Are you bothered by areas on your body that just don’t respond to exercise or weight loss? Genetics plays a huge role in how our bodies carry fat. Many people don’t feel entirely confident in how they look when a part of their body just doesn’t seem to fit. When the aesthetic harmony of your figure is “off,” it can cause tunnel vision where you only focus on the trouble spots.
Fat removal surgery, generally called liposuction, solves this issue for many men and women in Northern California. Plastic Surgery Associates of Santa Rosa offers the most advanced methods to effectively eliminate fat from areas of concern on the body and give people the figure they’ve been dreaming of.
Are you interested in liposuction in Santa Rosa? We encourage you to read more about the procedure, get in touch with us at (707) 537.2111, or get started with our convenient virtual consultation tool for personalized information based on your concerns.
Contents
- 1 The basics of liposuction
- 2 Ideal candidates for liposuction in Santa Rosa
- 3 What happens during the liposuction procedure?
- 4 What is the recovery process after liposuction?
- 5 Liposuction vs noninvasive body contouring
- 6 How much does liposuction cost?
- 7 Can you get liposuction if you have loose skin?
- 8 Does liposuction leave scars?
- 9 How long do liposuction results last?
- 10 What are the risks to liposuction?
- 11 Schedule liposuction in Santa Rosa today!
- 12 Sign up for our newsletter
The basics of liposuction
Surgical liposuction in Northern California is a body contouring procedure that reduces excess fat from the flanks, tummy, buttocks, thighs, and neck/jaw to create a slimmer appearance. Liposuction is the fourth most common cosmetic surgery performed in the United States and has one of the highest “Worth It” ratings on Realself.com. More than 200,000 liposuction procedures were performed in the US in 2020.
Liposuction (or often just “lipo”) can treat multiple areas of the body safely. Usually, we perform liposuction with local anesthesia, and patients return home later the same day. We may utilize general anesthesia if your treatment area is especially large or if we suction significant amounts of fat. In which case we may recommend an overnight hospital stay.
During your consultation, plastic surgeons Drs. Francisco Canales and Heather Furnas assess areas of your body you wish to address and discuss your medical history to determine the best approach to your body contouring procedure.
Ideal candidates for liposuction in Santa Rosa
Adult men and women who weigh within 10 pounds of their ideal weight, but have troublesome areas of fat that won’t respond to diet or exercise, are ideal candidates for liposuction.
The tightness of skin is a factor we consider before performing liposuction. Removing fat from beneath stretched skin will cause it to sag. It’s also important to know that liposuction is not a solution for weight loss. Females undergoing liposuction should have no plans to become pregnant after their procedure, as this may compromise the lasting outcome (though if you do grow your family, a mommy makeover could be the answer). At your consultation for surgery, we go over all your questions and set realistic expectations.
What happens during the liposuction procedure?
First, your surgeon places a punch-hole incision through the skin at the site of insertion for the cannula. Cannulas are small, hollow tubes made of stainless steel through which we remove subcutaneous fat. One end is attached to a flexible plastic tube that connects the cannula to a vacuum pump. After eliminating the excess fatty deposits, we seal the small incision.
Based on the number of areas we treat, your procedure may take several hours. In a separate room for recovery, your post-op nurse assists with managing any discomfort and looks after your treated areas until your discharge.
What is the recovery process after liposuction?
Your recovery after liposuction depends on which areas and how many areas we treated. You may need to stay at home for recovery from liposuction surgery for several weeks based on the number of sections treated and the amount of fat removed.
It’s typical to have bruising and swelling for one or two weeks, and you should have stitches taken out 7 to 10 days after surgery. The most important thing to do following any surgery is give your body time to recover and heal. When you decide to go back to your job after your surgery, you should remember to minimize stress and strenuous activity.
To increase your strength and stamina, try walking and light workouts as recommended by Dr. Canales or Dr. Furnas. Patients see immediate improvements once initial swelling goes down, but it does take anywhere from 6 to 10 months until your new body contour and shape are complete.
