Depending on the scope and extent of your procedure, liposuction is performed using either general anesthesia or localized sedation. And, again depending on the amount and locations of fat cells removed, your surgery may be performed in a same-day-release outpatient facility or a hospital, requiring at least an overnight stay. Thorough cleansing of your skin will precede your procedure to reduce the risk of surgical infection. After you’ve received your prescribed form of anesthesia, your targeted treatment areas may be injected with a combination of medications designed to break up and dissolve your fat cells. During your surgery, your medical team will at all times monitor your vital signs.
Your lipo could last several hours, depending on the size of your treatment areas and the amount of fat removed. In most liposuction procedures, your surgeon will make small incisions into your skin and insert a thin tube called a cannula. The cannula is connected to a vacuum that suctions fat from your treatment areas. Your incisions will be closed, usually with absorbable sutures. Your doctor may require that you wear a compression garment on your treatment areas immediately after surgery to minimize fluid accumulation. Typically, you will spend at least a few hours in a recovery room until your body clears all anesthesia. Whether your liposuction is “day surgery” in an outpatient center or requires at least a night’s stay in a hospital, make sure you have arranged for someone to drive you home.
