When you have areas of fat that stick around despite diet and exercise, liposuction can permanently eliminate the fat and give you the sleek body shape you desire. Chike Obianwu, MD, at Alliance Cosmetic Center performs liposuction using tumescent anesthesia, which safely eliminates pain and nearly all bleeding. To learn whether liposuction is the best option for contouring your body, schedule an appointment online or call the office in Hainesport, New Jersey.
Liposuction is a minimally invasive procedure that slims and contours your body by removing unwanted fat. During liposuction, Dr. Obianwu uses a small incision to insert a narrow tube or cannula into the area of fat you want removed. He gently and precisely moves the cannula around to break up the fat, then uses suction to eliminate the fat.
Though liposuction is extremely effective for contouring your body, it’s not meant to be a weight loss procedure. To be a good candidate for liposuction, you should be near your healthy body weight already, even though you have problem areas of fat that won’t go away.
Dr. Obianwu commonly uses liposuction to remove excess fat from your waist, upper arms, hips, buttocks, thighs, knees, and calves. He may also recommend liposuction to slim down your cheeks, chin, and ankles.
Tumescent liposuction refers to the type of anesthesia used during your procedure. The tumescent anesthesia technique consists of injecting the targeted area with a solution that contains a local anesthetic called lidocaine and epinephrine, which constricts blood vessels.
This method offers three important advantages:
Tumescent anesthesia does such an exceptional job of eliminating pain during your liposuction procedure that you won’t need other sedatives. Patients who receive tumescent anesthesia also have little to no postoperative discomfort. The treated areas remain partially anesthetized for up to 18 hours after the procedure.
Epinephrine stops bleeding by immediately constricting blood vessels. This is a significant benefit because excessive blood loss is a problem when liposuction is performed under general anesthesia.
Tumescent anesthesia makes it easier to remove the fat cells, even in areas that are traditionally more difficult to suction, such as your upper abdomen and inner thighs. It also reduces the risk of postoperative skin irregularities.
Liposuction may take 30 minutes to two hours, depending on the areas being treated. Recovery following tumescent liposuction is quicker than with a traditional liposuction procedure because you’ll have significantly less swelling and bruising. Dr. Obianwu may recommend avoiding strenuous activities for a short time. Otherwise, you can return to your normal routine.
You can safely and permanently eliminate areas of problem fat with liposuction. To schedule an appointment, call Alliance Cosmetic Center or use the online booking feature.
