If you’ve heard the term Lipo-Sculpture and wondered what that means, we’ve got the scoop for you. If you’ve been in panic-mode about putting on a swim suit, we’ve got the scoop for you. If you’ve lost most of the weight, but still have the pooches, you guessed it, we’ve got the scoop for you.
Tumescent liposuction ~ aka lipo-sculpture ~ is a safe, outpatient procedure to sculpt away unwanted fat deposits that are resistant to diet and exercise. One of its main appeals is that it is performed in office, without general anesthesia. We reached out to Dr. Elizabeth Rostan of Charlotte Skin & Laser to learn more, as she is one of the go-to local experts on this procedure.
Dr. Rostan received fellowship training in the technique of tumescent liposuction, and has received additional training from Dr. Jeffery Klein, the developer of the tumescent technique. This tumescent technique for liposuction, created by Dr. Klein, is the most significant advancement in liposuction surgery since the liposuction was introduced to this country in the early 1980’s. This technique produces smoother results with greater safety and less discomfort.
First, to best understand tumescent liposuction, it helps to understand what traditional liposuction entails.
What is liposuction? Liposuction is defined as the removal of fat from deposits beneath the skin using a hollow stainless-steel tube (called a cannula) with the assistance of a powerful vacuum. Liposuction can be accomplished either with the use of general anesthesia, or with heavy IV sedation, or totally by local anesthesia.
Traditional liposuction is performed on the patient under general anesthesia. Large cannulas are used in this procedure and can result in uneven removal of fat causing ridges or depressions in the skin. Larger cannulas are also more traumatic to the tissue resulting in longer healing times, greater bleeding, and larger scars on the skin surface. The risks of traditional liposuction are made more significant because of the general anesthesia and bleeding.
Tumescent liposuction, in contrast, is performed using local anesthesia. It refers to a technique that uses large volumes of very diluted local anesthesia, lidocaine and epinephrine, which is injected into the fat causing the targeted areas to become tumescent or swollen and firm. This “tumescent fluid” protects structures deeper than the fat layer, provides excellent local anesthesia, and minimizes bleeding. Small cannulas are used to reduce the risk of skin irregularities and minimize trauma to the tissue. With this tumescent technique the patient is awake, bleeding is minimal, healing is rapid, and scars on the skin surface are negligible. In Dr. Rostan’s view, it is the safest method for fat removal.
While liposuction of either kind is not a weight-loss technique, tumescent liposuction is a good option if you are struggling with pockets of stubborn fat that you cannot lose with diet and exercise. Because it is an outpatient procedure, with no general anesthesia, costs and recovery time are reduced. It’s really pretty great 🙂
Sound like something you want to explore?
Set up a consultation with Charlotte Skin & Laser today.
Charlotte Skin & Laser
130 Providence Road
Charlotte, NC 28207
704-333-9113 | 704.333.9757
