Liposuction - What You Should Know

Liposuction And Weight Loss

If you're thinking that liposuction is a great way to lose weight, forget about it. Liposuction isn't about weight loss at all. It's all about sculpturing and contouring the body to remove excess fat deposits that aren't willing to go away with diet and exercise no matter how hard you try. It's about looking good in that swimsuit AFTER you've lost all the weight that you're going to lose.

Women love liposuction, but men dabble in it too. Women tend to have it done on their abdomen, thighs, knees, hips, chin or neck while men usually treat their neck, chest, abdomen, and "love handles."

In all but a very few isolated instances liposuction is strictly cosmetic which means your insurance company won't be footing the bill for your new belly or butt. Your insurance company MAY get involved, however, if your treatment is prescribed for certain medical conditions including enlarged male breasts in men and certain fat deposits, such as "buffalo hump" which is caused by a hormone imbalance.

How Liposuction Works

Liposuction is a procedure whereby fatty tissue is literally sucked from under the skin using a hollow wand which is attached to a suction device. Local anesthetics and other compounds including saline, and epinephrine are administered to control swelling and bleeding.

Once the patient is prepared the doctor inserts the wand, called a "cannula" through small incisions which are made in the skin. They push and pull the wand through the fatty cells causing them to break up and to be suctioned off along with other body fluids. That's about as complicated as liposuction gets from the actual procedural point of view.

Different Types Of Liposuction

There are several different types of liposuction procedures in use. Each procedure is based upon the amount of fluid which is (or isn't) injected during the procedure.

Dry Liposuction uses no fluid and is rapidly falling from favor. Wet Liposuction is where the doctor injects six to eight ounces of ephinephrine. Superwet Liposuction uses the most fluid. Basically, the more fluid that is injected during the procedure, the less blood that is lost. The Risks

While the liposuction procedure is relatively safe when performed by a Cosmetic or Plastic Surgeon, it is not without its risks and side effects up to, and including, death in very rare instances (about 20 out of 100,000). Infections have been reported in some cases as well as "seroma" which is a pooling or oozing of body fluid.

Swelling, bruising and locally painful areas are almost a guaranteed side effect of liposuction and you can expect to lose a week or more from work during recovery. In almost all instances the procedure is performed on an outpatient basis and you'll be home the same day.

An unexpected side effect of liposuction is that the fat can return and, often times, it returns to a different area from where it was removed. This is believed to be caused by drops in leptin levels.

Leptin is a hormone that is made in fat. When the levels drop it signals the body to take in more food so that it can increase its fat levels to what it "thinks" is normal. This condition is most likely to occur in people who were overweight to begin with yet still sought liposuction as a hopeful "cure".

Caution

Any doctor can perform liposuction with as little as 30 minutes "training" on the equipment. However, since there is so much at stake, and the health risks are real, you should only consider treatment by a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon or Board Certified Cosmetic Surgeon who has additional specialized training in liposuction.

Plastic Surgery - Where's The "Plastic"?

Don't be looking for the Dupont Company sales rep the next time you visit a Plastic Surgeon's office because, despite popular belief, there's no "Plastic" in Plastic Surgery. The name is taken from the Greek word "plastikos" which means to "mold or shape."

Initially plastic surgery procedures were limited to facial and body reconstruction caused by accidents, trauma, illness or birth defects.

As people began to see the purely cosmetic possibilities, many surgeons expanded their services to include facelifts, rhinoplasty (nose jobs), breast augmentation and liposuction.

Plastic Surgery Or Cosmetic Surgery?

It's important to know the difference between plastic surgery and cosmetic surgery, especially if you're planning on having your insurance company foot the bill for your procedure.

Cosmetic surgery is performed solely to improve a person's outward physical appearance and self-esteem by correcting naturally occurring conditions that the patient is unhappy with. Cosmetic surgery may be performed by either a Plastic Surgeon or a Cosmetic Surgeon.

Cosmetic surgery is generally not covered by health insurance.

Reconstructive plastic surgery is performed to correct or reduce the effects of congenital defects, accidental trauma injury, infections, tumors, and other health-related conditions.

