Liposuction Risks and Safety

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Liposuction Risks and Safety

The risks and safety of liposuction are important variables to consider for ensuring the best possible outcome of any body contouring procedure. 

Patient-Safety Comes First

All aesthetic procedures come with some risk. This is unavoidable. However, there are many steps that patients and surgeons can take to minimize that risk and ensure a safe procedure. Patients should share their medical history and relevant lifestyle habits. Aesthetic surgeons should clearly communicate pre and post-operative instructions and screen patients for conditions that increase the risk of complications.

One of the many benefits of consulting board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Sean Younai is the reduction of risk.

The rigors of passing the standard for board certification are strict. This ensures that patients are in the care of surgeons who have many years of experience in all surgical procedures, particularly in their specialty. Dr. Younai, a top liposuction surgeon in Beverly Hills & Los Angeles has performed thousands of liposuction procedures throughout his long career in his fully accredited surgical facility, Regency Surgical Center. If you’re ready to learn more about how you can benefit from liposuction by Dr. Younai, schedule a consultation today. You can reach our Los Angeles office at (310) 275-1971.

About Liposuction and Patient Safety in Los Angeles

Dr. Younai carefully screens his prospective patients for any risk factors that might compromise their safety. This may disqualify some people from receiving liposuction. If this is the case, an alternative treatment will be offered if possible.

Preoperative blood work and urine testing are done 10 days before surgery. Patients with anemia or low blood count will be given an iron supplement well before surgery.

Patients with known medical conditions such as high blood pressure or diabetes must have the condition well-controlled and under supervision by their doctor before liposuction can be done.

Some patients may be asked to postpone their procedure until a safer date.

Before and After Photos

Liposuction Abdomen Medium Before & After Patient #12597
Liposuction Abdomen Medium Before & After Patient #12602
Liposuction Abdomen Medium Before & After Patient #12778
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Regency Surgical Center

Liposuction Risks and Safety

Counterintuitively, liposuction procedures performed in hospitals have a greater risk of complications than liposuction performed in dedicated surgical centers.[1] This statistic might be the result of patient selection. Higher-risk patients, in general, are referred to hospitals. Whatever the reason, Dr. Younai offers his patients the safety and comfort of his state-of-the-art dedicated surgical center.

The Regency Surgical Center possesses certifications of safety from every important organization: Medicare, the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care (AAAHC), and the American Association for Accreditation of Ambulatory Surgery Facilities (AAAASF). This robust resume of accreditations verifies the emphasis Dr. Younai places on patient safety first. The Regency Surgical Center operates as a hospital with fully equipped surgical suites, recovery rooms, and the latest in monitoring equipment. More importantly, the center employs board-certified anesthesiologists and specialist registered nurses. Dr. Younai places patient-safety as the most important requirement for any procedure. If a procedure is not deemed very safe for a particular patient, Dr. Younai will not hesitate to postpone the procedure.

If it becomes necessary, there is a direct transfer agreement with Encino Hospital located within a few hundred yards of Regency Surgical Center.

Qualifying Candidates

Patient selection plays an essential role in reducing risks and complications. At least some complications result from surgeons who do not conduct adequate patient screening and rush to perform a procedure. Qualifying patients for any procedure involves establishing trust between patient and surgeon. A patient should feel comfortable enough with their surgeon to share any and all relevant information. This includes any medical conditions, medication, and previous procedures. Even details such as whether a patient goes tanning should be included. With proper preparation and honest communication, surgeons and patients can greatly reduce any potential risks. Some patients might need to delay their procedure until a safer time arises.

Your Personal Consultation with Dr. Younai

Consultations are a vital step to ensure a procedure is safe and effective. Honest and open communication is crucial. During your consultation, you should share your medical history, discuss your expectations, and ask any questions you can think of. It’s important to share any medications and supplements you are currently taking and any aesthetic procedures you’ve had in the past. Mention any allergies you have and any issues specific to your anatomy. It’s essential to share all this information so Dr. Younai can devise a treatment plan carefully crafted to your specific needs and wants. By sharing all your information, you help secure the safest possible results for your procedure. 

Dr. Younai is a liposuction specialist with over 25 years of experience performing the procedure. He understands the nuances required to maximize your results in the safest ways possible. By drawing upon this experience, Dr. Younai merges technical expertise with an in-depth knowledge of the human anatomy and how to artistically sculpt the body to achieve stunning results. Never satisfied with typical results, Dr. Younai strives to help you become the version of yourself you most desire. To preview the quality of patient care that Dr. Younai provides, browse through some of the hand-written reviews left by satisfied patients.

