Information about Artistic Liposculpture and Dr. Su
Dr. Su has brought together the latest and most advanced technologies and equipment to provide his patients with the best possible liposculpture results. He can rest assured that there is no safer, smoother, faster healing or smoother results possible with other techniques. At the Artistic Liposculpture Center, they use the local anesthesia “Tumescent Technique”, VASER and SMART LIPO in combination. Typically, your patients can drive to our office and return home on their own, the same day. Patients are numbed only in the area to be liposuctioned, therefore they are wide awake and do not need general anesthesia. By using VASER to gently melt fat prior to suction, very little nerve or blood vessel damage is done, so our “down time” is 1 day compared to the traditional 1-2 weeks. The typical patient returns to sedentary work the next day. The cosmetic results that are possible with the artistic liposculpture technique are superior to traditional liposuction due to the melting of fat (instead of cutting it). Because patients are awake, they can stand up to assess themselves during surgery to visualize the smallest areas of unevenness (something that cannot be done during general anesthesia). Finally, the revolutionary SMART LIPO laser adds a whole new dimension to liposuction by giving Dr. Su the ability to tighten skin that would otherwise remain loose. This is of vital importance for many patients with abdominal stretch marks and sagging after pregnancy. This tightening effect is also very beneficial in areas of sagging skin on the neck and arms. Of course, the most important factor determining good results is the skill of the surgeon performing the surgery. Dr. Su’s skill in body sculpting is superior due to his artistic eyes and hands, and his uncompromising level of perfection.
Who is eligible for liposuction? Most people in good health are reasonable candidates for liposuction. People who remain stable in their weight and have not been able to eliminate unwanted areas of fat despite diet and exercise. In fact, many normal-weight people have pockets of fat that never seem to go away, including the “rims,” outer thighs, male chest, and chin areas. These individuals may be the ideal candidates. Other people who are moderately overweight may have larger localized areas around the midsection or thighs that can benefit significantly cosmetically from removing those areas. Unfortunately, people who are very overweight are not usually good candidates. Liposuction should not be considered a substitute or a method of achieving total weight loss. Skin tone is also a factor in determining a good candidate. Removing smaller pockets of fat will generally not affect skin tone. However, when removing thicker pockets of fat or starting with loose skin at first, there may be some loose skin later. The Smart Lipo laser helps to tighten the skin, but it does not have the ability to overcome skin laxity in all cases. Dr. Su will give his best estimate of what to expect during a free consultation. As with all cosmetic surgery, the patient’s expectations and results must coincide for the patient to be satisfied. That’s why a one-on-one consultation with Dr. Su is necessary to address her specific needs. In which areas of the body can liposuction be performed? Virtually all areas of superficial fat on the body can be liposuctioned. Areas Dr. Su has performed include (head to toe): Cheeks/Jowls Back (lower) Thighs (inside) Neck (front) Chest (sides) Thighs (anterior) Neck (rear hump) Chest (male , front) Thighs (outer) Arms (upper) Chest (front female) Buttocks Arms (lower) Abdomen (upper) Knees Back (upper) Abdomen (lower) Calves Back (middle) Pelvis Ankles/Feet Potential patients will have a free consultation to determine the areas to be treated and receive an estimate of the expected results, including the quality of the skin. Medical history will be reviewed and the candidate may be asked to take some pre-operative tests. Any blood-thinning medications or vitamins (including: aspirin, ibuprofen, plavix, coumadin, vitamin E) will need to be stopped. Smoking and excess alcohol should be avoided. It may be prescribed to relieve anxiety or pain on the day of your procedure. Preoperative medications including antibiotics and optional mild sedatives are prescribed. What procedures are involved with liposuction? Small incisions (1/4 inch/4 mm in size) will be made through which the instruments will access the fat. Generally these are placed in imperceptible places. For example, to do the entire abdomen requires two incisions at or below the bikini line. After that, there are 4 basic steps that patients will experience in each area to be liposuctioned. 1. Through the incision sites, a local anesthetic (tumescent) solution is infused using a long, thin cannula. 2. VASER ultrasonic fusion is performed. 3. Suction of the melted fat is done with a smooth-edged cannula. 4. Predetermined Areas SmartLipo Laser is performed for areas of the skin that may have laxity.
