Letty's Liposuction Directory

Is Ultrasonic Assisted Liposuction for you?

Author: Letty's Staff Writer

This is the crucial question you should ask yourself whenever considering a plastic surgery procedure.

Is it really going to provide you with substantial benefit?... Or is it just the fashion of the time?

This article aims to provide you with solid criteria to determine whether or not ultrasonic liposuction is right for you.

Let's get right into it.

Am I a good candidate for ultrasonic assisted liposuction surgery?

The best patients for liposuction in general and the ultrasonic technique in particular are:

1. Those with no underlying health problems.
2. Have only small pockets of localized fat.
3. Have good skin elasticity.
4. Practice a healthy lifestyle and reasonable eating habits.
5. Are realistic and practical in their expectations for surgery.

Obese individuals are less ideal as candidates.

However, overweight individuals can have liposuction, but they must realize that liposuction will not remove any significant weight. Large patients who want to become more proportional (within their current body size) or fine-tune their overall shape may be good candidates for liposuction as long as they don't have health conditions that prevent the surgery.

In general if you are someone with underlying health issues – you may not be a good candidate for any elective surgery.

What can I do to become a better candidate for UAL?

A. Kick bad habits.

Certainly if you are someone who has a health habit that increases your risks of adverse outcomes after surgery – then you want to try to correct that before you ever go under the knife.

For instance, smokers should stop smoking – and those who overindulge in alcoholic beverages should sober up before even considering plastic surgery. I know it is easier said than done. But if you can improve your lifestyle – you may find that you don't need that plastic surgery as much as you thought you did.

So, there are benefits to conquering your bad health habits that can be seen both outside and inside the operating room.

B. Lose weight.

Another thing you can do is – lose weight.

Sounds cliché... I know. But if you can get within 15% of your ideal weight – then your surgeon will be able to better visualize whether or not liposuction, or a skin-tightening procedure would best fit your circumstances. It is really important to be as close to you ideal body shape before you go into surgery...

Liposuction won't correct all figure flaws.

C. Cultivate healthy self-esteem.

The final and perhaps most important thing you can do to make yourself a better candidate is to cultivate a healthy sense of self-acceptance, and be realistic about what surgery will be able to help you achieve. Someone who doesn't like themselves before that procedure - will probably not like themselves after the procedure no matter what the surgeon does for them.

Try not to be so self-hating... Alright?

What can I do if liposuction is not an option for me?

A. Diet and Exercise.

The "duh" answer is – of course – diet and exercise. Focus on weight-bearing exercises to define and sculpt lean muscle mass.

B. Non-surgical techniques.

Aside from the obvious there are some alternatives to liposuction that you can look into – including the Zerona™ laser. This laser system doesn't require any surgery. How it works is the laser penetrates skin layers and breaks open underlying fat cells which spill their contents out into the surrounding tissues. Next, the body "picks up" this cellular debris and discards it in its waste systems. Results may take several sessions to be seen – but when it is all said done your troublesome body parts can be reduced by inches.

And that's not too shabby...

C. Mesotherapy.

There are still other alternatives to liposuction like mesotherapy.

Although controversial, mesotherapy practitioners offer plenty of anecdotal evidence to support their claims of efficacy. However, the American Society of Plastic Surgeons does not recommend this procedure – and in fact speaks about mesotherapy in language that is pretty discouraging of it.

What is the bottom-line?

Ultrasonic assisted liposuction is like any other plastic surgery...

You should consult a qualified professional to determine whether or not you are a proper candidate for the procedure.

There may be very good reasons why this is NOT the procedure for you – nevertheless – check with your surgeon first. And while we are on the topic of surgeons be sure to select a board-certified plastic surgeon that has plenty of experience.

This is not a surgery you want a 'newbie'-surgeon to perform on you.

So, take the time to fully "vet" your guy or gal before putting your health and safety into his or her hands.

It just makes sense.

Ultrasonic Assisted Liposuction References:

• Heltzel, Melissa. "Ultrasound-assisted lipoplasty revisited: once fallen out of favor, UAL technique offers real benefits over traditional SAL, surgeon says." Cosmetic Surgery Times. Oct. 2004: 32. General OneFile (21 June 2011).

• Sattler, Gerhard. "Advances in liposuction and fat transfer." Dermatology Nursing. vol. 17.2 (Apr 2005): 133(7). Expanded Academic ASAP. GALE. (July 2010).

• Moss, Rose, Charles J. Moss, and David R. Broadway. "Body Contouring with Ultrasound-assisted Lipoplasty." AORN Journal 71.2 (2000): 370. General OneFile (22 June 2011).

• "Sound waves help break up fat." USA Today [Magazine] Oct. 1997: 15+. General OneFile (21 Jun 2011).