Liposuction in Seattle

Procedure Illustrations

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Liposuction according to Seattle Cosmetic Plastic Surgeon, Dr. Lisa Lynn Sowder

Quick facts:

• Costs:  $3000 – $10,000 depending on how many area are done and how long it takes.
• Time in post-op bra and compression garment:  3 weeks.
• Time off work or school: 2 days – 1 week .
• Time off driving the kids to lacrosse: 2 days – 1 week or once you are off narcotic pain meds.
• Time off the gym:  2 – 3  weeks.
• Time off the slopes:  4  weeks.
• Time off the kite board: 6 weeks.
• Time off house work:  forever!   Just kidding.   Usually 1 – 2 weeks depending on how many areas were treated and how vigorously you scrub your floor.
• How long it lasts:  The fat that is removed is gone forever.  But if you gain weight, new fat will accumulate in other areas.
• Patient satisfaction:   high.

The fine print:

Even though Seattle is one of the fittest cities in the country, liposuction is one of my most frequently performed procedures. It is an effective treatment for localized deposits of fat. The best candidates for liposuction are healthy individuals who are at a relatively normal and stable weight and who have good skin elasticity. The most common areas for liposuction in women are the lateral thighs and abdomen and for men, the flank region. Fat in these areas is often determined by gender and heredity and can be very resistant to diet and exercise. Other areas that can be treated include the hips, the ankles and calf region, the upper arms, the upper back and mid back. Liposuction can also be used in the lower face and neck to improve the contour of those areas.

The results of liposuction are long lasting if the patient is able to maintain a stable weight. Weight gain can result in fat accumulation in the treated area or in untreated areas and is not predictable. Patients with major fluctuations in their weight are not good candidates for this procedure.

Liposuction is performed in my AAAASF certified Seattle office operating room or at Seattle Surgery Center (located adjacent to my office building) under a local anesthesia with sedation if only a small area is being treated. For more extensive procedures, I perform the surgery under a general anesthetic. This assures maximum patient comfort and, because the  airway is controlled , maximum safety.

I use a tumescence technique where I inject a dilute solution of local anesthetic and epinephrine into the fatty area to be treated. The tumescence technique helps break up fat and it constricts blood vessels in the area(s) to be treated. This reduces bruising and swelling and speeds recovery.

I use a power assisted liposuction (PAL) device that speeds the removal of fat and reduces surgeon fatigue by providing vibration to the liposuction cannula.    I do not use liposuction devices with other energy sources such as laser or ultrasound.  The chance of any damage to the skin or subcutaneous structures with the PAL is very, very low. 

Most patients take about a week off following the surgery. During this time, you are up and about but avoiding any vigorous activity and heavy lifting. Patients wear a postoperative compression garment day and night for about three weeks following the surgery. The garment can be removed for short periods of time for showering.

Light exercise such as walking can be resumed in one week. After three weeks, most patients can resume their normal exercise routine.

At the initial consultation, I interview and examine the patient and determine if they are a good candidate and whether or not their expectations are likely to be met. I show before and after photos to demonstrate what liposuction can achieve.

Check out my photo gallery to see examples of my work.
Check out this blog entry on Laser Liposuction.