The patient is a 36-year-old mother of two children who is bothered by fat accumulation of her abdomen, inner and outer thighs. She follows a healthy diet and exercises regularly. She has excellent skin tone and elasticity. The patient underwent liposuction of her abdomen, hips, back, and circumferential thighs. Since her surgery involved a moderate-to-high volume of liposuction and multiple areas, her surgery is performed with a one-night hospital stay to ensure a safe recovery. She loves the change in her body and how she now fits in her clothes. See the patient testimonials.

	The patient is a 22-year-old college graduate, who has found the fat that accumulated in her abdomen, back, hips and thighs to be resistant to diet and exercise. She underwent liposuction of her abdomen, hips, buttocks, inner and outer thighs. She is delighted with her figure following surgery.

For people who are striving to improve their bodies and their appearance, liposuction can be a dream come true because it can remove fat that exercise cannot reach. The fact is, certain areas of fat in your body are resistant to exercise. This young woman found that no matter how many miles, sit-ups, weights or laps she did, her tummy fat remained. She was bothered by the appearance of her tummy and "love handles". Liposuction of her abdomen and flanks gave her back the hour glass waistline she wanted.

Optimal results with liposuction are often best achieved by addressing multiple areas in one surgery. In the female form, one area flows into another. I believe it is essential to think of liposuction in terms of body sculpting. The above patient considered her outer thighs to be her problem area. By concentrating on her outer thighs and addressing other smaller areas of fat accumulation including her abdomen, hips, inner thighs and knees, all in one surgery, we were able to achieve an aesthetically balanced result. Her clothing size dropped from a size 10 to a size 6!

The patient is a 19 year old young woman who is bothered by fat accumulation of her waist including her tummy, hip rolls, and love handles. She found the fat accumulation in these areas to be resistant to diet and exercise. She likely inherited the tendency for fat accumulation in these areas from her father who has the same distribution of fat accumulation. Following liposuction, her waistline is slim and “fits” with the rest of her figure.

The patient is a 32-year-old woman who has had one child. She does aqua aerobics. She has had a stable weight for the past three years. She had a few stretch marks in the lower abdomen, but otherwise she has beautiful elastic skin. She had liposuction of her abdomen, flanks, and hips. She had a drastic change in her abdominal contour with liposuction and her skin retracted beautifully. Abdominal muscle laxity from pregnancy prevents a completely flat contour. She is thrilled with the change in her figure.

	This patient was bothered by the appearance of her thighs, a condition some women refer to as saddlebags. Her mother and sisters have similar body shapes. Liposuction removed fat from her hips and thighs giving her a thinner, shapelier contour to her legs.

Is Liposuction Safe?

This is a question frequently asked during consultations. Liposuction has been performed in the United States for nearly 20 years. It has been proven to be a safe and effective procedure when performed by a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon who follows the safety guidelines established by the American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons.

Liposuction has become controversial because we have seen an increasing number of non-plastic surgeons performing the surgery. These doctors have limited training and have been shown to have higher complication rates.

Another very important safety element is the location where the procedure is performed. Liposuction should be performed at an accredited, licensed hospital or surgery center. The decision whether to perform your surgery at an Outpatient Surgery Center or in a Hospital depends on the volume of fat removed. Dr. Hoffman performs Liposuction only at accredited surgery centers or hospitals where your anesthetic is delivered by a Board Certified Anesthesiologist.
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DOES FAT COME BACK AFTER LIPOSUCTION?

You are born with a given number of fat cells. The fat cells you have can get bigger or smaller depending on your weight. During liposuction we reduce the number of fat cells in those areas that are genetically predisposed for fat deposition. Once the fat cells are removed from those areas, they are gone forever. Liposuction is a means of contouring the body and selectively reducing areas to give you the most proportionate and attractive shape possible.

MAINTAINING YOUR RESULT

The key to maintaining your result is a combination of healthy diet and exercise. Weight gain can occur after liposuction if the patient does not maintain a healthy lifestyle. If you eat a diet high in carbohydrates and fats, commonly known as junk food, weight gain can occur. Remember, an adult does not produce more fat cells, but the fat cells you have can get larger.

The period after liposuction is a great time for patients to change their lifestyle in terms of diet and exercise. This will ensure they maintain the result we achieve. It is not uncommon for patients from whom we have removed 5 to 7 pounds of fat by liposuction, to return to my office six months later having lost an additional 5 to 10 pounds with appropriate nutrition and exercise

	The patient is a 34-year-old male who is an avid weightlifter, and who exercises regularly. He is bothered by the accumulation of fat in what he calls his “love handles.” Despite vigorous diet and exercise, the fat accumulated in these areas has persisted. He underwent liposuction of his waistline and flanks. He is very happy with his results and now feels his hard work in the gym “shows.”

Remember that liposuction is not a substitute for proper diet and exercise. After surgery, eating a healthy diet and incorporating exercise into your lifestyle will enable you to maintain your new shape.

LIPOSUCTION IN THE MALE PATIENT

Fat accumulation in the neck, chest, abdomen, and waist (the “spare tire”) can have men wearing loose-fitting clothes and steering clear of the beach. Fat deposits may become more prominent in a man’s 30s, and beyond, due to changes in metabolism and lifestyle. A man who was active in his 20s may now have a decreased activity level due to a desk job and lunchtime meetings. This combined with a slowing of metabolism can cause the “spare tire” to develop and expand.

What will Liposuction Treat?

You can tell what fat is removable through Liposuction by pinching the layer of fat beneath the abdominal skin. If you get a big pinch, then the fat is above the muscles and you may be a good candidate for Liposuction. In general, men’s skin is thick and elastic and contracts well. This allows men, in their 20’s to late 40’s to undergo Liposuction with good results. If, on the other hand, you do the pinch test and the pinch is very thin, then the fat is beneath the abdominal muscles and cannot be treated by Liposuction. This is common in men with protruding abdomens. Liposuction is not appropriate for abdominal fat that is deep to the muscles and around the abdominal organs.

Postoperatively, a compression garment is worn until bruising and swelling have subsided, and this usually takes two to three weeks. Men are able to return to work four to five days after the procedure, wearing loose-fitting shirts to cover the compression garment. Exercise routine can be resumed after three to four weeks.

I have had patients tell me that they were doing “hundreds of sit-ups a day” to try to develop a six pack. But if there is a layer of fat over the muscle, you will not see the muscle tone. Once that fat layer is removed, the results of their exercise “shows through”, and exercise becomes more rewarding.

The number of men undergoing plastic surgery is on the rise. In the last six years, the number of men undergoing liposuction showed a four-fold increase and a number of men undergoing gynecomastia reduction has doubled. Men are increasingly taking advantage of this procedure to regain the shape they once had.