Liposuction vs noninvasive body contouring
There are several nonsurgical procedures to reduce body fat. Through the use of cryolipolysis or radiofrequency energy, fat elimination is possible without surgery. Nonsurgical body contouring procedures usually take several treatments and cannot guarantee the same kind of dramatic, consistent results as liposuction. Ask Dr. Canales or Dr. Furnas about nonsurgical options in your consultation. We can explain the benefits of all your options and help you choose which is ideal for you.
How much does liposuction cost?
The cost of liposuction varies, depending on the technique selected and how many areas require treatment. In your consultation, we create your personal treatment plan to meet your needs and goals with your budget in mind. When your plan is ready, we can discuss estimated costs. No one should be priced out of the confidence they deserve. Everyone deserves to be treated by experienced, certified plastic surgeons like those at Plastic Surgery Associates of Santa Rosa. To make liposuction in Santa Rosa more accessible, we accept several payment methods. Additionally, our team is here to help you find low-interest financing.
Can you get liposuction if you have loose skin?
Yes, liposuction is still a great option if you have loose skin, but it would need to be paired with skin tightening surgery. Since liposuction only removes fat and does not affect the skin, you may not be satisfied with your results without a tummy tuck, thighplasty, or arm lift. Your plastic surgeon assesses the elasticity of your skin during your surgery consultation.
Does liposuction leave scars?
Liposuction involves incisions and sutures, so yes it will leave scars. The good news is Drs. Canales and Furnas make tiny incisions in the least visible spot possible, including the natural folds of the body. We teach patients how to care for their incisions, so they heal properly and fade. Patients are so happy with their liposuction results; the small incision scars are the least of their concerns!
How long do liposuction results last?
The results of liposuction last as long as you want them to. We impress upon every patient interested in liposuction that they will have to maintain their results through a healthy lifestyle. Although liposuction reduces the number of fat cells in an area, the remaining cells still shrink or grow if you lose or gain weight. We suggest you be at, or close to, a healthy weight prior to liposuction. Afterward, it’s best to remain within 5 to 10 pounds of your post-surgical weight. Because the treatment removes fat cells, significant weight gain after liposuction could cause additional issues with the placement of fat.
What are the risks to liposuction?
While still considered minimally invasive, liposuction is a surgical procedure and therefore comes with certain risks like bleeding or reactions to anesthesia. Complications associated specifically with liposuction include:
- Contour irregularities can happen to the skin if your surgeon is not skilled, resulting in dimpling, waviness, or bumpiness in the area of your fat reduction surgery.
- Fluid accumulation can occur beneath the skin. Usually, we remedy this by massaging the area. Rarely, it may need draining with a needle.
- Numbness is fairly common after liposuction. It can last several days and may linger for weeks, but it’s highly unlikely to be permanent.
- Fat embolisms could occur if a loosened piece of fat breaks away and becomes trapped in a blood vessel before gathering in the lungs or brain. Fat embolisms are medical emergencies.
The risk of experiencing any complications from your liposuction procedure goes down significantly when you choose qualified, board-certified plastic surgeons to perform your treatment. Drs. Canales and Furnas have extensive training in and experience with lipo and consistently deliver stunning results.
Schedule liposuction in Santa Rosa today!
Confidence looks great on you! With liposuction from the experts at Plastic Surgery Associates, you’ll see your dreams come true in the mirror. Liposuction is a popular procedure for a reason—the results are consistent, dramatic, and unlike nonsurgical body sculpting, you only need one treatment.
We are here to help fulfill your needs for cosmetic surgery. Give us a call at (707) 537.2111 or get started with a virtual consultation.
Don’t forget; you can always shop online for skincare products from our Allegro MedSpa! We carry Obagi, Alastin, SkinBetter, SkinMedica, and more trusted, medical-grade skincare brands.
Virtual Consultation | Schedule a Consultation
You don’t want to miss out on our monthly newsletter! Keep up to date on the latest Plastic Surgery Associates and Allegro Medspa news and updates, as well as information on specials and highlights on our amazing staff.