If you want to discover how liposuction can help you achieve your aesthetic goals, schedule a consultation with Dr. Younai today. You can reach our San Fernando Valley office at (310) 275-1971. For your convenience, Dr. Younai now offers virtual consultations.

Minor Complications from Liposuction

There are several short-term consequences of liposuction surgery. While most resolve in a few weeks, some conditions might become permanent due to body structure, the effects of prior incomplete liposuction, or noncompliance with postoperative instructions. Research finds the complication rate of liposuction to be extremely low when compared to other surgical procedures.[2]  Most complications result from either poor surgical technique (something you don’t have to worry about with the experience and expertise of Dr. Younai) or patients not following instructions before or after the procedure. To avoid any long-lasting complications, it’s important to keep an open line of communication with your doctor and share how your recovery is coming along.

Minor Complications Include:

Changes in Skin Sensation

  • Usually resolves in 2 to 4 months
  • Can result in increased or decreased sensation at the treatment site

Swelling

  • Normal in every patient
  • Compression garments minimize swelling and shorten recovery time

Bruising

  • Will occur at the treatment site and adjacent areas
  • Greatly reduced using tumescent liposuction method
  • Sun tanning can cause these bruises to become permanent skin stains

Skin Wrinkles or Irregularities

  • Skin elasticity determines the extent of skin irregularities
  • Massage from a professional helps to smooth skin surface

Muscle Spasm

  • Common after surgery
  • Easily treated with heat and massage
  • Resolves by itself

Pain or Discomfort

  • Pain level varies between individuals, described as pain associated with an over-strenuous workout session
  • Sometimes a stabbing pain occurs in the treated area
  • Easily managed by pain medication
  • Patients with chronic pain syndrome rarely can have a worsening of the baseline pain

Asymmetry

  • Very slight differences between two sides of the body may be noticeable in patients with scoliosis or spine misalignment

Seroma or Fluid Collection

  • Pooling blood serum may accumulate after Ultrasound-Assisted Liposuction (UAL)
  • Rarely occurs with standard tumescent liposuction
  • Easily treated by draining with a small needle in the surgeon’s office

Complementary Procedures 

Liposuction is a safe and effective way of reducing fat tissue in targeted locations. As such, it can be combined to great effect with other procedures in a safe manner. However, Dr. Younai will not jeopardize a patient’s safety just to perform two procedures in the same session. If a patient wants to combine the fat-reduction of liposuction with the skin and muscle tightening of a tummy tuck, he will perform a thorough assessment. If he does not deem the combined procedure as safe, Dr. Younai will advise the patient undergo each procedure separately.

If a patient is looking for a comprehensive body remodeling strategy, ask Dr. Younai about mommy makeovers. Makeovers are not limited to just moms; anyone who seeks a total body contouring strategy should ask about contouring makeovers.

Another common procedure that patients ask about in conjunction with liposuction is breast enhancement. Breast augmentation and liposuction can work well together to create a stunning figure.  

How Much Does Liposuction Cost in Los Angeles?

Liposuction is a customizable procedure that Dr. Younai tailors to every patient’s unique situation. Dr. Younai needs to conduct a thorough review of a patient’s medical history, goals, and expectations before he can devise a treatment plan. After he devises a treatment plan, he will provide transparent pricing for the procedures discussed.

FAQ

What is the safest form of liposuction?

The University of California, San Francisco Medical School, among others, conclude that tumescent liposuction is safer and results in less discomfort than other forms of liposuction.[3]

References

  1. Kaoutzanis, C., Gupta, V., Winocour, J., Layliev, J., Ramirez, R., Grotting, J. C., & Higdon, K. (2017). Cosmetic Liposuction: Preoperative Risk Factors, Major Complication Rates, and Safety of Combined Procedures. Aesthetic Surgery Journal, 37(6), 680-694. https://doi.org/10.1093/asj/sjw243
  2. Bellini, E., Grieco, M. P., & Raposio, E. (2017). A journey through liposuction and liposculture: Review. Annals of medicine and surgery (2012), 24, 53–60. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amsu.2017.10.024
  3. UCSF Health. (2020, October 07). Tumescent Liposuction. Retrieved November 11, 2020, from https://www.ucsfhealth.org/treatments/tumescent-liposuction