| __________ |
INTRODUCTION |
__________ |
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Fat
and cellulitis: what is the difference ?
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 |
The
extent to which fat cells are concentrated in different parts
of our body is genetically determined from the beginning. The
zones with "normal" fat and the zones of future "cellulitis"
are identical, except that the latter contain a high concentration
of fat cells. From adolescence onwards, the fat density will lead
to increased weight and size. This has three consequences: a gradual
stretching of the skin, an expansion of the cavities which enclose
the cell-bundles and a hardening of the tissues. This results
in the typical appearance of orange-peel skin, usually on top
of local fat deposits.
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Bad
eating habits, excess weight and lack of physical exercise speed
up this process.
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What
can be undertaken against local fat deposits ?
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Dieting,
sports, creams, massage, drainage, endermology, etc... ?
Although they can be beneficial, the effectiveness of all
these techniques on the deep fat is limited.
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| __________ |
TECHNIQUE |
__________ |
|
Liposuction
was refined by Dr. Illouz (France, 1978, suction of fat by
means of a medical aspiration pump), who built upon the work
done by several other physicians, of whom Dr Dujarier (France,
1929, attempt to "scrape away" the fat), Dr Wilkinson
(USA, 1968, scraping, curettage of fat), and Dr Fischer (Italy,
1977, sucking the fat by means of a system of canulae)
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How
to avoid pain ?
By going about gently, using thin needles and a
low aspiration force (which one obtains by simply
pulling the piston of a syringe).
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How
can one avoid haemorrhages ? By temporarily slowing
down the local blood-circulation (as done in dentistry
as well as in small dermatological surgery).
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How
to avoid unevenness and relapse ? By using a syringe,
at the end of the removal of the fat, to check that
no fat comes along anymore, which confirms that
all fat has been removed. |
|
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This
removal of fat, gently, completely and with precision,
after a perfect preparation of the zone to be treated,
is called liposculpture. |
|
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This
method allows for the fat to be sucked up using an aspiration-pump,
under general anaesthesia. The traumatism proper to this technique
results in a lot of discomforts: pain, bleeding, unevenness,
relapse.
|
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Dr
Fournier (France, 1986) refined this technique and made it into
what it is today. Other physicians, who did not not appear before
the footlights, have also contributed.
|
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Liposculpture
is a technique to remove local deposits of fat by means of a
syringe, under local anaesthesia. |
|
| |
Liposuction |
Liposculpture |
| Stay
in hospital |
Yes |
No |
| Anaesthesia |
General |
Local |
| Preparation
of the tissues prior to the treatment |
No |
Yes |
| Removal |
Pump |
Syringe |
| What
to expect from liposculpture ? |
|
Liposculpture
makes it possible to correct a disfiguring silhouette, and
in some cases to improve the surface of the skin.
|
|
|
But
your expectations need to be realistic. During your first
consultation, your physician will explain to you what are
the possibilities and the limitations in your particular case.
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As
in all cases of aesthetic surgery, this change of your appearance
can possible also boost your self-confidence. |
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The
first consultation: |
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|
|
This
takes about one hour: clinical examination, discussion of the
choice of zones to be treated, explanation of the advantages
and disadvantages.
|
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A
picture is taken of the zones to be treated. This is analysed
and discussed together with you, bearing in mind your future
silhouette as a whole.
|
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The
information given needs to be clear, comprehensive and honest!
It must also answer your specific questions and take into account
the uniqueness of your body. |
|
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This
discussion may bring about a relationship of trust between the
physician and his patient, an indispensable requirement of any
intervention which is performed for aesthetic purposes. |
| |
Prior
to the intervention: |
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A
preliminary check-up must be carried out (blood sample and electrocardiogram)
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On the day of the intervention: |
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Since
only local anaesthesia is needed, no stay in hospital is required.
The patient must present himself at the agreed time and can
return home immediately after the intervention, accompanied
by another person.
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The
intervention takes on average between 2 and 4 hours.
