Liposuction or Lipoplasty Surgery
Liposuction or Lipoplasty Surgery is an ideal procedure for people who want to remove fat from certain areas of their bodies.

About Liposuction
If you have dieted and exercised, only to be disappointed by a body that doesn't seem to respond to your efforts, you might benefit greatly from liposuction. During a liposuction surgery, Dr. Harris will remove fat from areas of your body that you wish to contour.

Liposuction Before and After Photo

Liposuction FAQs

Liposuction targets various areas:

Chin Liposuction
Upper arms Liposuction
Abdominal Liposuction
Thigh Liposuction
Calf Liposuction
Back Liposuction
Hip Liposuction
Knee Liposuction

Who is a candidate for liposuction?
An ideal candidate for liposuction has localized areas of fat that is resistant to diet and exercise. This skin should have good elasticity.

What is tumescent liposuction?

• Tumescent liposuction involves the injection of a standard IV solution containing a dilute solution of a painkiller (lidocaine) and a blood vessel constrictor (epinephrine). The IV solution helps to replace fluids lost during the procedure and the lidocaine reduces pain and the epinephrine reduces blood loss. Many plastic surgeons use this solution in combination with an anesthetic administered by an anesthesiologist. 

• Combining the low concentrations of lidocaine as a local anesthetic with low levels of general anesthetic allows for a safe, controlled manner of minimizing patient’s discomfort during liposuction surgery. 

• This is liposuction procedure is done in an a hospital outpatient surgery center for safety.

How long will I need to wear a garment after the liposuction procedure?
Usually about 6 weeks.

How much fat can be removed in the liposuction procedure?
This would need to be determined after consultation with your plastic surgeon emphasizing safety. Sometimes the plastic surgeon will request that a patient lose weight first in order to have the most ideal of results.

Double Chin and Liposuction:
Double chin is a common cosmetic complaint, and many are looking for ways to get rid of a double chin. Fat accumulation can occur beneath the jawline very easily in some people.  Even if they are not particularly overweight.  Many try exercise and diet to loose that double chin without success. 

Liposuction double chin surgery
This is very effective for eliminating and getting rid of excess fat and or loose, sagging skin of the upper neck area.  With the newest microcannular liposuction techniques, patients are routinely gratified, have a quick recovery, and return to work much sooner than before. 

Tumescent technique liposuction of the chin and neck
The skin incisions now used in liposuction are tiny compared to the very long incisions used in facelift surgery.  They heal very rapidly. Small incisions are possible because newer liposuction instruments are very tiny also. In addition, most, or even all, of the incisions are placed where they are very difficult to spot.  The liposuction instrument is called a cannula.  For chin and neck liposuction, the cannula is usually less than 2mm in diameter, and is not much larger than the lead from a #2 pencil.  So, tumescent technique liposuction has become the treatment of choice for eliminating double chin, that is, deposits of fat under the chin. 

After chin liposuction surgery
Most patients take 2-3 days off work.  But they are easily able to undergo light to moderate activity during that time.  There is minimal to moderate swelling and bruising which rapidly subside.  This is in contrast to facelift surgery - recovery is considerably longer following a facelift.

Upper arms Liposuction Surgery

Before and After Arm Liposuction and Lift Surgery Photo

Arm liposuction Surgery San Antonio, New Braunfels
Upper arm liposuction surgery is designed to allow a woman to feel more attractive in short sleeve clothing. Many women hide their upper arms, even in the warmest days, because they are unwilling to wear sleeveless or short-sleeved shirts. They feel their upper arms are too big or bulky compared to their body, or that their skin hangs or is too loose, which gives their arms an unflattering profile.

The goal of arm liposuction should be to:

1. improve a disproportionate appearance of the arm, compared to the rest of the body
2. allow the patient to feel more comfortable and less self-conscious while wearing a sleeveless or short sleeved blouse
3. achieve a thinner appearance of the arms when the arms are in a relaxed position

The goal is not to remove the maximum possible amount of fat. Arms that are disproportionately skinny with an otherwise obese body, might appear deformed rather than attractive.

Arm liposuction Surgery Benefits San Antonio, New Braunfels
Firm, trim arms create a more youthful look and can provide an incentive to exercise regularly to maintain fitness. After liposuction, patients who have been self-conscious about their heavy arms often feel more comfortable wearing a range of clothing styles, and they also find that clothes tend to fit them better.

