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Los Angeles | Beverly Hills

Liposuction Article 1

Overview of Liposuction

Dr. Kenneth Hughes has performed thousands of liposuction and liposculpture procedures for patients in the Los Angeles and Beverly Hills areas and from around the world.

Many varieties of liposuction are available including ultrasonic liposuction, smart lipo, vaser lipo, water lipo, power-assisted liposuction, and conventional or tumescent liposuction.  However, the results depend very little on the method used and much more on the technical skill of the surgeon.  Dr. Kenneth Hughes has extensive experience in large volume liposuction of 5 L, the safe maximum amount that can be liposuctioned out in an outpatient setting. While less volume can be suctioned safely, the less the fat that is suctioned the less of a change in body form that is produced. And no patient wants to go through two surgeries when one surgery will suffice.

The liposuction or liposculpture procedure involves making a few small (3, 4 or 5 mm) incisions through which instruments called cannulae are inserted to remove the fat in a very precise fashion. Dr. Hughes uses small cannulae of 3, 4 or 5 mm in diameter to allow for a more precise fat extraction and sculpting. Any area of the body can be sculpted including abdomen, flanks, back, medial thighs, lateral thighs, upper arms, and chin. The areas are sculpted as the patient desires.

The most common liposuction procedures performed include liposuction 360 or lipo 360. Lipo 360 involves liposuction of the abdomen, sides, and lower back.  This helps create the smallest waist and the best overall hourglass figure.

In addition, Dr. Kenneth Hughes can use some of the liposuctioned fat to augment and fill facial areas due to aging (facial fat grafting procedure). He can also use the liposuctioned fat to create larger, shapelier butt commonly called a BBL or Brazilian butt lift procedure.

In some patients, Dr. Hughes performs a large volume liposuction and can avoid a tummy tuck and its associated scar. Although Dr. Hughes has extensive experience with suctioning larger volumes, it is of paramount importance that the patient follow postoperative instructions to the letter and that the compression garment is worn as instructed. The only less than desirable result occurs when a patient develops massive fluid collections postoperatively or repeated small fluid collections, which will cause a wavy nature to the skin or wrinkles in the skin. The typical liposuction patient can go back to work in a week’s time, while wearing the compression garment for the first 6 weeks.

Dr. Hughes can perform combined procedures with liposuction in the appropriate patient including breast augmentation, breast lift, rhinoplasty, facelift, or almost any possible combination. Liposuction is frequently performed in combination with other mommy makeover procedures as well.