A body sculpting staple for decades, liposuction has met its match with noninvasive fat reduction treatments that are challenging this OG surgical option. TruSculpt Non-Invasive Fat Reduction is one of the most popular non-surgical treatments on the market today, but with so many options, it’s tough for people to decide which is right for them. If you ever wondered whether to undergo trusculpt or liposuction surgery, read on.
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What is Liposuction?
There are no two ways about it; liposuction is a surgical procedure involving anaesthesia, incisions, pain, and post-procedure recovery, which can last up to three months. Also known as suction-assisted lipectomy, the procedure involves removing small to moderate localised deposits of fat on targeted areas such as the abdomen, flanks, inner and outer thighs, and upper arms.
The liposuction procedure involves inserting an instrument called a cannula, a hollow tube that is inserted into the fatty areas by way of small incisions, and moving it around to loosen the excess fat. Similar to a vacuum cleaner, the fat is then suctioned out using a cannula connected to a vacuum or hand held syringe. Because of the movement inside the fat, the procedure causes significant trauma to the targeted area.
Because of the recovery time, pain, and cost, together with fears associated with surgery, the procedure has fallen out of favour now that less painful, non-invasive treatments.
Liposuction Recovery and Associated Post-Surgical Pain
Just the thought of undergoing a surgical procedure to reduce body fat might be daunting for people thinking about liposuction surgery. The fear of bruising, discomfort, and downtime surrounding the procedure has also scared more than a few patients away.
One of the most significant roadblocks to liposuction for many people considering liposuction surgical fat reduction is the significant pain and discomfort most patients experience after the procedure. Depending on the areas treated, patients can experience significant pain when sitting, standing, walking, or getting out of bed for seven to ten days.
It takes most liposuction patients about three months to feel completely normal again, with the worst discomfort resolving after the first month.
In addition to the pain, patients must wear a compression garment for several months after surgery. This can be uncomfortable and awkward. Additionally, many surgeons forbid cardio exercises like cycling, swimming, running, and even fast walking for the first month.
Steps of Liposuction Surgery
- Liposuction typically begins with the administration of anaesthesia.
- Next a small incision is made near the areas being treated. This could be one or multiple points of entry.
- A small cannula (hollow tube) is inserted into the incisions and moved around to dislodge fat in the surrounding area. The fat is suctioned out with a vacuum attached to the cannula or a handheld syringe.
- The incisions are then closed, usually with dissolvable stitches, and recovery begins.
Liposuction Recovery Process
After the liposuction surgery is complete, patients are dressed in compression garments to reduce swelling. Some bruising, redness, tenderness, soreness, itchiness, and discomfort can be expected. Depending on the individual’s pain tolerance, there are some patients that do well with over-the-counter pain medications like Acetaminophen or Ibuprofen after liposuction, while many require prescription pain medications.
Though the compression garments help to keep swelling to a minimum, it can take several months for the swelling to subside completely. The swelling will reduce significantly with each passing week.
Post-Liposuction Care Kit
Before surgery, make sure you have the following items easily accessible:
- Comfortable, loose clothing
- Towels to sit on to absorb any leaking fluids
- Pillows
- Bottles of water
- Soda crackers and/or ginger tea for nausea
- Pain medication
What to Expect from Days One through 90 Following Liposuction Surgery
First Day After Liposuction Surgery
- Expect to feel sore for the first 24 hours. Pain medication may be utilized at this time to ease discomfort.
- It is normal for bloody fluid to drain on clothes and sheets for the first 24 hours. Don’t worry! The fluid is put into the area before liposuction to make fat removal safer.
- Following the surgeon’s post-care instructions is imperative. Rest as much as possible during the first day. Compression garments can be a little uncomfortable at this time and take some getting used to.
- Avoid unnecessary movement. Ask family and friends to assist you at this time.
- Mild bruising, swelling, and some bloody fluid coming out of the incision is normal after surgery. These symptoms should gradually subside within 2–6 weeks.
The First 72 Hours After Liposuction Surgery
- It is common for bloody fluid to drain on clothes and sheets for the first 72 hours after surgery. Don’t worry! The fluid is put into the area before liposuction to make fat removal safer.
- Your compression garment should be worn at all times except during showering. Compression garments reduce swelling and speed up your recovery. Your plastic surgeon will let you know when you can stop wearing the garment.
- It is usually advised that you move every two hours to prevent blood clots. This also helps keep fluids moving and reduce swelling.
- Continue avoiding exercising during the first 72 hours.
The First Month After Liposuction Surgery
- Though mild discomfort is normal for the first month, the first week is usually the most challenging period for patients and will subside as the month moves along.
- Some residual swelling is still expected after the first month, but at this point, you will start seeing some of the initial results.
