Liposuction (Lipoplasty)

At the Hunstad Center, liposuction is one of the most popular cosmetic plastic surgery procedures.  It is the permanent removal of localized areas of fat.  Although the procedure is not specifically for weight loss, significant amounts of fat can be removed which results in a fairly substantial weight loss.  Inconspicuous areas are chosen for a small incision, less than one quarter of an inch, through which fluid is injected.   This minimizes bleeding.  Fat is then removed using a hollow tube or cannula.  Dr. Hunstad utilizes a mechanical, motorized device known as power-assisted liposuction.  This is a motorized device, which moves the cannula back-and-forth allowing a greater degree of precision and control.  Areas that are commonly treated include the neck, chest or breast area in men, arms, abdomen or tummy, love handles, back, buttocks, thighs, knees, and calves.  In areas that are denser, ultrasonic assisted liposuction is utilized.  Through the same inconspicuous openings, a solid titanium cannula is used to emulsify fat using ultrasonic energy.  The liquefied fat is then removed using power-assisted liposuction techniques.  If very small areas are being treated, we may utilize the syringe technique for liposuction.  Prior to liposuction, we employ the tumescent technique.  This is where large volumes of diluted lidocaine and adrenaline are injected into the fat, which allows liposuction to be performed with minimal bleeding.  The instrumentation used for this is known as the “Hunstad System” which is distributed by the Byron medical group.  It is the most widely utilized system in the world for tumescent anesthesia.  Dr. Hunstad invented this technique in 1992 and it has proven to be extremely popular.  Recovery is dependent on the number of areas treated and the volume removed.  Smaller areas can have a short recovery time of only a few days, but larger, more extensive procedures typically require a longer recovery period.