What to Do Before Liposuction

We’re at that point when we are thinking of that familiar motto “New Year, New You!” Throughout the past 12 months, many people have focused their attention on staying healthy and slowing the spread of the novel coronavirus. As we look ahead, we’re hoping to begin feeling a sense of gratification once again. One way that a lot of people have been attending to this desire is to undergo a long-wanted plastic surgery procedure. Liposuction has been among the top 5 procedures for several years. It is minimally invasive and offers results that are apparent almost immediately. Here, we discuss what to do before liposuction to get the absolute most from this procedure.

Hit your goal weight.

Liposuction can seem contradictory. It is a surgical procedure that removes unwanted fat but your surgeon tells you that you will not lose weight from liposuction. These are both true. Liposuction is the surgical removal of unwanted fatty deposits. There are limitations to the amount of fat a surgeon can remove, though. After this procedure, you may weigh about 5 pounds less. This is not a guarantee. The point of liposuction is not to make the number on the scale look better; it is to make your body look better. To achieve this, it is beneficial to be within about 15 pounds of your ideal weight.

Build muscle.

Liposuction is not a toning procedure but it does enhance body contouring. Thinning out a layer of fat in a troublesome area can be doubly impactful when that area is also more toned than it would be without exercise. For example, liposuction alone can smooth away a muffin top. Liposuction on an abdomen that has been subjected to crunches and other core toning might just reveal some carving that resembles a six-pack.

Avoid nicotine.

As much as possible, patients who are preparing for a surgical procedure are instructed to avoid smoking. It isn’t just smoking that is detrimental, it is the consumption of nicotine. This chemical inhibits oxygenation and circulation by constricting blood vessels. This can happen whether you smoke, chew nicotine gum, or receive nicotine in some other way. Circulation and oxygenation of tissue are vital to surgical recovery.

We can help you see a New You this year. For more information about liposuction, call our St. Peters, MO office at 636-535-2933.