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Houston Liposuction

Westlake Dermatology & Cosmetic Surgery is a national leader in liposuction treatment, having performed thousands of procedures. We are pleased to offer liposuction in Houston at our River Oaks and West University locations.

Liposuction (also known as lipoplasty or fat removal surgery) is a surgical body contouring treatment that safely and permanently eliminates unwanted body fat in a single treatment. Our body contouring experts use liposuction to transform bulging body areas into attractive contours.

What Is Liposuction?

Liposuction is a minimally invasive surgery with the ability to target pockets of fat from numerous areas of the body including the stomach, thighs, buttocks, arms, chin, and neck. The procedure can be used to remove stubborn body fat that is resistant to diet and exercise.

How Is Liposuction Performed? 

Liposuction may be performed under general or local anesthesia. During the procedure your doctor will make a small incision through which to insert a cannula. The cannula is a narrow, hollow tube that acts similarly to a vacuum. By moving the tube back and forth, your doctor will dislodge fat cells located underneath the skin. These fat cells are then sucked out of the body through the tube. After recontouring is complete, the tiny incisions are closed with stitches.

Before and After Liposuction

View Liposuction Photo Gallery

What Results Are Possible?

Liposuction is the gold standard of fat removal as it provides patients with dramatic and immediate results. Liposuction procedures have the ability to significantly transform the entire silhouette. Experienced providers can use liposuction to sculpt body areas and provide the patient’s final desired end result.

What Body Areas Can Be Treated

Liposuction procedures can be performed on many areas of the body. Common body areas requested by our Houston patients include the:

  • Stomach
  • Flanks
  • Thighs
  • Buttocks
  • Knees
  • Chin
  • Hips
  • Arms
  • Bra Fat

How can liposuction be enhanced?

Vaser High Definition Liposuction is a form of liposuction that utilizes ultrasound technology to eliminate unwanted body fat and recontour the body. Vaser is a more precise fat removal technique that allows for the removal of fat in the superficial layers of the skin in order to reveal more definition.

What To Expect After Liposuction?

Patients may experience mild to moderate pain for several days following their procedure. Any discomfort during recovery can be treated with prescription pain medication. Most patients are cleared to return to school, work, and light daily activities within a week of their procedure. Patients can usually begin undertaking moderate forms of exercise at the 3-week mark. Within 5-6 weeks, liposution patients are clear to perform vigorous physical activity and are able to see the final end result of their procedure. Follow up appointments during your recovery are important as your physician will provide you with specific recommendations.

Are Liposuction Results Permanent? 

Liposuction permanently removes fat cells from the body. The treatment area will permanently have fewer fat cells, as fat cells do not regenerate. While fat cell removal is permanent, however, the resulting weight loss and body shape is not. Remaining fat cells can still grow larger with weight gain. This is why lipo patients must work to maintain their results following the procedure.

What’s the Best Way to Maintain Lipo Results? 

The best way for patients to maintain liposuction results is to maintain their post-surgery body weight. Remaining fat cells can bulge with significant weight gain while major weight loss can lead to sagging skin.

Following liposuction, patients should continue to eat a well-balanced diet, exercise regularly, and stay hydrated. To avoid hormonal weight gain, get plenty of sleep and minimize stress. In addition, a focus on resistance training can help enhance your results by improving muscle tone.

How Much Fat Can Liposuction Remove?

It’s important to understand that liposuction is not a weight loss procedure, but a body shaping procedure. Any weight loss is incidental, a side-effect of the body recontouring.

To get an idea of how much fat loss is realistic, use your thumb and pointer finger to ‘pinch an inch’ of fat in the area you’d like treated. This is a good representation of how much fat is likely to be removed. Generally, liposuction removes no more than 1-2 pounds per area. However, the targeted removal of fat isolated fat pockets can dramatically enhance the silhouette.

Who Is An Ideal Candidate For Liposuction?

The ideal candidate for liposuction is someone who is in general good health and at or very near their desired body weight. Those with good muscle tone who are seeking to remove small, isolated pockets of fat are often the most pleased with their results.

Factors that determine candidacy for liposuction include:

  • Overall Healthiness – Liposuction is a surgical procedure, which does carry some risk. Risk is greatly reduced for patients who are in good health.
  • Non-Smokers – Smoking prevents much needed oxygen from reaching the skin and slows healing, putting patients at greater risk
  • Ideal Body Weight – Liposuction is not a weight-loss procedure. The best candidates are at or within 20% of their ideal body weight, according to BMI.
  • Stable Body Weight – Liposuction results are best maintained by keeping your body weight stable. This is far easier for those who have already kept a stable BMI for at least 6 months to 1 year.
  • Elastic Skin – Liposuction does not remove excess skin nor tighten loose and sagging skin. Patients with skin elasticity will find their skin conforms to their new body contour sooner and more effectively.
  • Muscle Tone – Liposuction does not tighten or repair any internal muscles as a breast lift or tummy tuck does. Good muscle tone is revealed once fat is removed, enhancing results.

Are There BMI Restrictions?

BMI, or Body Mass Index, is a measure of your overall body size. Higher BMIs correlate with a higher body fat percentage. In general, adults with a BMI of 18.5 to 24.9 are at a healthy body weight, those who fall between 25 to 29.9 are considered overweight, while obesity begins at a BMI of 30.

Surgeons often use BMI as a measure of eligibility for surgery, as patients who are overweight tend to suffer greater complications. These complications include slow wound-healing, blood clots and infection. Anesthesia is also riskier for those who are overweight.

Liposuction is not a fat loss procedure. Those who undergo surgery when they are at or near their desired body weight not only recover more quickly, but realize their desired results immediately.

Does Liposuction Leave Behind Scars? 

Any surgical incision has the potential to result in scarring. That said, today’s liposuction techniques are far less invasive, allowing for a quicker recovery with less visible scars. Some scars are nearly impossible to detect with the naked eye.

A skilled surgeon will not only leave smaller scars, but will perform the procedure with fewer incisions which are strategically placed in less noticeable areas. Following your surgeon’s post-operative care instructions, which includes wearing your compression garments as indicated, minimizes scarring and promotes quicker recovery.

Our Houston Locations

  • Houston

    West University

    2132 Bissonnet St. Suite 200
    Houston, Texas 77005

    281.203.0600

Meet Our Houston Physicians

  • Cameron Erickson, MD: Dr. Erickson is a board certified plastic surgeon who believes in a patient focused approach with an emphasis on obtaining a true connection with his patients. He served as Chief Resident at UT Southwestern in Dallas, a leading plastic surgery training program in the country.

Request A Liposuction Consultation in Houston

Ready take the next step? Schedule your consultation online or contact us for more information.