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FAT REMOVAL
Liposuction and liposculpture (fat removal) help to remove
fat deposits, particularly from the tummy (abdomen), outer part
of the thighs, hips and the insides of the knees.
The operation takes place under a general anaesthetic. Small
cuts are made in the skin in order to allow the blunt end of the
sucker to be passed underneath the skin. The time the procedure
takes depends on the volume of fat to be removed and the areas
treated. When you wake from surgery you will have a firmly
fitting garment like a girdle applied and small dressings over
the wounds. You should wear the garment all the time for one
month and subsequently during the day for a further month. This
helps the skin to take up the slack and to adapt to the new
underlying contour. There is likely to be some bruising after
surgery which usually subsides over three to four weeks. In
addition, there may be some residual swelling which will take
six to eight weeks to settle and which will be helped by wearing
the girdle. Surface imperfections and irregularities such as
skin dimpling (often called cellulite) may remain after surgery.
In some cases permanent sagging of the skin may occur when
the amount of fat removed exceeds the capacity of the skin to
contract. You should expect some differences between the sides
after the operation. Whilst we aim to make you as even as
possible, this may not be possible.
If your weight changes after the procedure, your shape is
also likely to change. Infection after surgery is extremely
uncommon but in some patients blood collections underneath the
skin can develop which may need to be drained. The process of
liposuction does lead to destruction of fat globules themselves
and there is a very small risk that some of the fat may enter
the blood stream and be deposited elsewhere in the body (fat
embolus). After liposuction you must make appropriate
arrangements to take adequate rest in order to recover.
Strenuous activities should be restricted for the first two
weeks so that the cavities made by the suction heal correctly.
The decision on when you should return to work depends very much
on the degree of swelling and discomfort, which you experience.
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