Depending on the size of the zones that require treatment, one
can "gently" go back to work on the next day, or else
after having rested for 1 or 2 days.
|
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After
the intervention: |
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|
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A
thin self-resorbing thread under the skin closes the points
of entry.
The patient himself can remove the bandage on the third day.
Lymphatic drainages are recommended during a fortnight.
|
|
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During
four weeks, one must wear a lipopanty: day and night for two
weeks, only during the day for the next two weeks. One may take
off the lipopanty to take a shower. |
| |
The
follow-up consultations: |
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|
|
|
The
patient goes for a check-up after one month and after three
months.
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| __________ |
FAQ |
__________ |
|
At
birth, our body contains a certain capital of fat cells.
These are more or less unevenly spread, depending on
our hereditary disposition. The number and the volume
of these cells increases until we reach adolescence.
After this period, only the size of these cells can
increase. Their number has by then reached its definitive
figure.
Remark: it is true that pre-adipocytes exist which can
evolve into fat cells, but these too are removed during
liposculpture.
|
|
|
When
you loose weight by dieting, the only consequence
is that the volume of the cells diminishes (especially
in the upper half of the body!). The distribution,
however, does not change.
|
|
Locally
sucking up fat cells, on the other hand, does
make disgracious forms disappear by definitively
excluding any relapse in this zone !
|
|
It
is obvious that the we must be able to control that
the aspiration has been executed in the most complete
way, which is the big advantage of the technique
of liposculpture with the syringe. |
|
| Is
the intervention painful ? |
|
Prior
to the intervention, the patient takes in a sedative,
which makes him sleepy or which even makes him fall
asleep. This makes the local anaesthesia become trivial.
|
|
|
The pain after the intervention depends on the size
of the fat removal which is performed as well as on
the sensitiveness of the patient. On average, the pain
will disappear after 2 or 3 days. Painkillers are prescribed
anyhow. One should refrain from sports during two weeks.
|
| Does
the intervention make you loose weight ? |
|
Yes,
depending on the volume of fat which is removed, but all
in all the loss of weight is relatively small. After all,
liposculpture is all about reshaping the silhouette, and
not about a way to loose weight ! |
| When
it is necessary to loose weight, is this best done before
the intervention or after it ? |
|
After
it. This allows for the silhouette as a whole to be better
shaped. Also, one is stimulated by seeing the better-shaped
treated zones. |
| What
happens to the skin ? |
|
The
state of the skin is examined during the first consultation.
If it is sufficiently elastic, it will regain its shape
without any problem. The appearance and the firmness of
the skin will not suffer. However, if the skin is not
sufficiently elastic, it may become flabby or wrinkled.
Which constitutes a counter-indication for the treatment
! |
|
|
These
are hidden as much as possible in the folds of the skin
or in already existing scars. They are 4 to 5 millimetres
in size, and after a few months they take the colour of
the skin. It is very important not to expose them to the
sun and not to go on a sunbed during the first few months.
|
| What
are the side-effects and what is the risk of possible
complications ? |
|
Subcutaneous
haematomae, pain and a temporary problem of sensitiveness
of the skin are the most common side-effects. |
|
For
information, please find hereby the list of all the possible
sequellae of the lipo-suction from the American Academy
of Cosmetic Surgery… |
|
Common
side effects:
edema, ecchymosis, dysesthesia, fatigue, soreness, scar,
asymmetry, and minor contour imperfections are expected
sequellae.
|
|
 |
|
Uncommon
complications:
skin necrosis, severe hematomas, recurrent seromas, nerve
damage, systemic infection, hypovolemic shock, intraperitoneal
or intrathoracic perforation, deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary
edema, pulmonary embolism, and loss of live have been
reported.
|
|
|
Occasionnal
side effects:
persistant edema, long-term dysesthesia, hyperpigmentation,
prurits, hematoma, seroma, and drug or tape adhesive reactions.
|
|
|
NB:
Patients who are admitted to hospital, where they find
themselves among many other patients a lot of whom suffer
from an infection, risk being infected themselves by a
so-called nosocomial or hospital-acquired infection. Such
infections are often caused by bacteriae that resist to
most antibiotics. This constitutes a major problem for
modern medicine: in Belgium alone more than 75,000 people
per year are infected after being admitted to hospital.
