Liposuction in Philadelphia
Introduction to Liposuction
Reshape your body!
There comes a point in life when diet and exercise cannot remove the excess fat that accumulates around the waistline, arms, back, and buttocks. This makes people self-conscious about certain clothing types, such as bathing suits and tight-fitting outfits.
Fortunately, liposuction, also known as lipoplasty, is a safe and effective treatment that can provide the desired results and maintain the body’s shape if supported by a healthy lifestyle, including a balanced diet and regular exercise.
This procedure can reshape the body, refresh contours, and restore a more sculpted appearance. Dr. Ronald Lohner prides himself on patient safety and strives to perform the best liposuction in Philadelphia. As a renowned liposuction Philadelphia plastic surgeon, he ensures personalized care and addresses all patient concerns from the initial consultation to the final outcome.
What is Liposuction?
Let’s start with the basics
Liposuction is a cosmetic procedure designed to slim and reshape specific areas of the body by removing unwanted fatty deposits. Lipoplasty is often combined with other surgical procedures to provide a more comprehensive body transformation, such as the Mommy Makeover, which targets the changes pregnancy leaves on a woman’s body. Tummy tucks, or abdominoplasty, are frequently included in these makeovers to remove excess skin and repair abdominal muscles, enhancing liposuction’s overall body contouring effect.
What are the Benefits of Liposuction?
Dr. Lohner has over two decades of experience helping patients achieve their desired body contours. Some of the top advantages of undergoing liposuction in Philadelphia include:
- Refined body contours: Achieve a slimmer, more sculpted look.
- Enhanced self-confidence: Feel more comfortable in photos and clothing.
- Better fit in clothing: Enjoy wearing the outfits you desire without frustration.
- Fat removal: Target and eliminate stubborn fat that is resistant to diet and exercise.
Gallery
Results speak for
themselves.
Who Are the Best Candidates for Liposuction?
Both men and women who are frustrated by stubborn fat deposits may benefit from lipoplasty. However, this procedure is not for everyone. The best candidates are:
- Individuals who are at or near their ideal body weight.
- Those with firm, elastic skin.
- People with localized fat deposits that do not respond to diet and exercise.
- Patients with realistic expectations about the results.
If skin elasticity is poor, other procedures, such as an arm lift, tummy tuck, thigh lift, or facelift, may be more suitable. A consultation with Dr. Lohner can determine the best approach to achieving your aesthetic goals.
What’s the First Step?
Patients should learn all they can about the techniques and recovery if this procedure sounds beneficial. Before-and-after photographs are easy to find online and can help patients understand the expected results. Once they clearly understand the procedure, they should make an initial appointment at Lohner Plastic Surgery.
The consultation process at Lohner Plastic Surgery is designed for the patient to get to know the surgeon and for Dr. Lohner to get to know the patient. As a renowned liposuction Philadelphia plastic surgeon, Dr. Lohner emphasizes personalized care throughout the surgical journey. He will discuss a patient’s medical history, review current medications, and listen to the patient’s aesthetic goals to ensure your safety during the surgery. Next, Dr. Lohner will thoroughly explain all of the treatment options available. If body contouring is determined to be the best procedure for an individual patient, the patient coordinator will assist you in scheduling surgery.
Liposuction Techniques
Tumescent technique
This liposuction technique involves injecting a large amount of medicated solution into the predetermined area. The Tumescent fluid contains a salt solution and local anesthetic. Once complete, the fat is then removed through a cannula (hollow tube).
Ultrasound-assisted Liposuction (UAL)
One of the newest lipo techniques uses ultrasonic vibrations to disrupt fat cell connections before they are vacuumed out through a cannula. This technique provides excellent results for fibrous areas such as the upper back or male breast tissue.
Super Wet technique
This is the most commonly performed type of liposuction. Very similar to the Tumescent technique, it uses less Tumescent fluid during surgery. The amount of fluid injected will equal the amount removed. One of the newer techniques available, Super Wet Lipo, provides superior results.
Liposuction vs. Weight Loss Surgery
Liposuction and weight loss surgery are two distinct procedures that serve different purposes. Liposuction is a cosmetic surgery designed to remove excess fat from specific areas of the body, helping individuals achieve a leaner, more streamlined look. It targets localized fat deposits that are resistant to diet and exercise, making it an excellent option for body contouring. However, liposuction is not a substitute for a healthy diet and regular exercise, which are essential for maintaining long-term results.
