How many areas of liposuction can be treated at one time?
How many areas of liposuction can be treated at one time? I was wondering if you could have 10 areas of liposuction done in one week, like separate them into 5 each day, wait a day, and then have the other 5 on day 3? I am 5'4" and 150lbs, the largest area that would be removed is my butt. The rest of the areas just need a small amount removed, from my lower abdomen, my flanks, my lower back, my inner and outer thighs, my upper arms, my calves and ankles, and my mons pubis area liposuctioned. Is that possible to do in one week, if it is broken into two surgeries. I am a healthy 32 year old. Thank you.
The operation you describe could be done as a single procedure, but would carry increased risk of significant complication due to the large surface area of your body that would be injured. Many authorities rely on volume of aspirate to decide on the risk of liposuction, but more likely it is Body Surface Area that best indicates the magnitude and thus risk of liposuction (as is the case with burn injury). Operating on multiple areas increases the area of injury regardless of whether just small amounts of fat are removed, so you will need special precautions and overnight stay in hospital to optimize safety. At consultation, your plastic surgeon may well determine that the multiple areas you site do not require treatment or the procedure is best done in two steps months apart.
Body contouring surgery for someone of your height and weight is typically done in one setting with one recovery, provided you are healthy. Multiple areas can be treated. Liposuction of areas like the mons remove very small amounts of fat. Calves and ankles are rarely done. If the fat removal is going to be over 5-6 liters, or if it will take longer than 6 hours under general anesthesia, then staged procedures are recommended. It takes time to recover from surgery so second stage surgery can be performed 2-6 months later, depending on the individual. You need to be seen in consultation with a board certified plastic surgeon to determine what would be best.
Liposuction is a contouring procedure not necessarily a means to lose weight. The most important question is how much fat is estimated to be removed. On an out patient basis the maximum amount is 5 liters. If there is more than this amount then the procedure can be broken down into stages. I would consult with a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon in your area to determine what is the best option for you.
The limiting factor for most situations is the total volume of fat and fluid that is removed in a single operation, not the number of areas treated. Most Plastic Surgeons feel that a total of 5 liters (approximately 5 quarts) of total volume removal at onr time is safe and reasonable. More can be removed but would usually require close 24 hour observation by a nurse with intravenous fluid replacement, urinary monitoring via catheter, and frequent checking for fluid balance. Of course a second procedure can be done after a few weeks of healing. We also caution that liposculpture is not a procedure designed for large weight reduction.
Also, nonsurgical fat removal with Coolsculpting may be an option for isolated ares of small volume reduction with multiple treatments over time.
Having multiple areas of liposuction on the same day is very common. The concern is not how many areas you are having liposuctioned, it is how much fat is being removed. The recommendation is not to have more than 5 Liters of fat removed if you are having this done as an outpatient (going home). If you are spending the night in the hospital, there is no set limit as to how much fat can be removed. I usually try to limit the volume to about 10-12 liters if you are staying in the hospital. Usually when you reach high volumes like this, you may need to have a blood transfusion after surgery, before leaving the hospital. If you were to split this surgery into two operations, I usually recommend that you wait about 3 m onths between surgeries to allow the swelling to subside. But, that means having 2 surgeries, 2 recovery periods, and anesthesia 2 times which carries its' own risks. Make sure you select a Board Sertified Plastic Surgeon who specializes in Large Volume Liposuction if that is your need. Good Luck