2.800 of them do not survive the infection. These figures
continue to increase at an annual rate of 7%. |
| And
what about the corrugated board effect ? |
|
This
is caused by an uneven and incomplete removal of the fat,
which leaves visible traces of fat under the skin. It
is therefore crucial that the fat be completely removed
! The technique of removing fat with a syringe, in other
words liposculpture, makes it possible to check precisely
this. |
| How
do the results progess ? |
|
During
the first two weeks, little difference can be noticed.
The results will gradually become apparent afterwards:
60% after 1 month, 90% after 3 months, full stabilization
of the tissues after 6 months. |
| __________ |
INDICATIONS |
__________ |
|
Very
much in demand ... but seldom performed ...
Indeed, when a visible result which gives full satisfaction
is asked for, then two conditions must be met: a
substantial concentration of fat and a sufficiently
firm skin.
|
|
|
In
order not to risk injuring the nerves, one has
to avoid treating the cheeks and the corner of
the jaw.
|
|
A
good indication consists of accumulations of fat
at the outside of the arms. Soft fat under the arms,
however, are a counter-indication.
|
|
Aspirating
fat from the female breasts will result in flat,
empty breasts. This is therefore no indication.
With men it is precisely the opposite, on the condition
that the breasts' volume results from fat and not
from overdeveloped glands. This has to be examined
by means of an echography. |
|
Located
at the junction of the cervical vertebrae and
the vertebral column. Can also be treated. |
|
This
area is the easiest one to be treated !
|
|
|
This
zone can possibly be complemented with the costal
folds, under the bra, if the fat density is sufficient. |
|
One
can go as far as the hollow of the back, which results
in a much finer silhouette. |
| The
outside of the thighs: the "jodhpur" |
|
The
indication par excellence !
Must often go together with the side of the buttocks,
in order to obtain a refinement of the same form.
Careful however for the "false jodhpur",
which is caused by too slack a skin.
|
| The
front and the rear of the thighs |
|
In
most cases, these constitute a counter-indication,
because a homogenous infiltration of fat is involved,
with no clear indication where to stop.
|
The
inside of the thighs
|
|
This
zone is quite painless because the tissues are
supple.
Extra attention needs to be paid to the condition
of the skin, which is often thin in this area.
|
|
These
too constitute an excellent indication.
Buttocks have to be slender in order to be elegant,
but they also have to be curvy in order to be
sensual ...
|
|
|
Particularities
of the buttocks:
| - |
a
fold of the buttocks cannot be removed |
| - |
a
"banana" under the buttocks can
never be fully removed, since this may result
in folds ! |
| - |
"sad
buttocks", heavy on the outside, must
be fought by all means ! |
| - |
"flat
buttocks" can be rounded by exercising
the muscles, by protheses (as for the bosom
...) or by injections of fat combined with
liposculpture above and below in order to
obtain a nicer, curvy look.
|
|
|
This
area is the one where treatment gives the highest
pleasure, since removing the curve at the inside
of the knee makes the leg optically longer ... |
|
|
The
patellar fat-folds, however, can only be partially
removed, so as to avoid causing folds. |
|
There
must be a clear accumulation of fat, which is only
rarely the case. The legs are usually "pole-shaped",
which results from the shape of the sural muscle. |
| Particularities
of liposculpture with men ? |
| __________ |
PICTURES |
__________ |
|
Even if lots of pictures showing results can been seen on lots of websites, the medical association in Belgium does not allow us anymore to show them, reason why you won't find any here.
On the other hand, you will, during the consultation, have access to all those pictures to show you the quality of our work.
|
If
you wish to have specific information relating
to your case,
please come and see us.
|
