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Body Contouring/Liposuction
What are the options?

Body contouring comprises a range of techniques designed to improve the shape of your body:

 

Liposuction:

The most common body contouring procedure is liposuction (also known as liposculpture or suction-assisted lipectomy - SAL): a technique to remove unwanted fat deposits. We may use liposuction alone or combined with other types of surgery to achieve the desired results.

During the liposuction procedure, we insert a narrow metal tube, connected to a strong vacuum pump, through small incisions in the skin. As we draw the tube back and forth beneath the skin, excess fat is slowly sucked out. The process removes tunnels of fat leaving the small blood vessels and nerves intact. As with all surgical procedures, there are some minor variations of the basic techniques.

Prior to fat removal, we inject the area to be treated with a dilute solution of saline containing local anaesthetic and adrenaline. This helps improve the effectiveness of the procedure while reducing blood loss and improving post-operative discomfort.

The operation is usually performed under general anaesthesia, especially if we are treating extensive areas. Occasionally though, smaller areas can be managed under local anaesthetic.

 

Skin-Tightening Surgery:

Excessive skin laxity cannot be improved with liposuction, although young patients may be able to ‘soak up’ some excess skin over time following weight loss or liposuction. In most cases where your skin is lax or hangs down, your surgeon will recommend a skin-tightening procedure that removes both skin and fat, improving the body contour but leaving a scar. This type of operation is more commonly required if you have lost a large amount of weight or your skin is loose as can occur following pregnancy or as we age.

In patients with excess skin that is unlikely to be soaked up in time, we remove the lax skin together with the underlying fat. This process will, however, leave a scar. In most cases, the majority of the scar will be hidden in the natural folds and creases of the body. For example, a tummy tuck is the most common form of skin-tightening surgery, which leaves a long scar across the lower tummy that can be hidden beneath underwear. We can also tighten the skin in other areas of the body such as the upper arms, around the inner thighs, across the chest and, in some cases, around the back.

In some circumstances, we may combine skin-tightening procedures with limited liposuction. We do not regard extensive liposuction combined with skin-tightening procedures as safe, as it may excessively damage the skin's blood supply.

Most skin tightening procedures require a general anaesthetic. Suction drains may also be used and you may be in hospital for one or two nights following the procedure.

 

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