Liposuction, also known as lipoplasty or lipectomy, refers to a cosmetic surgery procedure that removes unwanted fat from the body.
The more common areas include the abdomen, thighs, face, buttocks, back and arms, where traditional exercise methods may not remove these unwanted fats in a timely fashion.
In our modern Singapore work lifestyle where people hardly have time to exercise, liposuction is fast catching on as a way to remove unwanted fats fast.
Every day in Singapore, there are about a dozen male and female patients undergoing liposuction procedure.
The most natural way to lose unwanted fats is of course by dieting and exercising. However, these can take months of disciplined living.
For those who cannot afford the time or discipline, they resort to liposuction surgery. Liposuction removes fat cells which alters the shape of the body.
However, not all candidates are good for this procedure as it brings about it’s own risk, and the amount of fat that can be safely removed is limited.
In this article, we will discuss the very popular questions from Singaporeans on liposuction, including:
- Who is a good candidate for liposuction?
- How is Liposuction done?
- Which part of the body is suitable for Liposuction?
- Recovery time of Liposuction
- Results of the procedure
- What questions to ask your Doctor before a Liposuction procedure
- Side effects of liposuction
- Alternatives to liposuction
- Cost of liposuction in Singapore
- Liposuction patient reviews
- How to find the best Liposuction Doctor in Singapore
Am I a good candidate for Liposuction in Singapore?
Who is a good candidate for liposuction in Singapore? Firstly it is important to set the right expectations for this procedure.
This is a surgical procedure, so this means that this procedure comes with risk. You should be:
- In a good health condition if you want to undergo liposuction
- Have firm and elastic skin
- Good muscle tone
- Should be within 30% of your ideal weight
- Have concentrated pocket of fats that do not respond well to exercise
- Importantly, you should not have a life threatening or medical condition that can affect healing
In general, age is not a factor in liposuction. However, older patients may have less elastic skin and this may affect the final results.
What questions should I ask my Doctor before the Liposuction procedure?
Before you decide to go for this procedure, you should be talking with your doctor and setting your expectations. Here are some pointers you should be discussing with your doctor:
- Goals of undergoing this procedure
- Liposuction options
- Discuss likely outcomes
- Potential complications from liposuction
- Benefits and risks
- Total costs involved
- Your current medical condition
- Previous surgeries that you have undergone
As this is a surgical procedure, it is important that you understand all aspects of the procedure. Talk to your doctor and ensure that you feel comfortable before going for this procedure.
How is Liposuction done? – Liposuction Techniques and Methodology
Depending on the type of liposuction procedure that you are planning to undergo, it could be done as outpatient or inpatient. If you are targeting more than 100ml of fat, liposuction have to be done in a hospital, or in an ambulatory surgery centre.
Before the procedure, you will be given anesthesia. Again depending on the amount of fat to be removed, it may be local anesthesia or general anesthesia.
Once anesthesia has taken effect, a cannula will be used to perform the procedure. The cannula is attached to a suction device, and will be inserted into the body (into the fatty area between the skin and muscles) via small incisions.
Excess fat will then be sucked out using a suction pump or a large syringe.
However, with the advancement of technology, there are now new techniques, which is less tiring for doctors and because of that could enhance patient safety.
Tumescent Liposuction
This method will be done using tubes and under local anesthesia. Targeting the part of the body where unwanted fats is to be removed, a tube will be inserted into the area.
Next, a large amount of an anesthetic solution containing lidocaine and epinephrine is injected into the fatty tissue before traditional liposuction is done.
Ultrasonic liposuction (non-surgical and non-invasive)
Ultrasonic fat reduction is fast gaining popularity as it is a non-invasion treatment. Because of this, there is no recovery time, no side effects and no pain as well.
This procedure makes use of ultrasound waves which are transmitted with an ultrasound probe into the fat layer of the skin, stimulating lipolysis of fat cells.
This causes triglycerides to be released from fat cells.
These fats are then expelled from the body naturally. Less fats in the body results in visible inch loss at the treated area.
Laser fat reduction (non-surgical and non-invasive)
Laser fat reduction method uses low doses of light laser therapy to target parts of the body which do not respond to normal diet and exercise.
As low levels of laser energy disrupt the fat cell membranes, this releases intra-cellular fat from the body.
Best results from this procedure is usually achieved over a course of many treatments for the same body part. Intense exercise after treatment will further accelerate the breakdown and removal of fat from the area.
The good thing about this treatment is that it does not affect the skin, blood vessels and nerves around it.
Which part of the body is suitable for Liposuction?
Here are some parts of the body which is suitable for liposuction:
Recovery time of Liposuction
Patients who have a general anesthetic would have to spend the night in the hospital, while patients who had a local anesthetic might be able to leave on the same day, depending on the amount of fats removed.
Most people can expect to return to normal activities in about two weeks. The bruising and swelling should last for about 4 weeks, while numbness at the area where fat was removed will last for up to 8 weeks.
Result of Liposuction
It is important to wait for the swelling to go down before you judge the result of the procedure.
People who maintain their weight can expect excellent results.
