How to Get Liposuction Right the First Time

May 13, 2013
Peter B. Fodor, MD, FACS
Beverly Hills, CA

Liposuction is one of  the most popular plastic surgery procedures. The American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS) reports liposuction as being in the top five category for both men and women, with more than 300-thousand procedures performed in 2012.  Despite its popularity, especially for people within the ages of 35- 50, there ares times when the procedure can go terribly wrong in the hands of an inexperienced doctor.

Beverly Hills board certified plastic surgeon, Dr. Peter B. Fodor, talks about liposuction and the recent increase in the number of revision liposuction patients he sees in his office.  These patients are often referred to him after they’ve been left with bad results performed by another doctor.

 

A 39-year old patient before and after secondary liposuction of the abdomen including fat transfer

Liposuction Revision

Emerging technology coupled with untrained surgeons have confused patients who may be blinded by manufacturers promoting new technology and procedures. Often times, the patient is not aware of the risks involved with these new procedures.  Patients need to know that  if they’re a victim of a bad procedure, there are options in liposuction revision and the improvements can be significant enough for the patient to see a drastic positive change.

Avoid a bad outcome… choose a board certified plastic surgeon

The number of revision liposuction procedures I see in my practice has increased by 50% in the past few years.  The first step in avoiding a bad outcome is to select a board certified plastic surgeon with experience in the procedure.

Many times the patient either didn’t do their homework when selecting a doctor or they’re weren’t sure what to look for in a plastic surgeon in the first place. Patient’s need to realize, there are doctors performing liposuction that are not  plastic surgeons and have little or no surgical experience. I see many patients in my practice that come in for liposuction revision in order to correct a previous procedure.

48 year old patient before and after secondary liposuction of the outer buttocks including fat transfer

Common reasons initial procedure was not successful:

• The doctor performing the surgery did not do an adequate job during the pre-operative phase
• The technique during the liposuction wasn’t ideal for the patient
• Patient expectations were not addressed clearly before surgery
• The amount of fat removed during liposuction was too much or too little
• The doctor didn’t pay enough attention to the proportions of the patient’s body, leaving the patient without correct symmetry
•  Rippling of the skin and indentations in the skin