Most men and women seek a fit and well-proportioned body. Dr. Filiberto sees patients every day in consultation that complain that some areas of their body are just resistant to change, even with the strictest of diet and exercise programs. As an option to sculpt these areas and remove excess fat, Dr. Filiberto offers lipoplasty or liposuction aka body sculpting.

 

Liposuction is not a weight loss program; in fact, there is a maximum amount of fat (5000 ccs) that can safely be removed in one procedure. However, liposuction is an ideal solution to treat those “problem” areas that are disproportionate to the rest of the body. Body Sculpting is most effective for men and women of normal weight who simply want to improve their body contour. Dr. Filiberto can use liposuction to slim the hips and thighs, flatten the abdomen, sculpt the chin and shape the calves, love handles, back, ankles, knees, upper arms and buttocks. Most patients who have this surgery feel more confident in the way that they look and how their newly-sculpted body fits into clothing.

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Dr. Filiberto uses several different liposuction techniques or combinations thereof to achieve optimal results. Dr. Filiberto always uses the tumescent technique, in which the fat is pre-injected with a sterile salt-water solution containing small amounts of adrenaline and local anesthetic. In addition, he may recommend suction-assisted lipectomy (SAL) or ultrasonic-assisted lipectomy (UAL) depending on your specific needs and fibrousness of the area to be treated. SAL involves making a tiny incision or incisions near the treatment area. Wherever possible, Dr. Filiberto places the incisions within natural folds or contour lines to hide them. Dr. Filiberto places a slim, hollow tube called a cannula through the incision so that its tip penetrates the underlying fat. By contouring with one or multiple cannulas, Dr. Filiberto vacuums the fat into a suction pump. He pays close attention to the measurements, the 3-D contours, and fat removed to achieve optimal symmetry. UAL has gained much popularity in recent years because it aids in skin contraction. This form of liposuction contracts from underneath the skin and works very much like a laser on the facial skin. This technique involves a two-step process that uses the energy from sound waves to liquefy the fat prior to suctioning. As such, Dr. Filiberto is able to more effectively extract the fatty tissue from an area.

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Liposuction Before Surgery

 Dr. Filiberto will recommend that you quit smoking at least 2 weeks prior to surgery and not to resume for at least 2 weeks after your surgery. Additionally, there are certain medications and herbs that your pre-operative coordinator will ask you to cease taking one week prior to your surgery. We suggest ordering your garment early to minimize any shipping delays.

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Liposuction Recovery

You will need a responsible adult to accompany you to our facility and be available via phone, so that we can alert them of your discharge time. Additionally, you will need someone to stay with you for the first 24 hours after your surgery.

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After your surgery, you will wear a tight surgical garment that will help “set” your new body shape. This garment can be removed for short periods of time in your first post-operative week for showering but should be worn at all other times for 4 – 6 weeks. Dr. Filiberto will advise if and when you can switch to a lighter garment, such a Spanx.

 

It is important that you wear the surgical garment as advised because it provides the necessary support for the skin and tissue to re-drape the newly contoured line. Further, it is important that you keep all post-operative areas free of creases and wrinkles throughout the healing period to achieve the smoothest skin contour possible. Dr. Filiberto will advise you not to sit upright, especially if you have had liposuction to your stomach. He recommends standing or lying down to decrease the risk of any unnecessary creases from forming.

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Dr. Filiberto will advise that you return for follow-up visits at 1 day, 7 days, 2 weeks, 1 month, 3 months, and 6 months post-operatively. You will likely have some bruising to the surgical areas, but these should completely fade within the first couple of weeks.

 

Dr. Filiberto advises that you keep your surgical area out of the sun for at least 8 weeks to avoid permanent bruising and discoloration. Additionally, you might note a slight weight gain in the first few days and even weeks after surgery. This is most likely due to fluid replacement, retention and swelling and should subside in the first couple of months.

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Within several days after surgery, you should be able to go back to your normal routine. You can start walking and do light work-outs within 2 weeks of your surgery. Dr. Filiberto will advise you on when you can resume more strenuous work-outs. You can expect to return to work after about one week.

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Most patients see a noticeable difference in their body shape after about 2 weeks. As the swelling subsides, you will continue to see more definition and change. Generally, patients see their final results after about 3 months.

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Dr. Filiberto looks forward to meeting you in consultation to develop a surgical plan that best suits your needs. He will let you know which technique best suits your particular case based upon your goals, medical history and skin texture and turgor. In the meantime, please feel free to email our patient coordinator through our contact us with any specific questions that you might have about liposuction.

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