Abdominal Liposuction San Antonio, New Braunfels

Before and After Liposuction Patient (male)

The abdomen is the most common area of the body to be treated by liposuction among both men and women. Important factors that affect the success of abdominal liposuction include: the amount and location of abdominal fat, history of weight gain and weight loss, history of pregnancy, and the age and the sex of the patient.

Age of a liposuction patient San Antonio, New Braunfels
Age of the patient is not an important factor in the success of liposuction. Some of the happiest patients are women who are more than 60 of age. In a healthy older woman, liposuction can improve an obese abdomen with little risk or discomfort.

Previous Pregnancy and Abdominal Liposuction San Antonio, New Braunfels
A previous pregnancy tends to stretch the abdominal muscles, and cause the lower abdomen to bulge to a certain degree. This curvature of the abdominal wall muscles determines the flatness or the shape of the abdominal silhouette after liposuction. Nevertheless, the vast majority of women who have been pregnant are ultimately very happy with results obtained by liposuction alone, and do not require an abdominoplasty (tummy tuck).

C-Section Bulge and Abdominal Liposuction San Antonio, New Braunfels
The Pfannenstiel incision is the name for the incision across the lower abdomen that is typically made for Cesarian sections, or a hysterectomy. A common but undesirable consequence of a Pfannenstiel incision is a persistent bulge of subcutaneous fat just above the incision. Liposuction can easily repair this annoying deformity.

Prior obesity and Abdominal Liposuction San Antonio, New Braunfels
Prior obesity and subsequent weight loss produce fat that is more fibrous. This makes liposuction more difficult.

Location of Abdominal Fat and Abdominal Liposuction San Antonio, New Braunfels
Location of abdominal fat is an important factor in predicting the success of abdominal liposuction. Abdominal fat occurs in two different levels: superficial and deep. Superficial abdominal fat is located just below the skin and above the abdominal muscles. The deep abdominal fat is located inside the abdominal cavity on the intestines. Some people have more deep (intestinal) fat than subcutaneous fat. Subcutaneous fat can be removed by liposuction. Intestinal fat cannot be removed by liposuction because it would be too dangerous. Fat on the intestines can only be diminished by weight loss through diet and exercise. Thus liposuction cannot remove all of the abdominal fat. Most patients have more subcutaneous fat than intestinal fat. Thus, most patients will see a good cosmetic improvement with abdominal liposuction.

Upper Abdomen and Abdominal Liposuction San Antonio, New Braunfels
Upper abdomen skin may appear slightly wrinkled after liposuction. In older patients with decreased skin elasticity of the upper abdomen, there is a tendency for the skin to appear somewhat crêpé or slightly wrinkled. Interestingly, the lower abdominal skin does not seem to be susceptible to this type of post-liposuction crêpiness. The elasticity of Scarpa's fascia might prevent crêpiness after liposuction of the lower abdomen.

Thigh Liposuction San Antonio, New Braunfels

Thigh liposuction can get rid of those deposits of fat on your thighs that never seem to go away. Whether you've gone to a lot of work recently to lose a significant amount of weight or whether you've always been diligent about staying in shape, you may be familiar with the problem of the thighs. It's simple: the thighs are among the most fat-concentrated parts of your body. A cushion of fat is designed to protect the all-important muscles and bones that help you walk. But sometimes that cushion of fat becomes unsightly (as in the ever unpopular "saddle bags").

What is the thigh liposuction procedure like? San Antonio, New Braunfels
Depending on the volume to be removed from your thighs and the amount of fat versus loose skin, your surgeon may opt to treat the thigh area with tumescent liposuction alone or in combination with laser liposuction. Inserting a cannula of about 5-6 mm into a small incision, the physician will first melt, dissolve, and remove the fat via suction; then any skin around the incision can be tightened before sutures are applied. The whole thigh liposuction procedure generally takes between 1 and 4 hours depending on the size of the area. It can be done under a local or general anesthesia.

Who is a good candidate for thigh liposuction? San Antonio, New Braunfels
Liposuction can improve the appearance of your thighs, but will not necessarily give you runway legs. Liposuction targets the fat deposits and other problem areas that diet and exercise haven't eliminated. Ideally, candidates are minimally to moderately overweight, and some thigh liposuction patients may not be technically overweight at all. Heavy thighs can be a problem for adults of all ages, even young and generally fit people. Women and men of all ages are taking advantage of thigh liposuction.

To learn more please contact the Center for Cosmetic Surgery today.

Center For Cosmetic Surgery
Dr. Elizabeth S. Harris
540 N. Madison Oak Suite 400
San Antonio, TX 78258
Phone 210.545.4848 / Fax 210.545.5565
email us