Ideal candidate for Liposuction

Liposuction is a cosmetic surgery to remove fat deposits under the skin. An ideal candidate for liposuction is one who is near their normal body weight, but still has excess fat in certain areas that appear disproportionate with the rest of their body. Areas treated for liposuction include the chin, neck and cheeks, the upper arms, the abdomen, buttocks, hips and thighs; and the knees, calves, and ankles. Results can include slimmer hips and thighs, a flatter abdomen, removal of a double chin or shapelier calves and ankles. Most patients that undergo liposuction feel more confident about their appearance.

Liposuction is the one of the most commonly performed cosmetic surgical procedures in the UK and is sometimes referred to as lipoplasty, liposculpture, and liposculpture. Liposuction is a technique that removes superficial fat deposits to improve body contour and reduce size.

Fat deposits accumulate under everyone's skin. The deposits can cause some body areas to bulge and appear flabby, especially the neck, thighs, arms, and stomach. Even in people who eat a healthy diet and exercise, these fat deposits can persist. They can result from genetic factors, body-chemistry, or other causes. These deposits can be removed by liposuction.

Your surgeon, through a tiny incision introduces a thin hollow tube beneath the skin called a cannula, which vacuums out unwanted fat. New techniques in liposuction in the past decade have improved the results obtainable, and also have improved the safety. Liposuction can sometimes be done under local anaesthesia for smaller fat removals. Patients who are having larger volumes of fat removed will need general anaesthesia to provide the utmost in safety.

Most people are actually good candidates for liposuction. A good candidate for liposuction must have realistic expectations about what the procedure can/cannot do for them, additionally candidates should be physically healthy and psychologically stable. Liposuction is not a weight loss technique, or a solution for obesity. It is also not an effective treatment for cellulite. However, liposuction is a good procedure for spot reduce fat reduction.

The best candidates for liposuction are fit, exercise regularly, and are not more than ten to twenty pounds overweight. People with exercise-resistant fatty deposits get the best results. Patients should be aware that the flabby appearance of the area being treated may not disappear completely. Fad diets before or immediately after surgery is not recommended.

Both men and women can be excellent candidates for liposuction. In the UK around 75% of patients are female and they usually have liposuction performed on the belly, the thighs, and buttocks. About 25% of patients are men.

Liposuction for men varies in several ways from female liposuction. Men tend to accumulate fat in the chest and back, abdomen and love handles, while women's fat accumulates in the hips, buttocks, and thighs.

The tissues of the back, flanks, and chest where men tend to retain fat are more fibrous than other areas of the body, and therefore may be more difficult to remove. Men also may develop or accumulate fat in the chest, giving the appearance of breasts, referred to as gynaecomastia. Sometimes of breast tissue is also present in this case the breast tissue will need to be cut out through a larger incision aswell as liposuction to the area.

The best patient is someone who has made an effort to eliminate the fatty deposits through extensive exercise and diet. The ideal liposuction patient is near their target body weight (within 10% to15%), exercises regularly, has a healthy diet, and has fairly elastic skin with either one or a few stubborn fat deposits that are resistant to diet and exercise. By removing fat cells, you will be slimmer and less tendency for fat to accumulate in that area again.

Liposuction is not designed for weight loss. Patients who are very overweight or who have large areas of fat deposits are not good candidates. It is best for these patients to lose weight first and reduce the fatty area through diet or exercise before having liposuction. If overweight patients cannot loose weight on their own and they are obese, then a gastric bypass procedure may be considered. If a patient loses considerable weight and has excess skin after the weight loss, then an abdominoplasty procedure may be a performed to remove excess tissue, before liposuction is performed.

Another issue is age of the candidate. While it is not age is not a major consideration, it is important for older patients to realise that because of diminished skin elasticity, they may not be able to get the same results as a younger patient with tighter skin. Liposuction is a surgical procedure, and not everyone is a good candidate for surgery.

Patients with chronic medical conditions should avoid liposuction, especially in the case of heart or kidney disease aswell as patients who suffer from emotional illness may also not be suitable for surgery.

Liposuction, like any other cosmetic surgery procedure, is designed to enhance body shape. This surgical procedure cannot completely change your shape. You should have realistic expectations and understand that liposuction is not a quick fix or a substitute for diet and exercise.

Your aim for liposuction should be to improve body shape and contour, knowing that it will not change the way your skin looks. Liposuction removes persistent fat not responsive to diet and exercise and establishes more normal proportions between areas of the body. It also improves your appearance both in and out of clothing.

In all, the best candidates for liposuction:

• Are in good health
• Are within 25 lbs. of his or her ideal weight
• Bothered by these fatty areas, and is motivated to get rid of these problem areas once and for all
• Have firm, elastic skin
• Desire reshaping and not weight loss
• Do not have significant medical problems such as heart or lung disease, or poor circulation
• Are psychologically stable
• Do not smoke
• Exercises regularly