- If you work outside the home, you might be able to return to work and start light exercise after the first month.
- Remember to follow your provider’s instructions to the letter.
90 Days After Liposuction Surgery
- Three months after liposuction is normally when patients notice the treated areas beginning to appear tighter and smoother.
- Scars from the incisions will have faded at this point and should be barely noticeable and easy to hide.
- By day 90, you should feel like you’re finally getting back to normal and results will be more apparent.
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Can I Shower After Liposuction Surgery?
Even though liposuction surgery doesn’t involve large incisions, it is important to know how to care for your body after the procedure. This includes bathing. Though some surgeons will allow you to shower 24 hours after surgery, many may want you to keep your initial compression garments on for 2–3 days, which means you won’t be able to shower until after that period. When you do finally shower, run soapy water over the areas. Do not scrub or use a washcloth, loofa, or other bathing tool. Gently pat the area dry with a clean towel. Avoid non-running water such as baths, hot tubs, swimming pools, lakes, rivers, and oceans for the first 2 weeks.
* Follow your provider’s directions to the letter to stay safe and to ensure you’ll have the best results.
Will Fat Cells Return After Liposuction Surgery?
Because the body will not produce new fat cells as long as the patient maintains a stable body weight after the procedure, most patients do not experience a re-growth in fat cells in the treated area after liposuction. In general, the adult human body cannot generate new fat cells. The fat loss in the liposuction treated sites is permanent, and the fat cells removed from a specific area will not return.
When Will I Notice Results After Liposuction Surgery?
As with any surgery, it takes time for maximum visual results to appear after liposuction. The rate varies from patient to patient, influenced by factors like genetics, skin quality, diet, and water consumption. Having another procedure at the same time, such as a tummy tuck, can also affect the amount of time it takes to see results. Most patients begin to see visible results eight to twelve weeks after surgery with continued improvements for the next six months.
The TruSculpt Alternative
TruSculpt iD is a non-surgical, non-invasive fat reduction treatment that uses monopolar radiofrequency energy to eliminate fat cells throughout the entire fat layer, from just below the skin down to the muscle. It’s commonly used to contour the abdomen, flanks, inner and outer thighs, the chin, and the upper arms when other weight loss method efforts have failed. An alternative to liposuction, truSculpt does not involve the use of scalpels or stitches, and can be done in an office setting without anaesthesia, pain, or downtime.
What is truSculpt® iD?
TruSculpt iD uses Monopolar Radio Frequency technology to target fat cells selectively. Using a handpiece that emits the radio frequency energy, the device is placed over the targeted area, while pulses of energy cause fat cells to heat up and shrink, promoting skin contraction for a slimming and smoothing effect. Easily adjusted to conform to each patient’s needs, the level of heat can be adapted, so each person feels comfortable and experiences very little to no pain.
TruSculpt iD is a clinically proven, highly effective, and completely safe treatment that permanently eliminates fat cells from even the hardest-to-reach areas. truSculpt® iD is the only TGA-approved device of its kind that offers a non-invasive treatment option for body sculpting and fat reduction. It has been clinically proven to permanently reduce fat by up to 24% in as little as one treatment.
TruSculpt Procedure
By delivering radio frequency energy through the skin, fat cells absorb the energy in the form of heat, effectively destroying the unsightly fat without harming the skin at all. Once destroyed, the body naturally takes over and flushes out the old fat cells through the lymphatic system.
The procedure, which takes from 15 to 60 minutes, depending on the number of areas being treated, feels like a warm sensation on the skin, similar to a hot stone massage. Patients have not reported any pain or discomfort during the procedure and no prescription pain medications, cooling gels, or compression garments are required. Mild redness, swelling, and tenderness can last for approximately 10-12 hours, for which patients are advised to take mild OTC analgesics such as Tylenol.
TruSculpt iD treatment requires 2 sessions, 4-6 weeks apart. Maximum results are visible after approximately 10-12 weeks, however some patients begin to see improvement after as little as 4 weeks. Whereas liposuction actually removes fat through a hollow tube and suction instrument, Trusculpt does not remove the fat, but rather causes fat cell death. This disruption of cells allows the fat to leak and shrink and are gradually expelled naturally by the body.
TruSculpt Aftercare
The zero-downtime benefit makes TruSculpt iD a very appealing option. Drinking lots of water is important. It helps the fat cells travel through the lymphatic system and start to digest throughout the body.
Unlike liposuction, there are no restrictions on exercise or normal activities associated with TruSculpt iD treatment.
When Will I See Results After TruSculpt Treatment?
The procedure takes just a few minutes, and you can expect to see full results 6-12 weeks after your last treatment–that’s the amount of time your body needs time to clear away the destroyed fat.
