Liposuction

Cosmetic Surgery in St. Louis, Missouri

Liposuction is a form of cosmetic surgery designed to remove fatty deposits from certain problem areas on the body. Ideal candidates are in good general health and have stubborn pockets of fat that have not responded well to regular exercise and a healthy diet. Dr. Richard L. Kofkoff is a board certified plastic surgeon in St. Louis, Missouri who focuses his entire practice on breast and body contouring procedures including liposuction.

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Liposuction Procedure

It is important to understand that liposuction is not a weight loss method. It is strictly a body contouring technique. Dr. Kofkoff believes that patients who are in a healthy weight range and have reasonably good skin tone will see the best results, although patients do not need to be at an ideal weight to see benefits from the procedure.

Liposuction is performed using a thin, hollow tube, or cannula, that is inserted into the fat layer immediately beneath the skin.  Small incisions are used to insert the cannula.  Suction is then applied so that fat cells are drawn into the tube and removed.  Once removed, these cells will not grow back or shift from another area of the body.  The fat cells that remain, however, can accumulate more fat with weight gain.

Liposuction techniques :

• Tumescent liposuction
• Power-assisted liposuction
• Ultrasonic-assisted liposuction

Tumescent liposuction refers to the injection of a solution of saline, local anesthetic and epinephrine into the fat layer prior to actual removal of the fat.  This is done to reduce the tendency for bruising and bleeding and to provide anesthesia both during and after the procedure.  The tumescent technique is used with both power-assisted and ultrasonic-assisted liposuction to make the removal of fat easier and more effective.

Power-assisted liposuction involves the use of a vibrating cannula.  This vibration helps to break up the fat and allows for easier removal.

Ultrasonic-assisted liposuction uses sound waves to soften the fat and, therefore, allows for easier removal.  Some heat is generated by the sound waves, but cooling is provided by the tumescent fluid that was injected prior to suctioning.

Both power-assisted and ultrasonic-assisted techniques are effective in removing unwanted fat and achieving an attractive improvement in appearance.  Liposuction is often combined with other procedures such as a tummy tuck in order to provide patients with the best body contouring results possible.

To learn more about liposuction, please visit our Questions about Liposuction page.

Important Factors

Qualified and board certified plastic surgeons employ all of the latest techniques and safety measures available in the field today. However, it is still extremely important that you thoroughly understand your procedure prior to scheduling your surgery. Take the time to do your homework and research not only any procedures you desire, but also the cosmetic surgeon you are considering working with.

A skilled, qualified and caring plastic surgeon such as Dr. Kofkoff should be willing to answer all of your questions and alleviate all of your concerns during your consultation. This includes questions about his skills, educational background, and experience as well as questions about your procedure. Be sure you have all of the information you need to make an educated decision so that you are clear about every aspect of your chosen cosmetic surgery procedure.

To schedule a consultation or to learn more about liposuction, please contact St. Louis, Missouri cosmetic surgeon Dr. Richard L. Kofkoff today.