It's primary purpose is rarely to simply improve appearance except for extreme cases involving major facial or bodily damage resulting from automobile accidents, etc. Plastic Surgery may only be performed by a Plastic Surgeon.

Insurance And The Reason

In most cases insurance does pay for plastic surgery although there are some cases where your claim may be reduced or denied completely. That's why it is always important to coordinate the planned procedure with your health insurance provider BEFORE you get the procedure.

Often times the difference between whether or not your insurance company will cover the bill is the REASON for the procedure. If, for example, you are having your nose reshaped because you're unhappy with your profile -- no deal. You're on your own.

However, get that same nose job because your doctor has diagnosed a chronic breathing problem that results in the potentially dangerous condition known as "Sleep Apnea" and you could end up with a new nose courtesy of your health insurance provider!

If you are planning to visit a Plastic Surgeon, keep the following items in mind:

Your plastic surgeon should be "Board Certified" by the American Board of Plastic Surgery.

If your doctor will be using anesthesia then make sure that only a licensed Anesthesiologist administers the medicine and make sure that the facility where the procedure is being performed is accredited by at least one of the following organizations:

American Association for Accreditation of Ambulatory Surgery Facilities(AAAASF) Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care (AAAHC) Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO)

Although making sure that all of these certifications are present is no guarantee of a trouble-free experience , NOT having these certifications means that both the doctor performing plastic surgery, as well as the people who run the facility, have a serious lack of regard for your health and well being!

You should NEVER use an uncertified plastic surgeon or uncertified plastic surgery facility. The risk is simply not worth it!

Plastic Surgery - Where's The "Plastic"?

Don't be looking for the Dupont Company sales rep the next time you visit a Plastic Surgeon's office because, despite popular belief, there's no "Plastic" in Plastic Surgery. The name is taken from the Greek word "plastikos" which means to "mold or shape."

Initially plastic surgery procedures were limited to facial and body reconstruction caused by accidents, trauma, illness or birth defects.

As people began to see the purely cosmetic possibilities, many surgeons expanded their services to include facelifts, rhinoplasty (nose jobs), breast augmentation and liposuction.

Plastic Surgery Or Cosmetic Surgery?

It's important to know the difference between plastic surgery and cosmetic surgery, especially if you're planning on having your insurance company foot the bill for your procedure.

Cosmetic surgery is performed solely to improve a person's outward physical appearance and self-esteem by correcting naturally occurring conditions that the patient is unhappy with. Cosmetic surgery may be performed by either a Plastic Surgeon or a Cosmetic Surgeon.

Cosmetic surgery is generally not covered by health insurance.

Reconstructive plastic surgery is performed to correct or reduce the effects of congenital defects, accidental trauma injury, infections, tumors, and other health-related conditions.

It's primary purpose is rarely to simply improve appearance except for extreme cases involving major facial or bodily damage resulting from automobile accidents, etc. Plastic Surgery may only be performed by a Plastic Surgeon.

Insurance And The Reason

In most cases insurance does pay for plastic surgery although there are some cases where your claim may be reduced or denied completely. That's why it is always important to coordinate the planned procedure with your health insurance provider BEFORE you get the procedure.

Often times the difference between whether or not your insurance company will cover the bill is the REASON for the procedure. If, for example, you are having your nose reshaped because you're unhappy with your profile -- no deal. You're on your own.

However, get that same nose job because your doctor has diagnosed a chronic breathing problem that results in the potentially dangerous condition known as "Sleep Apnea" and you could end up with a new nose courtesy of your health insurance provider!

If you are planning to visit a Plastic Surgeon, keep the following items in mind:

Your plastic surgeon should be "Board Certified" by the American Board of Plastic Surgery.

If your doctor will be using anesthesia then make sure that only a licensed Anesthesiologist administers the medicine and make sure that the facility where the procedure is being performed is accredited by at least one of the following organizations:

American Association for Accreditation of Ambulatory Surgery Facilities(AAAASF) Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care (AAAHC) Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO)

Although making sure that all of these certifications are present is no guarantee of a trouble-free experience , NOT having these certifications means that both the doctor performing plastic surgery, as well as the people who run the facility, have a serious lack of regard for your health and well being!

You should NEVER use an uncertified plastic surgeon or uncertified plastic surgery facility. The risk is simply not worth it!