On the other hand, weight loss surgery, such as gastric bypass or sleeve gastrectomy, is a medical procedure aimed at reducing the size of the stomach to limit food intake and promote significant weight loss. This type of surgery is typically recommended for individuals with a body mass index (BMI) of 40 or higher or those with a BMI of 35 or higher with related health conditions. While weight loss surgery can lead to substantial weight loss and improve overall health, it is a more invasive procedure with different goals than liposuction.
Combining Liposuction with Other Procedures
Liposuction can be combined with other procedures to achieve more comprehensive results and enhance overall body contours. For instance, a tummy tuck (abdominoplasty) can be performed alongside liposuction to remove excess skin and tighten the abdominal muscles, providing a flatter and more toned midsection. This combination is particularly popular among individuals who have experienced significant weight loss or pregnancy, as it addresses both excess fat and loose skin.
Additionally, liposuction can be paired with breast augmentation or reduction to create a more balanced body shape. Patients can achieve a harmonious and proportionate figure by removing unwanted fat from areas like the flanks or thighs and enhancing the breasts. Non-surgical treatments can also be combined with liposuction to refine the results further and target smaller areas of stubborn fat.
Fat Transfer with Liposuction
Fat transfer, also known as fat grafting, involves transferring fat cells from one area of the body to another. This technique can be used in conjunction with liposuction to add volume to areas like the breasts, buttocks, or face. Fat cells are harvested from areas with excess fat, such as the abdomen or thighs, using liposuction during the procedure. These fat cells are then purified and carefully injected into the desired area to enhance volume and shape.
Fat transfer can be a highly effective way to enhance the results of liposuction and create a more balanced body shape. It offers the dual benefit of removing excess fat from one area while adding natural-looking volume to another. This technique is particularly popular for procedures like the Brazilian Butt Lift, where fat is transferred to the buttocks to achieve a fuller and more lifted appearance.
Non-Surgical Fat Reduction Options
Several fat reduction options are available for individuals who are not candidates for liposuction or prefer a non-surgical approach. SculpSure is a noninvasive laser treatment that uses heat to destroy fat cells, while CoolSculpting uses cold temperatures to freeze and eliminate fat cells. These treatments can be effective for reducing small areas of excess fat, such as the abdomen, flanks, or thighs.
Non-surgical fat reduction treatments like Evolvex and CoolSculpting offer the advantage of minimal downtime and lower risk compared to surgical procedures. However, they may not be as effective as liposuction for larger areas of fat or for achieving dramatic body contouring results. Additionally, multiple sessions may be required to achieve optimal results, and the final outcome may take several months to become apparent as the body gradually eliminates the treated fat cells.
What Areas does Liposuction Treat?
- Hips
- Outer Thighs (saddlebags)
- Flanks (love handles)
- Inner Thighs
- Inner Knees
- Upper Arms
- Submental (chin)
- Breasts (Female Breast Reduction or Male Gynecomastia)
What to Expect on the Day of Liposuction?
Lipoplasty is performed as an outpatient procedure at the surgical center at Bryn Mawr Hospital. Either general anesthesia or local anesthesia plus IV sedation may be used, depending on the specific patient. This procedure may take between one to three hours to complete depending on the extent of areas the patient and Dr. Lohner agree to address.
He will begin the procedure by infusing the treatment area with Tumescent fluid. Next, a very small cannula will be inserted through several half-inch incisions to suction out the fatty tissue. Once the desired amount of fat has been removed and the area has been sculpted to the desired shape, Dr. Lohner will place sutures over the incisions for proper healing.
Potential Liposuction Side Effects and Risks
Lipoplasty is considered an extremely safe procedure. However, since it is invasive, there is always a rare chance of complications. These can include bleeding, infection, blood clots, skin discoloration, asymmetry, and fat embolism (which is extremely rare). Risks can be substantially minimized by selecting a Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon like Dr. Lohner. With over twenty years of experience, Dr. Lohner is skilled in the most advanced lipo techniques available.
