The Ideal Candidate for Tumescent Liposuction

By Jay Cindy

Unfavorable body image has forged many people to research plastic surgery in order to avoid the fatty deposits that show up on their skin as cellulite. What most also are avoiding with this quick fix is the habit of practicing good health. Most surgeons agree, the ideal candidate for tumescent liposuction surgery is the one who does not avoid good health practices. This person may be slightly overweight by 10 to 20 pounds, but eats well and in general, is physically fit. Some even have a genetic makeup that makes them more susceptible to cellulite.

The technique for tumescent liposuction allows the patient to really see the appearance and condition of the body before a procedure takes place. It also helps the patient to see exactly what the intentions of the physician are and what where the incisions will be placed.

After agreeing to the surgery in writing, the patient is able to see through photographs of the pre-surgery body and the topographical map that the doctor draws on the body where all the insertions will occur. The pen used to draw on the skin is sterile, and it is used after the body has been disinfected with a sterile solution. After the patient sees his "map," he is then asked to relax on sterile towels and a physician will administer a local anesthetic.

Compared to traditional liposuction, tumescent liposuction has some advantages that do not make this procedure as life threatening. It has become the preferred process for liposuction since the 1990s primarily because it prevents patients from losing too much blood. Additional benefits include the fact that IV fluids are no longer needed and lidocaine, a topical anesthetic, makes it less likely an infection will occur.

Some have expressed a fear of having to have a follow-up procedure if the results of the first procedure show some irregularities in the skin or body. Tumescent liposuction lessens the likelihood that a second surgery will be needed. Tumescence tends to magnify defects, so physicians are able to more clearly see them and make a significant alteration during initial surgeries.

Although tumescent liposuction does deliver some relief in the appearance of cellulite, surgery candidates should know that the cellulite does not altogether disappear. The procedure is designed for those who are only 10 to 20 pounds overweight and may not make any real change to those who are obese. In fact, most surgeons refuse to perform the surgery for those whom it will not benefit.

Some have used the procedure as weight control or to fix a quick bulge. Physicians and medical experts frown on this trend. Health diets and a consistent physical regimen are always the best weight management solutions. One of the things that helps post-op patients get a head start on maintaining weight is that they generally experience appetite suppression for a time after the procedure is done. When hunger returns to normal, patients will have to be very committed to making better health choices in order to keep the positive effects of the surgery.

Tumescent liposuction is not the right solution for everyone who wants to get rid of cellulite and get smooth looking skin. It is the best solution for those who already have a healthy mindset but need a little push losing the last bit of the bulge. - 30516

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