Plastic Surgery - Where's The "Plastic"?

Don't be looking for the Dupont Company sales rep the next time you visit a Plastic Surgeon's office because, despite popular belief, there's no "Plastic" in Plastic Surgery. The name is taken from the Greek word "plastikos" which means to "mold or shape."

Initially plastic surgery procedures were limited to facial and body reconstruction caused by accidents, trauma, illness or birth defects.

As people began to see the purely cosmetic possibilities, many surgeons expanded their services to include facelifts, rhinoplasty (nose jobs), breast augmentation and liposuction.

Plastic Surgery Or Cosmetic Surgery?

It's important to know the difference between plastic surgery and cosmetic surgery, especially if you're planning on having your insurance company foot the bill for your procedure.

Cosmetic surgery is performed solely to improve a person's outward physical appearance and self-esteem by correcting naturally occurring conditions that the patient is unhappy with. Cosmetic surgery may be performed by either a Plastic Surgeon or a Cosmetic Surgeon.

Cosmetic surgery is generally not covered by health insurance.

Reconstructive plastic surgery is performed to correct or reduce the effects of congenital defects, accidental trauma injury, infections, tumors, and other health-related conditions.

It's primary purpose is rarely to simply improve appearance except for extreme cases involving major facial or bodily damage resulting from automobile accidents, etc. Plastic Surgery may only be performed by a Plastic Surgeon.

Insurance And The Reason

In most cases insurance does pay for plastic surgery although there are some cases where your claim may be reduced or denied completely. That's why it is always important to coordinate the planned procedure with your health insurance provider BEFORE you get the procedure.

Often times the difference between whether or not your insurance company will cover the bill is the REASON for the procedure. If, for example, you are having your nose reshaped because you're unhappy with your profile -- no deal. You're on your own.

However, get that same nose job because your doctor has diagnosed a chronic breathing problem that results in the potentially dangerous condition known as "Sleep Apnea" and you could end up with a new nose courtesy of your health insurance provider!

If you are planning to visit a Plastic Surgeon, keep the following items in mind:

Your plastic surgeon should be "Board Certified" by the American Board of Plastic Surgery.

If your doctor will be using anesthesia then make sure that only a licensed Anesthesiologist administers the medicine and make sure that the facility where the procedure is being performed is accredited by at least one of the following organizations:

American Association for Accreditation of Ambulatory Surgery Facilities(AAAASF) Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care (AAAHC) Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO)

Although making sure that all of these certifications are present is no guarantee of a trouble-free experience , NOT having these certifications means that both the doctor performing plastic surgery, as well as the people who run the facility, have a serious lack of regard for your health and well being!

You should NEVER use an uncertified plastic surgeon or uncertified plastic surgery facility. The risk is simply not worth it!

Plastic Surgery - Where's The "Plastic"?

Don't be looking for the Dupont Company sales rep the next time you visit a Plastic Surgeon's office because, despite popular belief, there's no "Plastic" in Plastic Surgery. The name is taken from the Greek word "plastikos" which means to "mold or shape."

Initially plastic surgery procedures were limited to facial and body reconstruction caused by accidents, trauma, illness or birth defects.

As people began to see the purely cosmetic possibilities, many surgeons expanded their services to include facelifts, rhinoplasty (nose jobs), breast augmentation and liposuction.

Plastic Surgery Or Cosmetic Surgery?

It's important to know the difference between plastic surgery and cosmetic surgery, especially if you're planning on having your insurance company foot the bill for your procedure.

Cosmetic surgery is performed solely to improve a person's outward physical appearance and self-esteem by correcting naturally occurring conditions that the patient is unhappy with. Cosmetic surgery may be performed by either a Plastic Surgeon or a Cosmetic Surgeon.

Cosmetic surgery is generally not covered by health insurance.

Reconstructive plastic surgery is performed to correct or reduce the effects of congenital defects, accidental trauma injury, infections, tumors, and other health-related conditions.

It's primary purpose is rarely to simply improve appearance except for extreme cases involving major facial or bodily damage resulting from automobile accidents, etc. Plastic Surgery may only be performed by a Plastic Surgeon.