After your procedure: The incision sites allow drainage of any remaining tumescent solution that will gradually come out over the next 3 to 7 days. The sites will close on their own without sutures or steristrips. Some of the remaining fluid in the tissues is absorbed by normal body processes over the next week. A compression/support garment is worn over the treated areas to facilitate fluid drainage and hold the healing tissues together. The garment is worn from 2 to 5 weeks depending on the situation. It is recommended that someone stay with you for the first 24 hours. Patients can drive home as long as they have not taken sedatives during the procedure. They can return to light work the next day and to more physical activity as tolerated (usually within a week). Most patients only require Tylenol for post-procedure discomfort. Normally 3-4 postoperative follow-ups are scheduled after the procedure. The History of Liposuction Liposuction was developed in the 1970s and was initially performed on patients under general anesthesia using large-bore suction instruments (cannulas). This required a patient to be in a hospital or larger ambulatory surgical center under the supervision of a surgeon and an anesthesiologist. The cannulas used with this method have rough or sharp edges as the suction action alone would not be enough to remove the fat. In effect, these cannulas suction and cut the fat into small pieces and inevitably also cut blood vessels, nerves and connective tissue. This method, which is still commonly used by plastic surgeons today, typically results in 1-2 weeks downtime from work and significant pain and bruising. Sometimes overnight hospitalization is required. Fortunately, a significant breakthrough has been made known as the “Tumescent Technique.” In 1987, an American dermatologic surgeon developed a technique known as the “tumescent technique” that uses a local anesthetic mixed with saline solution that is infused into the areas to be treated while the patient is awake. This resulted in patients avoiding the need for general anesthesia, which has been the most common factor involved in major cosmetic surgery complications. Therefore, patients have been able to drive to and from their surgery the same day as the procedure with minimal or no sedation. Bleeding and bruising have also been significantly reduced thanks to this technique. One of the main benefits of tumescent liposuction is that it can be performed in a small office operating room due to the absence of general anesthesia and the complicated monitoring involved. Not all tumescent liposuction techniques are the same. Aesthetic results, as well as injury to tissues other than fat, continue to depend on the cannulas used to remove fat. Many doctors who perform the tumescent liposuction technique still rely on suction with sharp-edged cannulae, which leads to more pain and bruising. The development of VASER and SMART LIPO used with the tumescent technique has brought a much more advanced level of liposuction. vase
VASER from Sound Surgical Technologies is a system used to melt fatty tissue prior to suctioning it out of the body. The VASER instrument consists of an ultrasonic handheld wand that is used internally to melt fat once the area is locally anesthetized. The wand visually resembles a traditional suction cannula, but does not suck and has no sharp edges. With 10-20 minutes of vasging, the fat melts enough to be gently removed with a smooth-edged suction cannula. The VASER device selectively melts fat cells with ease while doing very little damage to blood vessels, nerves, or connective tissue. This selectivity of VASER combined with the use of a smooth edge cannula allows fat to be removed almost completely and efficiently with minimal damage to the connective tissues, blood vessels and nerves that we wish to preserve. Patients who undergo VASER liposuction typically have very little bleeding or bruising and return to work the next day. Some temporary nerve injuries do occur, but they are also minimal compared to traditional liposuction techniques. Smart Lipo Smart Lipo from Cynosure is a laser used to assist in liposculpture or perform liposculpture on small areas independently. This laser device using a fiber optic cable housed in an extremely thin cannula effectively melts fat and is similar in diameter to a strand of angel hair pasta. The Smart Lipo laser can be used in a similar way to the VASER system to melt fat before it is suctioned out. It also preserves the desired tissues (blood vessels, nerves, connective tissue) very well. Due to the slower nature of fusion with this laser, it is not suitable for independently performing liposuction on large areas of fat. The main benefits of the Smart Lipo laser are that it provides the ability to tighten and firm skin that has not been available with traditional or VASER techniques. The tightening effect of the skin is the result of collagen contracture and, more importantly, the formation of new collagen (neocollagenesis), which is a response of the skin to laser heating. The tightening effect is a gradual process over the next 3 to 6 months. Other benefits that can be quite significant are improvements in cellulite and stretch marks, which do not normally respond to most treatments. In most cases, Dr. Su uses the Smart Lipo laser as the final step to tighten only selected areas that require skin tightening.