Liposuction with Dr. Gaines is the answer for these areas. In liposuction, the unwanted fat is suctioned out permanently, leaving you with a slimmer contour. Modern liposuction is minimally invasive and leaves little, if any, scarring.
What is liposuction?
Modern liposuction has come a long way from when it was first introduced in the U.S. in the 1980s. At that time, liposuction was a pretty violent procedure that caused extensive bruising, tissue trauma, and blood loss. Patients needed to be under general anesthesia because the doctor had to move the cannula back and forth quite aggressively to break loose the fat.
Today, liposuction with Dr Gaines is much easier. The procedure is typically performed under sedation or “twilight” anesthesia as an outpatient procedure. For most patients he uses the tumescent technique, where a saline solution containing lidocaine is first injected into the target areas to minimize the pain and firm the fat, making it easier to remove. The solution also contains epinephrine to constrict the blood vessels, limiting blood loss and bruising. A cannula is then inserted to suction out the fat and liquid. The cannulas used in modern liposuction are much smaller, so the corresponding incisions needed to access the fat pockets are very small, usually not even requiring stitches.
For more difficult areas such as the back, Dr. Gaines can add ultrasound energy to the liposuction procedure. This ultrasound energy breaks up and partially liquefies the fat, making it even easier to remove.
Who is a good candidate for liposuction?
First things first — liposuction is NOT a weight loss procedure. In fact, if too much fat is removed, it can be dangerous. Liposuction is meant to remove isolated pockets of fat that don’t respond to changes in diet and exercise. Virtually everyone has such pockets somewhere on their body.
Here are the characteristics Dr. Gaines looks at for liposuction. The patient has firm skin with good elasticity (this is important for the skin to adhere to the new slimmer contour following the fat removal). The patient is within 15% of their ideal body weight and that weight has been consistent for a length of time.
Where can liposuction be used?
A better question would be where can’t liposuction be used? Dr. Gaines can use liposuction to remove fat in the abdomen, hips, buttocks, thighs, inner knees, chest, cheeks, chin, calves, and ankles.
Interested in getting rid of those stubborn pockets of fat for good? Call Dr. Gaines at (352) 333-9600 and set up a consultation for liposuction.