Insurance And The Reason

In most cases insurance does pay for plastic surgery although there are some cases where your claim may be reduced or denied completely. That's why it is always important to coordinate the planned procedure with your health insurance provider BEFORE you get the procedure.

Often times the difference between whether or not your insurance company will cover the bill is the REASON for the procedure. If, for example, you are having your nose reshaped because you're unhappy with your profile -- no deal. You're on your own.

However, get that same nose job because your doctor has diagnosed a chronic breathing problem that results in the potentially dangerous condition known as "Sleep Apnea" and you could end up with a new nose courtesy of your health insurance provider!

If you are planning to visit a Plastic Surgeon, keep the following items in mind:

Your plastic surgeon should be "Board Certified" by the American Board of Plastic Surgery.

If your doctor will be using anesthesia then make sure that only a licensed Anesthesiologist administers the medicine and make sure that the facility where the procedure is being performed is accredited by at least one of the following organizations:

American Association for Accreditation of Ambulatory Surgery Facilities(AAAASF) Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care (AAAHC) Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO)

Although making sure that all of these certifications are present is no guarantee of a trouble-free experience , NOT having these certifications means that both the doctor performing plastic surgery, as well as the people who run the facility, have a serious lack of regard for your health and well being!

You should NEVER use an uncertified plastic surgeon or uncertified plastic surgery facility. The risk is simply not worth it!

Liposuction - What You Should Know

Liposuction And Weight Loss

If you're thinking that liposuction is a great way to lose weight, forget about it. Liposuction isn't about weight loss at all. It's all about sculpturing and contouring the body to remove excess fat deposits that aren't willing to go away with diet and exercise no matter how hard you try. It's about looking good in that swimsuit AFTER you've lost all the weight that you're going to lose.

Women love liposuction, but men dabble in it too. Women tend to have it done on their abdomen, thighs, knees, hips, chin or neck while men usually treat their neck, chest, abdomen, and "love handles."

In all but a very few isolated instances liposuction is strictly cosmetic which means your insurance company won't be footing the bill for your new belly or butt. Your insurance company MAY get involved, however, if your treatment is prescribed for certain medical conditions including enlarged male breasts in men and certain fat deposits, such as "buffalo hump" which is caused by a hormone imbalance.

How Liposuction Works

Liposuction is a procedure whereby fatty tissue is literally sucked from under the skin using a hollow wand which is attached to a suction device. Local anesthetics and other compounds including saline, and epinephrine are administered to control swelling and bleeding.

Once the patient is prepared the doctor inserts the wand, called a "cannula" through small incisions which are made in the skin. They push and pull the wand through the fatty cells causing them to break up and to be suctioned off along with other body fluids. That's about as complicated as liposuction gets from the actual procedural point of view.

Different Types Of Liposuction

There are several different types of liposuction procedures in use. Each procedure is based upon the amount of fluid which is (or isn't) injected during the procedure.

Dry Liposuction uses no fluid and is rapidly falling from favor. Wet Liposuction is where the doctor injects six to eight ounces of ephinephrine. Superwet Liposuction uses the most fluid. Basically, the more fluid that is injected during the procedure, the less blood that is lost. The Risks

While the liposuction procedure is relatively safe when performed by a Cosmetic or Plastic Surgeon, it is not without its risks and side effects up to, and including, death in very rare instances (about 20 out of 100,000). Infections have been reported in some cases as well as "seroma" which is a pooling or oozing of body fluid.

Swelling, bruising and locally painful areas are almost a guaranteed side effect of liposuction and you can expect to lose a week or more from work during recovery. In almost all instances the procedure is performed on an outpatient basis and you'll be home the same day.

An unexpected side effect of liposuction is that the fat can return and, often times, it returns to a different area from where it was removed. This is believed to be caused by drops in leptin levels.

Leptin is a hormone that is made in fat. When the levels drop it signals the body to take in more food so that it can increase its fat levels to what it "thinks" is normal. This condition is most likely to occur in people who were overweight to begin with yet still sought liposuction as a hopeful "cure".

Caution

Any doctor can perform liposuction with as little as 30 minutes "training" on the equipment. However, since there is so much at stake, and the health risks are real, you should only consider treatment by a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon or Board Certified Cosmetic Surgeon who has additional specialized training in liposuction.