For those who gained weight after liposuction, they might find their fat distribution altering. This means that if your problematic area used to be your stomach, it may now become your hips.
Side Effects of Liposuction
As this is a surgical procedure, there will be side effects to liposuction.
Common side effects of liposuction include:
- Temporary swelling, bruising, soreness, and numbness in and around the treated areas.
- Irritation and minor scarring around the incision sites where the cannulas were inserted.
- Baggy or rippling skin. The skin will usually tighten and retract after a few months. However in some people the skin may remain somewhat loose.
Less common side effects include:
- Colour changes in the skin.
- Uneven skin surface over the treated area.
- Damage done to the nerves and skin. The heat generated during ultrasound-assisted liposuction may burn the skin or damage the tissue under the skin.
Alternatives to Liposuction
If you do not wish to undergo the invasive Liposuction, here are some alternatives to Liposuction for you to consider:
1. Laser Liposuction
Laser liposuction is used for removing concentrated fats in any part of your body, which even a combination of rigorous exercise and diet will fail to get rid off.
It is also considered as one of the safest fat removal options. The technique uses cold laser to penetrate your skin and react with fat cells to make them release their fat, which is used later by your body for energy.
The procedure does not have any severe side effects. However, people with long-term diseases should not opt for this. This procedure has a quick recovery time, is generally considered safe and painless.
2. Mesotherapy
Mesotherapy will make use of multiple injections of chemical compounds directly into fat cells, destroying them in the process.
This procedure will also burn fats while helping with skin wrinkles and sagging, can be used in locations where wrinkles appear.
The downside is that this procedure may take many sessions for results to be visible.
3. Ultrasound
This procedure makes use of high frequency ultrasonic waves that penetrate the skin into the targeted fats without destroying the skin or the surrounding tissue.
This procedure will mechanically destroy the fat cells and is a non invasive treatment, and is a good alternative to liposuction.
4. Cryolipolysis
This new treatment is used to remove areas of fat in the lower abdomen or on the sides of the body by freezing the fats.
Because fat cells are more sensitive to cold temperatures than other skin cells, cryolipolysis freezes the lipids in fat cells which then slowly dissolve with no trauma or injury to surrounding tissues.
Because of this, results are not immediate and fat layer reduction becomes visible gradually only over the course of one to six months.
5. Radio frequency
This is one of the newer techniques, and it uses radio frequency which delivers energy to the areas of fat by driving controlled heat deep within the fat cells and subsequently destroys them.
There is no downtime for this procedure, and patients can resume their activities immediately.
Another benefit of radio frequency is its ability to both reduce fat and tighten the skin by directing energy to target collagen.
6. Endermologie
In this procedure, fat is removed by activating natural lipolysis and increasing blood flow. It not only has a positive effect on the skin, but also achieves far more accurate results that other non-surgical methods of slimming.
The down side to endermologie is that this is a long-term process and requires many sittings, and for results to show it will take around 6 – 8 sessions.
What is the cost of Liposuction in Singapore?
The final price of liposuction in Singapore depends on the doctor’s fee, the venue for the procedure, and the method used.
Depending on the method, some surgeons use the latest technology which will increase the cost of the liposuction procedure.
The price is also dependent on the amount of fats to be removed, and the location where the fat is to be removed.
In general, the cost of liposuction in Singapore starts from $1600 per body area. The traditional liposuction procedure will cost about $8000 to $18000 in Singapore.
Review of patients who have undergone Liposuction in Singapore
Here is one Singaporean patient sharing his experience:
I had toyed with the idea of having excess fat removed from my torso and chest regions for some time but felt it was better to exercise it all off. After several years of attempting this I decided to undergo liposuction in Singapore. I researched and compared having the procedure conducted in Thailand or Australia but once the Doctor personally I was convinced he was the right choice for me. He was extremely professional, answering my many questions via email prior to my initial consultation. So when I finally met with him in his rooms in Singapore I booked the procedure for the following week. I needed a general anaesthetic for the procedure so a specialist was needed to oversee this aspect. I was at all times treated with a delightful respect. Gently approached to make sure I felt comfortable and always attentively had my questions answered. The procedure went off without a hitch. I felt very little discomfort and was pleasantly surprised at how quickly I was able to safely make my way accompanied home. The following day my follow up was the first view I had of a greatly reduced me. I was ecstatic with the results.
You can find here for more reviews of Liposuction in Singapore.
How to find the best Liposuction Doctor in Singapore
Liposuction is a surgical procedure, and it is best to find a surgeon in Singapore that you are confident in. Schedule an appointment to consult with the surgeon to find out their methodology, and also to show you some of their before and after pictures of their patients in order to find the best doctor for liposuction in Singapore.
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In summary, here is the complete guide to all you need to know about liposuction in Singapore.
It is important to feel comfortable with your doctor, so do schedule a consultation with the doctor to see if the methodology of their surgical techniques matches what you have in mind.
Be very clear and communicate up front the result that you want.
Do view pictures of the before and after of the doctor’s patients for liposuction during consultation, and discuss the type of result that would be suitable for you.
Here’s to a more confident you!
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