The Liposuction Procedure
The liposuction procedure is a meticulously planned surgical operation that removes excess fat from specific areas of the body. The journey begins with the administration of anesthesia to ensure the patient’s comfort throughout the surgery. Once the patient is comfortably numb, the surgeon makes small, precise incisions in the targeted area. A cannula—a thin tube connected to a vacuum device—is inserted through these incisions to suction out the unwanted fat cells.
Various liposuction techniques can be employed, each tailored to the patient’s unique needs and the surgeon’s expertise. Traditional liposuction is time-tested, while power-assisted liposuction uses a specialized cannula that vibrates to break up fat cells more efficiently. On the other hand, laser-assisted liposuction uses laser energy to liquefy fat before removal, which can also aid in skin tightening.
During the procedure, the surgeon carefully removes the excess fat cells, preserving the surrounding tissue and maintaining the natural body contours. The duration of the liposuction procedure can vary, typically ranging from one to several hours, depending on the extent of the surgery and the number of areas being treated.
After surgery, the patient is taken to a recovery room, where they are closely monitored for any immediate complications. While some discomfort, swelling, and bruising are common, these side effects are usually temporary and can be effectively managed with prescribed pain medication and compression garments. This careful approach ensures that patients can achieve their desired body contours with minimal downtime.
Liposuction Recovery
Patients should expect recovery to take about one week. Initially, people may notice some minor bruising and swelling. These will simultaneously improve for two to three weeks. Final results take 4-6 months to see the true end results. A compression garment will need to be worn for the first several weeks to discourage the accumulation of fluid and swelling. Mild pain and burning may occur in the treatment area, but Dr. Lohner will prescribe the appropriate pain medications to keep patients comfortably resting at home.
Patients may be sore for the first couple of days. Light exercise and walking can be resumed after one to two days. More strenuous activities and heavy lifting should be postponed for about a week. Normally, people will feel well enough to return to work in just a few days.
Maintaining Optimal Results
Following a healthy diet and exercising regularly is essential to maintain the optimal results of a liposuction procedure. This will help prevent the remaining fat cells from expanding and reduce the risk of weight gain. Maintaining a stable weight is crucial, as significant weight fluctuations can affect the procedure’s results and lead to the formation of new fat cells.
Following the post-operative instructions provided by your board-certified plastic surgeon is also vital to ensure proper healing and minimize the risk of complications. This may include wearing a compression garment, avoiding strenuous activities, and attending follow-up appointments. By adhering to these guidelines and adopting a healthy lifestyle, individuals can enjoy long-lasting results from their liposuction procedure and maintain their desired body contours.
Choosing the Right Surgeon for Liposuction
Choosing the right surgeon for your liposuction surgery is critical to ensuring a safe and successful outcome. Selecting a board-certified plastic surgeon with extensive experience in performing liposuction procedures is paramount. A qualified surgeon will have the necessary skills and knowledge to execute the procedure effectively, minimizing the risk of complications and enhancing the overall results.
When selecting a surgeon, consider their credentials, experience, and reputation. Look for a surgeon certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery, as this certification indicates that the surgeon has undergone rigorous training and adheres to the highest standards of safety and expertise. Additionally, good standing within the medical community and positive patient reviews are strong indicators of a surgeon’s reliability and proficiency.
The facility where the procedure will be performed is equally important. Ensure that the surgical center is accredited and has a reputation for maintaining high safety and quality care standards. An accredited facility is equipped with the necessary resources and protocols to handle any situation that may arise during the surgery.
During your consultation, take the opportunity to ask the surgeon about their experience, the liposuction techniques they use, and their approach to patient care. Discuss your expectations, concerns, and any questions you may have. A qualified surgeon will take the time to address your concerns, provide detailed explanations, and offer personalized care tailored to your needs.
By carefully choosing the right surgeon and facility, you can ensure that your liposuction procedure is performed safely and effectively. This will lead to results that meet your aesthetic goals and enhance your confidence.
How Much Does Liposuction Cost in Philadelphia?
The exact cost of Liposuction in Philadelphia will vary according to the area being treated and the level of correction required. During the consultation appointment, you will meet with the patient coordinator, who will help schedule your surgery and discuss different payment options for financing your procedure.
Schedule Your Consultation
Dr. Lohner has provided Philadelphia patients with expert liposuction results for over twenty years. He is Board-Certified in Plastic and General Surgery. If you’re interested in learning more, don’t hesitate to contact us today!