Jacksonville Liposuction – Jacksonville Body Plastic Surgery

At the Aesthetic Center of Jacksonville, Liposuction is a procedure that can help sculpt the body by removing unwanted fat from specific areas, including the abdomen, hips, buttocks, thighs, knees, upper arms, chin, cheeks and neck. Today, a number of new techniques, including ultrasound-assisted lipoplasty (UAL) and the tumescent technique are helping many plastic surgeons to provide selected patients with more precise results and quicker recovery times. Although no type of liposuction is a substitute for dieting and exercise, liposuction can remove stubborn areas of fat that don’t respond to traditional weight-loss methods.

Patients with stubborn fat pockets may find liposuction helpful

The best candidates for liposuction are normal-weight people with firm, elastic skin who have pockets of excess fat in certain areas. You should be physically healthy, psychologically stable and realistic in your expectations. Your age is not a major consideration; however, older patients may have diminished skin elasticity and may not achieve the same results as a younger patient with tighter skin.

Liposuction patients also may want to treat fat pockets on their back and waist

The time required to perform liposuction may vary considerably, depending on the size of the area, the amount of fat being removed, the type of anesthesia and the technique used.
There are several liposuction techniques that can be used to improve the ease of the procedure and to enhance outcome.

At our center in Jacksonville, Liposuction is a procedure in which localized deposits of fat are removed to recontour one or more areas of the body. Through a tiny incision, a narrow tube or cannula is inserted and used to vacuum the fat layer that lies deep beneath the skin. The cannula is pushed then pulled through the fat layer, breaking up the fat cells and suctioning them out. The suction action is provided by a vacuum pump or a large syringe, depending on the surgeon’s preference. If many sites are being treated, your surgeon will then move on to the next area, working to keep the incisions as inconspicuous as possible.

The surgeon inserts a cannula through small incisions in the skin. At the other end of the tube is a vacuum-pressure unit that suctions off the fat.

Fluid is lost along with the fat, and it’s crucial that this fluid be replaced during the procedure to prevent shock. For this reason, patients need to be carefully monitored and receive intravenous fluids during and immediately after surgery.

The basic technique of liposuction, as described above, is used in all patients undergoing this procedure. However, as the procedure has been developed and refined, several variations have been introduced.

A snug compression garment worn after surgery helps reduce swelling.

Tumescent Liposuction

Tumescent liposuction, typically performed on patients who need only a local anesthetic, usually takes significantly longer than traditional liposuction (sometimes as long as 4 to 5 hours). However, because the injected fluid contains an adequate amount of anesthetic, additional anesthesia may not be necessary. The name of this technique refers to the swollen and firm or “tumesced” state of the fatty tissues when they are filled with solution.

Ultrasound-Assisted Liposuction (UAL)

Improvement will become apparent after about six weeks, when most of the swelling has subsided.

The Ultrasound-Assisted Lipoplasty (UAL) technique requires the use of a special cannula that produces ultrasonic energy. As it passes through the areas of fat, the energy explodes the walls of the fat cells, liquefying the fat. The fat is then removed with the traditional liposuction technique.

UAL has been shown to improve the ease and effectiveness of liposuction in fibrous areas of the body, such as the upper back or the enlarged male breast. It is also commonly used in secondary procedures, when enhanced precision is needed. In general, UAL takes longer to perform than traditional liposuction.

Liposuction in Jacksonville Florida – Vaser Liposuction

We perform tumescent liposuction using the patented fat removal technology VASER LipoSelection®. This technique is not only safer than the previously used fat-removal methods, it offers a faster recovery time, is less painful, and can produce exceptional results. VASER LipoSelection® uses an ultrasonic technology that is tissue-selective. The ultrasound energy targets unwanted fat, but preserves other surrounding tissues—such as nerves, blood vessels and connective tissue— to promote smooth contours and rapid healing.

VASER LipoSelection surgery allows for effective removal of fat from the abdominal area, hips, buttocks, and thighs. Liposuction can also be used to remove smaller amounts of fat in areas of the neck, face, and arms. Although liposuction is not a substitute for diet and exercise, it can be helpful in removing stubborn areas of fat. Liposuction can be performed alone or in conjunction with another plastic surgery procedure, such as tummy tuck, buttock lift, arm lift, neck lift, or facelift.

• Visit the Vaser® website

We invite you to call one of our plastic surgery offices near Jacksonville at to schedule your personal consultation.