Thursday, 9 of September of 2010

Category » Liposuction

How Liposuction Could Kill You

Cheap liposuctions should NEVER be considered in the UK

Cheap liposuctions should NEVER be considered in the UK

There is certainly no denying that liposuction is a safer procedure now, in 2009, than it was twenty years ago. Complications associated with the surgery are becoming fewer and further between, and it’s easy to be lulled into a sense of security with these facts regarding liposuction. Many people are of the frame of mind that liposuction is now safe, that one cannot experience the same complications that once put many lives at risk. In reality, liposuction and many other invasive cosmetic surgeries are not entirely risk-free. Every surgical procedure involves risks, and being of a cosmetic nature does not exempt liposuction from those risks.

There are many outlets all around us that wish us to believe that surgery is safe, especially surgery of cosmetic origins. We want to believe that the procedure we are spending thousands of dollars on will not, cannot, harm us in any way. Unfortunately, this is untrue and the horror stories you might hear about on television or read on the Internet are very real. Complications occur in more patients than we would care to admit.

The dangers of liposuction span a broad spectrum, from allergic reactions to internal organ and tissue damage. Nearly every one of these examples lists death as a potential effect due to the complication referred to. On average, one in five hundred liposuction patients will die from complications related to their cosmetic surgery. Here are some examples of what causes these deaths.

  • Allergic reaction. Ultimately, the risk of allergic reaction is present in any surgery. It could be an allergic reaction to anesthesia or to other medications used during the procedure. There are tests that can be performed to judge a person’s susceptibility to some of these reactions, but many are by chance. There’s no way to know if you may suffer an allergic reaction until you have been administered a particular substance for the first time. Unfortunately, sometimes the first time is too late. If a severe reaction occurs, it could cause swelling of the air ways or even cardiac arrest.
  • Bacterial infection. Bacterial infection can begin before, during or after surgery. If suspected and tested early enough, most bacterial infections can be treated with use of antibiotics and have no adverse effects. When bacterial infections are not caught early enough, the infection may spread through the blood stream and complications may arise.
  • Perforation damage. There are a lot of major organs in the abdominal area alone, and considering that liposuction can be performed on just about any part of the body, patients needs to carefully consider the danger they are placing their bodies in. The movements used during liposuction in combination with the cannula, the suction tool used to remove fat, are an equation for damage. While this sort of damage is far more common among inexperienced surgeons, it still happens and can be very fatal, especially if damage occurs to the lungs, heart, liver or intestines. If the damage is caught early enough, it may be corrected with a secondary surgery.

Because of the evolutions in medical technology in recent years, deaths among liposuction patients are starting to occur fewer and further between, but this does not eliminate the risk. The best way to avoid putting yourself at such risks as the ones mentioned above is to say no to liposuction, or any other invasive cosmetic surgery performed.


How Liposuction is Performed

Liposuction has become a popular option among many people in modern society to assist with fat removal from various parts of the body. There are many cosmetic surgeons practicing liposuction techniques regularly and are perfecting these techniques to sculpt the body as desired.

Consultation With Surgeon

After the careful process of selecting a surgeon, a patient should ask for a consultation if one is not offered before the surgery. Some liposuction surgeons offer two or three consultation appointments to give the patient time to consider what is being done and how, or to make decisions based on the surgeon’s recommendations. During the consultation(s), the surgeon will begin to map out the procedure based on the patient’s pain tolerance, the amount of fat tissue to be removed and the desired results. After receiving the patient’s approval, the surgeon may have to reserve operating space in a local hospital or he may have facilities on site.

The Procedure

These surgeries begin with the injection of a wetting solution made of mostly of salt water, which makes fat removal a much easier task by beginning the break-down process. The wetting solution normally also contains epinephrine, used to shrink the blood vessels and reduce bleeding and bruising. Depending upon the pain tolerance of the patient, a local anesthetic may also be used in the wetting solution. More, less or the same amount of solution as fat tissue may be injected. Most commonly, surgeons use more wetting solution than fat tissue (called Tumescent liposuction). Tumescent liposuction reduces bleeding and bruising, due to increased amounts of epinephrine in the body and requires only the use of a local anesthesia, opposed to an epidural or general anesthesia.

Dry Liposuction

Liposuction can also be performed “dry”, using no wetting solutions and merely removing the fat without any additional substances to aid. This is dangerous procedure and is rarely used anymore. It can result in major bleeding, tissue damage and extended recovery times.

Removing Fat

After all anesthesia has been administered and the wetting solution has been injected, the surgeon will make a small incision in the immediate area where the fat tissue is to be removed. A cannula is inserted into the incision and directed into the fat deposits to be removed. This narrow metal tube connects to a a hand piece that controls the device and a suction pump. The surgeon operates the cannula by moving it back and forth through the unwanted fat and it is sucked out by the pump.

Length of Procedure

Liposuction procedures take about an hour or two to be completed, on average. The more extensive the fat removal, the longer the procedure will take to complete. The incisions made to accommodate the cannula are closed using a few surgical stitches. Staples may be used on larger incisions.

Post Op Care

After a liposuction procedure, patients should always take care to follow any post-operation instructions from their surgeon or physician.


Liposuction for Men

Liposuction for men is not just restricted to below the neck. Men are turning more regularly to liposuction to slenderize and revitalize their faces. Some ordinary areas for male facial liposuction are the chin, neck, and jowls. Liposuction on men is usually completed as outpatient surgery under local anesthesia. Male liposuction is on the rise. In reality, it has become a craze. The bulk of men discover that they can return to work and normal activity about 72 hours post-op.

Liposuction for men is pricier than liposuction for women for a few reasons. When one compares male and female fat cells they can observe that males fat cells are unlike women’s and stronger in texture. Liposuction for men commonly focuses on the back and abdomen areas.

Cosmetic surgery offers both men and women a opportunity to look the way they wish by making alterations in order to give their bodies a shape that they find attractive. Cosmetic surgery has surfaced as a very popular procedure for men and women nowadays. Nonetheless, the comparatively higher cost of this type of voluntary cosmetic surgery is definitely out of bounds for many people, considering that insurance often does not pay (or pays little) anything toward the expenses.

Liposuction can be very helpful in decreasing the appearance of love handles, winter rolls, or disproportionate fat deposited around the abdominal area. Some men have a difficult time losing weight in this area. Although they may practice proper diet and exercise regularly, the fat deposits refuse to go away. For these men, liposuction may be the answer.