Men and Liposuction Surgery

In a 2011 survey, about 205,000 liposuction procedures were performed in the US, making it the third most commonly performed cosmetic plastic surgery.  Out of this number, 23,000 treatments were given on men, making this one of the most popular surgical enhancements for male patients.

While the goal of liposuction between men and women is the same—and that is to remove the unwanted fats to improve the figure—leading Los Angeles plastic surgeon Dr. TarickSmaili said anatomical differences must be considered to achieve the best result possible.

“By considering their differences, plastic surgeons can choose the right technique that would produce the desired outcome,” Smaili said.

Men have been found to have more fibrous, denser fats than women, making it more challenging to perform liposuction.  For this reason, male fat removal surgery is more expensive than if the procedure is performed on female.

Currently, the chest is the most commonly treated area in male liposuction.  Some men have excess fats in this area even if they have a normal and stable weight, resulting to a woman-like breast.  While this condition is “harmless,” it often leads to embarrassment that it has been reported that some sufferers intentionally gain weight just to make their large breasts less obvious.

The male chest contains very fibrous and dense fats that it has almost been a sacrosanct to inject the area with a tumescent solution prior to fat extraction.  This is a mixture of drugs that are designed to make the fatty tissues swollen, making it easier for them to be removed with cannula or suctioning probe.

After injecting the tumescent solution, the fats will start to swell.  Several tiny incisions are then created where the cannula is carefully inserted and pushed back and forth to remove the unwanted fats.  But in some cases, plastic surgeons use a power-assisted suction probe that releases accurate, small vibrations believed to make the extraction more effective and less “traumatic” to the surrounding tissue.

Aside from chest, a significant number of men seeking liposuction want to remove the excess fats from their abdomen and flanks, areas which are highly prone to fat bulges even if a person has a normal and stable weight. 

Meanwhile, there is a special kind of liposuction called abdominal etching which can create the much-coveted “six pack” appearance.  This is performed by removing some fats to form several grooves in the abdomen.

Patients should remember that liposuction is only applicable to those who have stable weight but have “isolated” pockets of fats.  The procedure is not a replacement for weight loss, diet, and exercise.

Liposuction in the Tummy

The tummy is probably the most common area of the body treated by liposuction, which is a cosmetic surgery that removes the unwanted fats, thereby leading to improved figure.  Meanwhile, patients should always remember that its success is affected by certain factors including history of weight gain and loss, amount and location of abdominal fats, age, and gender.

And for women, previous pregnancies may also affect the final outcome of liposuction surgery.

During pregnancy, the abdominal muscles are being stretched especially in the lower area, thereby bulges are quite common after childbirth.  Fortunately, a vast majority of women can benefit from liposuction alone to improve the appearance of their abdomen without needing tummy tuck which involves longer incision.

The good thing about liposuction is that the risk of visible scarring is almost not a concern since it requires small round incisions that measure 1-2mm in diameter.

The location and amount of abdominal fats also determines the success of liposuction.  Patients should always bear in mind that the procedure only targets the superficial fats underneath the skin, and it cannot remove the deeper fats that only respond to proper weight loss.  This means that significant improvements can only be achieved by people who have more subcutaneous fat but less intestinal fats.   

Meanwhile, history of weight gain and loss can have a significant impact on how liposuction is performed.  Plastic surgeons have found out that previously obese patients have a very fibrous fat that is more difficult to remove than fatty tissue found in people who have always maintained a normal, stable weight.

Another consideration to make is that the upper abdomen may appear slightly wrinkled after liposuction surgery, particularly when dealing with older patients who have a less elastic skin than younger individuals.  Bu interestingly, the lower abdomen is not susceptible to the crepe appearance after fat removal.

A successful liposuction is determined by the degree of a patient’s satisfaction with the results.  With this consideration, good plastic surgeons filter out those people with unrealistic expectations and goals.

Nowadays, liposuction patients can enjoy quicker recovery compared to previous years; in fact most can return to normal activities (excluding strenuous exercises) three days after the procedure.  And in terms of pain, it is quite manageable that typically there is no need to take medications stronger than acetaminophen (Tylenol).

Most patients have described the degree of pain similar to the muscle soreness after working out the entire day.