Good questions -- but the answer is that everyone is different! With the "super wet" anesthetic technique adopted by many surgeons in the late 1980s, recovery from lipoplasty (liposuction) became faster -- but it still took 6 to 12 months before the final results were apparent. Today, further advances have improved recovery for many patients. I use a technique called ultrasound-assisted lipoplasty and find that the results patients obtain at 3 weeks are similar to the results I used to see at 6 months. Skin shrinkage, to conform to the new body contour, may continue for up to a year.

Board-certified plastic surgeons who are members of the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery operate in inspected and accredited surgical facilities. Infection is very rare under these sterile conditions. One cannot be as certain of the conditions in a facility that is not accredited, state licensed or Medicare certified.

Liposuction

There are temporary solutions (hylaform and other injections), less intrusive solutions (light spot abrasion with light chemical peel or “light” laser) and more permanent solutions (wide undermining and fat grafts, plus light peels) and skin programs (such as topical vitamin C and enzyme home programs). It is no longer necessary to lose skin color or appearance, or have a prolonged recovery time.

Soft Tissue Fillers