Liposhifting - bad liposuction correction.

Liposuction Plastic surgery liposhifting

Liposhifting Surgery

Liposhifting - Definition

Liposhifting is corrective procedure to bad liposuctions and post liposuction defects. Along with the rise in the number of liposuction procedures, the grievances also rise. If a liposuction goes bad then a qualified surgeon corrects it - evening out asymmetry, etc. In some cases, fat needs to be re-added to the area that underwent liposuction, while in other cases liposhifting may include taking out more fat cells.

Liposhifting - Finding A Surgeon

In terms of finding the best possible surgeon to perform liposhifting, sometimes a patient can ask others that have had the procedure. If this is not possible, a patient can call the American Society of Plastic Surgeons to see who regularly performs liposhifting. A patient can never be too careful to verify the physician’s credentials. Because liposuction is very popular and thus had has more bad results, some people have tried to take advantage of limited budgets by advertising cheaper services. However, many of these doctors are not properly trained; or they may not have had the proper licensing to perform the liposhifting procedure. These are very real things that any patient undergoing a surgical procedure should consider and research.

The Best Candidates for Liposhifting

The best candidates for liposhifting are those that have undergone a liposuction, but got unsatisfactory results. In some cases, too much fat has been taken out of the area, while in other cases a disproportionate amount has been taken out, leaving an uneven appearance. Patients who are in good health and have healed completely form their previous procedure will benefit the most form the liposhifting. Patients who are non-smokers will heal rapidly, while those that abstain from smoking prior to their surgery will also help to speed their healing process.

Liposhifting - Consultation

At the initial consultation for liposhifting, the physician will examine the area to determine if liposhifting is the best remedy for the patient’s specific concerns. In some cases, liposhifting will not be the best course of action, and in other cases, additional procedures may be suggested to compliment the outcome of the liposhifting. Also, the physician will need to have the patient’s complete medical history — including conditions, medications, previous operations, etc. It is important that the patient be honest about any medical questions as the absence of honesty can lead to unnecessary complications. In this initial consultation, the physician and the patient will need to compromise on the realistic possibilities of the liposhifting as well as the goals of the patient. In many offices, the physician will have pictures of previous procedures for the new patient to look at and see what can be expected.

Liposhifting - Procedure

In many cases, liposhifting is done under general anesthetic whereby the patient is asleep throughout the procedure. In some cases, lighter anesthetics can be used — this will depend on the physician and the area that is to undergo the liposhifting. Tumescent liposhifting is when the patient is only given a local anesthetic without any sedation. In tumescent liposhifting, the surgeon will make an incision in the area and place a tube into the opening to enter a solution that will break up the fatty tissue in order for it to move. When the fatty tissue has had enough time to break up from the connective tissues, the surgeon will then begin to adjust the position of the fat so that a better symmetry can be achieved. This time that this process will take can vary from case to case.

In other cases where a liposuction procedure has taken away too many fat cells, the liposhifting may include the addition of fat cells as harvested from other parts of the patient’s body. Through the same sort of incision, the surgeon will reintroduce fat cells in to areas that may have become puckered or dimpled. Liposhifting is the only remedy when large areas have been made irregular due to an uneven liposuction procedure.

When the liposhifting procedure has advanced enough to where the surgeon is satisfied with the results, the area is bandaged so that the new placement can take hold. This bandaging will be removed after seven days of being in place. This will ensure that the liposhifting has corrected the asymmetry. It is imperative that the bandaging stay in place for a week. This will allow the liposhifting to take hold and establish itself in its new position.

Liposhifting - Complications

There are risks associated with the liposhifting procedure. The most common is the risk of hematoma due to the loosening of the fat. Infection, swelling, and bruising can also be present. With a qualified surgeon, these complications are rare, and when the patient has followed all of the pre- and post-operative instructions, the rate of incidence falls even further.

Results of liposhifting are permanent so long as the fat cells that remain do not grow larger because of a lack of dietary control. When the procedure patients continue to eat healthily and exercise conscientiously the liposhifting results will also continue.