the fat removal process. Once the necessary amount of contouring is done, the very small incisions are closed and a pressure garment is applied.
Liposuction Recovery
Healing progresses slowly and your patience will be essential. There will be some initial firmness at the treatment site that will gradually soften and feel normal. Generally, patients can go back to work within a few days if the procedure is very limited, but it may take a few weeks if the areas are extensive or if you’ve had additional surgery performed in conjunction with liposuction.
The stitches will dissolve in 10 days to 2 weeks. There will be some fluid drainage from the site of the incision for the first few days of your recovery, and you’ll have to wear a compression garment for several weeks after surgery. Dr. Panchal will be monitoring your recovery closely and will be available if you have any questions or concerns.
Once the swelling subsides, you will notice the difference in the shape of your body. However, it may take 3-6 months before you see your final results.
Liposuction Risks
Liposuction is very safe if it is performed by a trained surgeon and if the volume of fat being removed is kept below 5-6 liters. At Genesis Plastic Surgery, we typically limit liposuction procedures to 3-5 liters of fat, and we never remove more than 6 liters of fat in order to keep the risk of complications to a minimum.
Some patients may notice some irregularity in their skin surface and some may experience temporary swelling. The swelling generally disappears in a few weeks, but some areas may be stubborn and last for up to 3 months.
Fat Cell Removal Is Permanent
The fat cells removed during your liposuction procedure will never regenerate. In that respect, your results are permanent. However, you will still have plenty of fat cells in other areas of your body. Therefore, it’s still possible to gain weight after liposuction if you don’t eat a healthy diet and exercise regularly. Often, this weight gain may occur in unexpected places and result in unwanted changes to your figure.
If you’re concerned about your ability to maintain a stable weight after liposuction, we recommend that you work with a nutritionist and personal trainer who can help you develop the proper diet and exercise habits necessary to maintain your results.
Fat Transfer: Putting Your Unwanted Fat to Good Use
Dr. Panchal can reuse the fat removed during liposuction in order to improve the appearance of other areas of your body. During this procedure, your fat is purified and then reinjected into a different area of your body for additional body contouring benefits.
Dr. Panchal commonly uses fat transfer as part of a Brazilian butt lift procedure to achieve a rounder, fuller buttocks. While fat transfer can also be used for breast augmentation, Dr. Panchal doesn’t currently offer this treatment.
What Makes Dr. Panchal Different?
Dr Panchal strives to give you a very natural look. He uses special cannulas to prevent rippling in your skin, and he will also make custom adjustments to your procedure in order to deliver results that enhance your overall figure. This is most common when liposuction is performed in the stomach region.
After liposuction, many surgeons leave a tummy that looks flat and has no contours. A youthful tummy always has some areas that are convex (bulging) and some areas that are concave (hollow). Typically, the area around the upper part of belly button is hollow but the area under the belly protrudes just a little. There is often a line that runs from the rib cage to the belly button, further enhancing the shape of your abs. If you want, Dr. Panchal can create the appearance of well-defined abs on your tummy during your liposuction procedure.
In addition, many men and women look great from the front after liposuction, but they don’t see the same contour from the sides or back. To solve this problem, Dr. Panchal turns you on your tummy and on your sides during the surgery, so he can specifically address the fat in these areas.
Contact our Edmond Plastic Surgeon
Please contact Genesis Plastic Surgery & Medical Spa to schedule an appointment at our Edmond or Norman locations. We serve patients throughout the Oklahoma City area.