Liposuction in Sacramento, CA

What is Liposuction?

Liposuction is a body contouring procedure used to reduce undesirable pockets of fat. The surgical removal of fat is performed by breaking up the fat cells and sucking them out with a device called a cannula.

Fat tends to be collected in genetically-determined areas, and while a majority of fat can be eliminated with diet and regular exercise, these trouble deposits tend to be the “last to go” as it is the low metabolism storage fat that our bodies save. In women, these areas tend to be the lower abdomen, upper abdomen, flanks (muffin-top area), and upper thighs. In men, the fat tends to be stored in the lower abdomen and flanks.

Types of Liposuction

Dr. Debra Johnson offers a number of different types of liposuction including:

• Tumescent Liposuction
• Laser Liposuction (SmartLipo™)
• Large Volume Liposuction
• Liposuction with Tummy Tuck

Dr. Johnson is one of the best liposuction surgeons in Sacramento, renowned for the impressive body contouring results that she can provide for her patients. Dr. Johnson will discuss the goals of your treatment and determine which method will be right for you. To view results from her previous patients, visit our liposuction before and after photo gallery.

Am I a Candidate?

The best candidates for liposuction are those who are at or close to their ideal weight, but have fatty deposits they can’t get rid of. I ask patients to try and get their weight where the rest of their body looks good, and then we can sculpt the excessive areas into submission, creating pleasing contours.

Unfortunately, liposuction is not a great way to lose weight. Only a few pounds of fat can be extracted at any one time. But it is “spot reduction” in that the fat is only gone from where it is suctioned and not from anywhere else.

Procedure Details

Liposuction of small areas can be done with only local anesthesia. Larger areas are difficult to adequately numb, and so we provide sedation or general anesthesia, so that you will be comfortable. There are centers that will suction large areas using only local anesthesia, but it can be very uncomfortable! I prefer my patients to be as comfortable as possible, so that I can do the very best job for them. Sedation, or even a short general anesthetic, is very safe, and makes the whole procedure so much easier on both you and your surgeon.

The tricky thing about liposuction is that it is kind of like letting the air out of a balloon. When you reduce the fat, you reduce the volume that is filling the skin. So the skin is looser afterward. The skin does tighten to a degree, but the amount of tightening varies from person to person. Younger patients do better than older patients in the skin-tightening department. If your skin doesn’t tighten enough, you can sometimes end up with shadows or contour irregularities. I have seen many patients who underwent liposuction and either had too much fat removed, or they had skin that was too loose to begin with, and they end up with saggy skin. This happens when the patient visits a liposuction center that only does liposuction, so that’s all they can recommend. If the patient is not a good candidate for liposuction, but has it done anyway, then she may end up unhappy and having to spend more money to remove the excess skin. So it’s important to be evaluated by a plastic surgeon that performs both liposuction and skin tightening procedures, and who can give you the best and most cost-effective options for your problem areas.

Liposuction Recovery

After liposuction, you are placed into a “pressure garment” which is tight underwear that helps keep down the bruising and swelling. You normally wear this garment for 3-4 weeks, just removing it to shower for the first two weeks, and then taking it off at bedtime for the second two weeks. Swelling actually takes 6-8 weeks to disappear completely, and then it’s another 6-8 weeks for the skin to snug up as much as possible. One month after liposuction, most patients look pretty good, but they will look better after month two, and a little better yet after month three. Usually by the end of month four, the healing is completed. You need to avoid vigorous physical activity for the first two weeks, but then you can return to the gym and work your way back to your normal routine of exercise. By about two months after surgery, your weight should be what it was on the day of surgery, minus the amount of fat removed during liposuction, and that should be the weight you maintain from then on. If you unfortunately gain weight after liposuction, it can cause fat to appear in different locations such as the breasts, back, or arms, etc. that can look a little bulky.

Learn More About Liposuction with Dr. Debra Johnson

Dr. Johnson recommends that you work on getting your weight as close as possible to your ideal weight through diet and exercise. If, after that, you still have stubborn pockets of fat that you are unhappy with, then you should schedule a consultation with Dr. Johnson to see if liposuction is a good solution for you.

Dr. Johnson has an impressive track record providing patients with a slim, toned body contour through liposuction. If you are a Sacramento resident that wants to learn more about body contouring with Dr. Johnson, contact her office by calling (916) 929-1833 or by emailing her today.