Process
Before your surgery, you will need to prepare. Dr. Anthony Griffin, Beverly Hills plastic surgeon will provide you with preoperative instructions.
Preparing for Liposuction
Dr. Anthony Griffin, will schedule a preoperative evaluation and testing about two to three weeks before surgery.
- The liposuction patient will receive a list of lab tests and other medical tests as needed, to assure you are healthy and to avoid complications. Test results will be reviewed and you will be contacted for follow-up if necessary.
- You medical records will be reviewed in detail.
- The costs of the procedure and payment arrangements will be made.
- All your post surgical appointments will be scheduled at this time.
- If you take medications, we will discuss which medications to take before, during and after the surgery. Some medications like aspirin, ibuprofen and naproxen must be stopped seven days before surgery as they can cause bleeding.
- If you smoke, you must stop because smoking will interfere with healing.
- Stop all alcohol to avoid bruising.
- Although most liposuction is done on an outpatient basis, large areas of treatment may require IV sedation or general anesthesia.
- You should arrange for someone to drive you home and stay with you for at least the first night. If large volumes of liposuction are involved you may need to stay overnight in the surgical center or hospital.
A few days before surgery you will be scheduled for an appointment to discuss any questions, and review the procedure and its risks and benefits. Also, the prescriptions you received for antibiotics and pain medications should be filled and waiting for you at home.
The day of surgery
Liposuction is surgery and as with all surgeries there are common side effects and some risk.
You will be able to ask any questions and address any concern. then you will sign an informed consent form that gives Dr. Griffin permission to perform your surgery.
Dr. Anthony Griffin will take a black marker and mark the areas to be suctioned. You may receive an oral sedative to relax you. You will be taken to the operating room, where you will receive an IV for any medications and fluids and it may also be used for IV sedation. The areas to be treated will be numbed to prevent discomfort during the procedure, and the tumescent solution will be injected into the areas to be treated.
Once you are numb and comfortable, Dr. Griffin will make small incisions in the areas where fat deposits will be removed, well concealed in the natural contours of your body. He will follow your surgical treatment plan and perform the liposuction sculpting and defining the areas that bothered you. A thin cannula will be inserted through the tiny incisions into the fatty deposit to be treated. It will be moved back and forth to break up the fat and will then be suctioned out of your body.
After the surgery, you will be taken to post operative recovery where surgical dressings will be applied. You may receive drains to help remove excess fluid accumulation. Then you will receive a special compression garment to help keep the swelling down and assist the body in shrinking the skin to fit your new physique. After a short time you will be permitted to go home.
Going Home
After the anesthesia wears off, you may have pain and some redness and tenderness. Use the prescription medications and/ or over the counter pain medications to treat the pain. You will be provided with specific instructions on how to care for yourself, the appropriate amount of activity while you recover, and the normal symptoms you may experience after you go home. You will also learn the potential signs of problems and when to call Dr. Griffin.
It is important to understand that taking pain medication on a regular basis has been proven to control discomfort. Waiting until you are in pain will cause you unnecessary discomfort and make it more difficult to control your pain.
Time to recovery varies depending on the method of liposuction and your personal healing and can range from a few days to a few weeks. The first few days you should take it easy. Wear your compression garment. For the first few days the tumescent solution used will drain from the incisions, which is why you may have drains. This is normal and will help you heal and reduce your recovery time. Swelling occurs within the first 2 days after surgery and generally resolves within two or three weeks. There will be bruising that should resolve within a week. Most patients find they are comfortable returning to work within a week of the procedure.
Healing is a gradual process and your final results may not be visible for six months. Resist the temptation to be impatient. You have made an investment in yourself, and your health and satisfaction are of utmost importance.
Your results are permanent. The destroyed fat cells are gone forever. If you gain weight in the future, it will be the fat cells left that become swollen with fat, and will accumulate in areas not treated with liposuction. Use your new shape as motivation to maintain your new body. Eat right and exercise.
Congratulations! You look and feel better about yourself. Your new contours give you renewed confidence and improved self esteem. You made the smart choice putting your confidence in Dr. Anthony Griffin.
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