If you have been researching whether to join the thousands of Americans who will get liposuction this year, here is a comprehensive guide to help you understand what to expect from this popular procedure, what qualifies someone as a good candidate, and how to achieve the best results.

What Is Liposuction?

The  liposuction process involves a skilled cosmetic surgeon removing excess fat from the body using a thin tube called a cannula, which is attached to a device that creates suction. The technique can shape a firmer, more contoured silhouette by removing unwanted fatty deposits from targeted areas like the chin and neck, arms, thighs, calves, abdomen, back, or buttocks.

Depending on how many areas are treated, the surgery will take place under either local or general anesthesia. Dr. Alderman makes tiny incisions for this procedure and places them in unobtrusive areas, so they remain discreet and heal with minimal risk of scarring.

Who Is a Good Candidate for Liposuction?

Liposuction is most effective for removing fat deposits that remain on your body despite your best efforts to diet and exercise. However, you shouldn’t confuse liposuction with a procedure such as gastric bypass that is designed to help obese people lose dramatic amounts of weight all over their bodies. Instead, liposuction is a contouring procedure that produces the best results when combined with a regimen of nutrition and physical fitness.

The best candidates for liposuction are women and men who are already within their target body weight, but who are frustrated with stubborn areas of fat that have resisted proper diet and exercise. Other characteristics that make someone an ideal candidate are good skin elasticity, excellent overall health, and a non-smoker status.

Although there are some limits to the amount of fat liposuction can remove, Dr. Alderman will work with you to help you determine potential areas for re-shaping and what results you can realistically expect to achieve. The best liposuction results occur in body areas where there is reasonable muscle tone, where skin is sufficiently pliable, and where fat is not excessive.

What to Expect After Liposuction

Liposuction is a same-day procedure, and we will send you home shortly after completing the surgery. Make sure you have arranged to have a friend or family member drive you. We also suggest you ask someone you trust to stay with you for the first several hours after returning home to help make you comfortable as you begin recovering.

The most common side effects of liposuction are bruising and swelling, which you will be able to manage with an over-the-counter pain medication such as ibuprofen. You will also need to wear a compression garment for a few weeks to assist with the healing process.

There is a relatively short recovery time associated with liposuction, compared with more invasive procedures. If your job does not involve physical activity, you can expect to return to work within one to two weeks, and you will be able to resume your exercise routine within two to three weeks.

Though you will notice your body look trimmer right away, final results may take up to six months to reveal themselves, as the swelling resolves and the skin bounces back from the procedure.

The goal of liposuction is to permanently improve the contours of your body. Therefore, if you gain weight, your new proportions should remain the same, though your contours will be less visible. If you lose the weight again, your body contours should return to looking the way they did after you got liposuction. For women, it is best to wait until you have finished having children to get this procedure since pregnancy could result in the need for additional liposuction.

Schedule Your Liposuction Consultation

If you are considering liposuction to help you achieve the body you’ve always wanted, contact our Atlanta office to schedule a one-on-one consultation with Dr. Alderman. As a liposuction expert, she will thoroughly analyze where the fat pockets have accumulated on your body, and answer any questions you have, as well as give you detailed information about what to expect from liposuction.