With TruSculpt iD, patients can get the definition they desire, even in treatment. areas that have been resistant to diet and exercise. One of the main advantages of TruSculpt iD is that it is a simple procedure, requiring no anesthetic, no downtime, minimal discomfort, and maybe most importantly, no knives or needles!
Common Areas of TruSculpt Treatment
Thanks to the size of the handpiece, TruSculpt iD can address a variety of concerns and target hard-to-reach areas of the body including the face, upper arms, inner thighs, abdomen, flanks, and back regardless of loose skin or skin laxity.
Commonly Addressed Target Areas
- Double chin
- Belly fat
- Love handles (flanks)
- Inner and outer thigh fat
- Back fat
- Wobbly upper arms
- Butt fat
If you’re struggling with stubborn fat beneath the jaw, around the neckline, on your abdomen, flanks, inner or outer thighs, or upper arms, you’re not alone. Thanks to TruSculpt iD, a slimmer look can be yours in just a few minutes. The number of TruSculpt iD treatments required varies from person to person. That’s why we invite you to give us a call to set up a consultation. Once we have an idea of the problem and your goals, we’ll come up with an appropriate treatment plan that works for you.
Because the procedure is non-invasive, there’s no downtime or recovery period. You simply come in, sit back, and let us work our magic. Then you can get on with the rest of your day as if nothing has happened.
How Do Liposuction Surgery and TruSculpt Nonsurgical Fat Reduction Treatment Compare?
In 2000, over 350,000 Americans underwent liposuction, making it the most popular cosmetic surgery that year. But in 2022, that number dropped dramatically, to just over 200,000.
While it seems that our population is getting heavier, the number of people undergoing liposuction is getting smaller.
One reason for the decrease in fat-removing surgical procedures is the emergence of TGA-approved devices that eliminate body fat without diet, exercise, or surgery.
One common feature of both liposuction and TruSculpt iD is that maximum results take time to appear. But that’s really where the comparison ends.
Non-invasive, non-surgical TruSculpt iD is the latest fat reduction treatment that permanently eliminates up to 24% of unwanted fat with no pain, zero downtime, and no knives or needles needed.
With TruSculpt iD, patients can go back to their regular day-to-day lives immediately following their session. There are no restrictions on activities including exercise. In fact, patients are encouraged to exercise in concert with a healthy diet to derive maximum benefit from the treatment.
TruSculpt is painless, and involves no incisions and no special garments to support the therapy. And yet, people who’ve undergone truSculpt enjoy striking results, beginning only weeks after the conclusion of their treatments. These are progressive, becoming more noticeable with time.
Because TruSculpt iD causes no damage to any soft tissue except the fat itself, there’s no bruising and no downtime. Your body naturally eliminates the contents of fat cells over time, leaving your skin taut and your body sculpted.
Liposuction, on the other hand, is a good option for people who want to eliminate larger areas of fat. The procedure is highly effective at removing unwanted stubborn fat in the most common problem areas – inner and outer thighs, abdomen, love handles, back, upper arms, face and neck. The results of liposuction are dramatic and striking. But liposuction definitely has its downsides: a long recovery period (often up to six weeks) and cost. The cost for liposuction is quite a bit more than its nonsurgical counterparts because it is a surgical procedure involving anaesthesia and the use of an operating room of some type.
At Specialist Skin Solutions, a cosmetic clinic specialising in non-surgical, anti-ageing aesthetic procedures, including the latest laser techniques, dermal therapies, and anti-wrinkle injections, we proudly offer truSculpt® iD, the latest in state-of-the-art fat melting, body chiseling techniques.
We believe in transparency and education first and foremost, providing every client with information, explanations, and treatment options before performing any procedure. Offering a thorough consultation prior to treatment, we’ll discuss the areas of concern and the range of treatment options suggested to produce optimal results.
And because the number of TruSculpt iD treatments varies from person to person, we’ll create an individualised treatment plan, discuss our pricing structure, and explain in detail what you can expect both during and after the procedure.
At Specialist Skin Solutions, we’re dedicated to helping each one of our clients feel their best by bringing out their natural beauty and loving the skin they’re in at any age. We look forward to speaking with you!
If you have specific questions, call us at 02-4934-1700.
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Sources
- Dhami LD. Liposuction. Indian J Plast Surg. 2008;41(Suppl):S27-40. PMID:20174540
- https://www.verywellhealth.com/how-to-care-for-your-body-after-liposuction-2709843
*Disclaimer: This article is meant strictly for informational purposes only. truSculpt® iD results vary. There are risks with any procedure. Follow your provider’s directions to the letter to stay safe and to ensure you’ll have the best results.
