Before Surgery

Liposuction is usually done under general anesthesia on an outpatient basis in a hospital or surgical center. Dr. Bentkover makes a small (less than 1 inch), discreet incision in an existing crease just under your chin. A suction tube called a cannula is inserted the incision and attached to a suction machine. The procedure takes only a few minutes when performed as a separate procedure on the neck.

Our staff will give you specific instructions on how to prepare for surgery, including guidelines on eating and drinking, smoking, and medications. If you smoke, we will ask you to quit for at least two weeks before and after your surgery, since smoking may have an effect on how well you heal. You must stop all anticoagulant medications or herbal preparations that can cause bleeding such as aspirin, ibuprofen, vitamin E, gingko, St. John's Wart, garlic or ginseng 2 weeks prior to surgery. You may be required to take antibiotics to prevent infection. You should shampoo your hair the night before surgery.

Recovery- What to Expect

Recovery from liposuction is relatively easy, but you can expect a fair amount of swelling and bruising in the operated area that gradually goes away over 10-14 days. You will wear special garments provided to apply pressure, minimize swelling and provide support while healing. These garments also assist in retraction of the skin. The skin sutures generally dissolve on their own in a week or so. Deeper sutures may take a few weeks or months to dissolve.

Results are recognizable almost immediately and will continue to improve as swelling subsides. The day after surgery you should be up and walking around. You may increase your activity daily until full activity is resumed at 2-4 weeks. You usually will be ready to return to office work in 7 to 14 days, depending on the extent of the procedure. A sunscreen should be used routinely. It is easy to get sunburned during recovery because of decreased sensation.

The results of liposuction are permanent. If you were to gain a large amount of weight you might note rippling in the treated areas, depending on your skin elasticity.

Possible Complications

As with any surgical procedure, complications can occur. Possible complications include contour irregularities, skin discoloration, asymmetry, scar tissue, and collection of blood or fluid under the skin. Even more rare complications include permanent loss of sensation, skin breakdown, fat embolism, serious infection, and shock. Bleeding does occur during liposuction, and there is a limit to the amount of fat that can be safely removed in a given procedure.
Following liposuction the scar will go through a maturation process. During the first 8-12 weeks it may be red and possibly raised. The scars will mature over 6-12 months and become more pale, flat, and soft. You may experience numbness, burning, or tingling around the incision site. These symptoms are almost always temporary.

Please let us know if you are prone to keloid scars.