Liposuction FAQ

What is liposuction?

Liposuction is a method of suctioning excess fat out of the body. There are several techniques being used by cosmetic surgeons, but Dr. Younai only uses the safest technique, tumescent liposuction.

What is tumescent liposuction?

This is a process of injecting a large volume of a special fluid containing anesthetic and a capillary constrictor into the fat to be removed. The fluid causes the treatment area to become firm allowing the surgeon to be more precise in sculpting and removing fat. This method does not require general anesthesia yet is very comfortable for the patient.

How long is liposuction surgery?

Surgery can be as short as 30 minutes and as long as 3 hours.

How safe is liposuction?

As in any surgery there are risks, however liposuction is one of the safest cosmetic procedures available. Every year over 400,000 people elect to have liposuction in the United States.

Can anyone benefit from liposuction?

People who have disproportion in one or more areas of the body can expect great improvement from liposuction. Candidates should have stable weight, reasonable expectations, and no underlying medical conditions. People with medical conditions can still have liposuction as long as their condition is well controlled and supervised by their primary care physician.

Can liposuction be used for weight loss?

Yes and no. Patients with a lot of weight to lose can benefit from a jump start using liposuction. Dr. Younai is one of the few large volume specialists in Beverly Hills & Los Angeles. Plus size patients can go on to lose weight through diet adjustments and exercise.

It is not effective as a substitute to a healthy diet and exercise and should not be thought of as a quick fix. Liposuction is only effective for weight loss in an overall weight loss program.

Should liposuction candidates lose weight before liposuction?

No, liposuction should be done on a person with stable weight. If there is very little fat to work with, it is difficult to sculpt the area. Liposuction is intended as a method of removing excess fat and sculpting the remainder.

How much fat is removed during liposuction?

In a typical session no more than 2 liters of fat would be removed, but in a large volume liposuction session, the limit is 5 liters.

Does the fat return if there is subsequent weight gain?

No. That is one of the main benefits of liposuction. While there are fat cells left in the area, the majority have been removed. Therefore the fat storage capacity is eliminated. In the event of future weight gain, the fat is stored in other areas of the body, not in the problem areas that have been treated.

How many areas can be treated at once?

This is totally dependent on the proximity of each area. Usually no more than 2 areas are treated at once.

Can liposuction be combined other procedures?

No, liposuction is surgery and it would not be safe to combine other procedures.

What happens at the initial consultation?

Dr. Younai and his patients spend considerable time discussing goals and expectations. Dr. Younai examines the areas of concern and answers any questions. He also shows prospective patients before and after photos of people who have had the same areas treated.

How much does liposuction cost?

There is a range of between $2,500 to $25,000 depending on many factors, such as the number of areas to be treated, the difficulty of the surgery and the estimated surgical center fees. A quote will be provided and if necessary, financing can be arranged through outside medical credit card companies like True Credit.

Does liposuction hurt?

There is a certain amount of discomfort connected with receiving the local anesthetic injection. Tumescent liposuction is known for the profound anesthetic effect it produces, so once the local anesthetic has taken effect, patients report no pain at all.

Are there side effects to the surgery itself?

Most patients experience some nausea. Dr. Younai prescribes anti nausea medication which is begun the morning of surgery. There will be a period of fatigue following the surgery and patients commonly feel groggy for 12 to 18 hours. Getting plenty of rest and having assistance for the first 24 to 48 hours greatly assists in the post operative comfort of the patient.

When can I exercise and resume normal activities?

Dr. Younai recommends that patients do not delay walking and moving about. The more movement the patient engages in, the better the healing. Also the chances of having a blood clot are greatly reduced by increasing circulation. More strenuous activities can be resumed in 1 to 4 weeks depending on the extent of the surgery and the comfort level of the patient.

Is there an age restriction for having liposuction?

The restrictions are based not on age but on the health of the patient and the degree of skin elasticity that the patient has. Older people typically lose skin elasticity, so each patient will need to be evaluated by Dr. Younai to determine if liposuction would be effective, or if another procedure would be more suitable.

How soon after liposuction will I see results?

Liposuction benefits become visible in stages. Patients will see a noticeable improvement in their size almost immediately. It can take up to a year to see the final results, with improvement being noticed throughout the adjustment period.

What are the complications of liposuction?

Tumescent liposuction is the safest method and as such there are very few complications. Other liposuction techniques, such as ultrasound assisted liposuction, have been known to cause permanent skin and tissue damage. Minor side effects and complications include temporary swelling, bruising and skin sensitivity. These all resolve within a few weeks or months as recovery progresses.

Will liposuction cause loose skin?

In areas where skin elasticity is poor, removing fat will increase the appearance of wrinkles. In patients where this might be counterproductive to having liposuction, Dr. Younai will recommend a combination approach or another alternative.

Will there be scars from liposuction?

There are technically tiny scars from the tiny 1/8” to 1/4” incisions that Dr. Younai makes to allow the cannula to be inserted under the skin. However, his skill in placing the incisions makes them virtually invisible after the skin has completely healed. As long as patients strictly adhere to post operative instruction to keep the incision out of the sun for a year any tiny scars will not be an issue.

Is liposuction an outpatient procedure?

Usually it is performed in an outpatient surgical center except in rare cases where it is safer for the patient to be under observation for 24 hours following treatment. This is usually n cases of patients undergoing large volume liposuction, or in patients with medical conditions that warrant extra care.

How long is the compression garment worn?

It is usually worn for 3 to 6 weeks. The first three weeks requires it be worn for 24 hour a day. After that, it only needs to be worn during the day. This is critical in the overall result as the compression garment reduces swelling and assists the skin to reattach to the new contours created by Dr. Younai.

How soon can I fly after liposuction?

As long as patients can walk about the plane every hour, patients can fly 2 days after surgery.

Many patients fly in from other cities to be treated by Dr. Younai. In long distance flights to other countries, more than 2 days recovery may be needed before undertaking a long flight.