Flip on any reality television show and you’ll probably hear someone talking about liposuction. That’s because it’s one of the most common cosmetic surgical procedures for the Hollywood elite, as well as the general population.
Liposuction is a fat removal procedure in which small incisions are made in order for plastic surgeons to dislodge and remove excess fat. You can get liposuction on your stomach, thighs, chin, arms — pretty much anywhere!
While liposuction is a renowned procedure, it comes with a fair share of drawbacks. In order to combat its downfalls, novel versions of the surgery have been invented in order to lessen the side effects and potential complications.
One example is Lipo 360, which is a liposuction procedure that encompasses the entire midsection rather than just one specific region of the body. Let’s get into the differences, benefits, and drawbacks of this body sculpting surgery in comparison to its traditional counterpart.
What is Lipo 360?
Traditional liposuction focuses on a single area of the body at a time. While this might be helpful when trying to reduce fat deposits on the skin, it can be inconvenient in the large abdominal region. The main reason is that through typical liposuction, your body contour may appear uneven or bumpy, giving you results you weren’t entirely expecting.
For example, someone may seek liposuction to remove fat on their hips. However, the end result may cause hip dips, or indentations on the sides of the hips that cause an undesirable body contour.
Lipo 360 is a more comprehensive procedure that combines liposuction of the entire midsection (the front and the back) to give you a sleeker and more defined abdominal profile. It means that the proportions of the entire midsection will be taken into consideration before the procedure has begun in order to avoid any abnormalities as a result of the fat removal.
Sometimes, this procedure is referred to as liposculpting, as it does more than just remove fat. In many cases, fat may be grafted from one location of the body to another in order to create a more defined and desirable waistline.
The Lipo 360 Procedure
Lipo 360 involves the methods of traditional liposuction. The main distinction is that it encompasses areas of your entire midsection, including your back.
First, your plastic surgeon will give you a form of anesthesia to numb the area. Then, small incisions will be made in areas where you are looking to get fat removed. These incisions are no larger than 5 mm in diameter.
Then, a small tool called a cannula is inserted into the incision to break up the loose fat deposits. These are then removed through a surgical vacuum or syringe, depending on how much fat is being removed.
In lipo 360, subsequent fat grafting procedures may be completed in order to achieve the desired body contour. Through grafting, fat that is removed from one area is inserted into another. For example, fat from your abdomen may be inserted into your hips to give you a curvier appearance.
Benefits of Lipo 360
Lipo 360’s main benefit over traditional liposuction is that it can reduce the risk of irregular contours or asymmetries in the abdominal region. This is because the entire midsection is taken into consideration before the procedure begins.
If you only treat the front of the body, it may not achieve the desired waistline as the body does not exist in a two-dimensional sphere. Additionally, surgical liposuction gives plastic surgeons a high level of accuracy in being able to sculpt your body to your desired contour, when compared to non-surgical alternatives.
Since the incisions of liposuction are so small, the recovery time is minimal. Most patients can go home the same day. While you might need to take off work for a few days, you can expect to be back to your normal everyday activities, including exercise, within a few weeks.
Lipo 360 can also improve clothing fit to finally allow you to wear those swimsuits or sundresses that have been sitting in your closet for years. Not to mention, it can give you the comfort and security to wear more revealing clothing the next time you go out.
Also, like any cosmetic procedure, lipo 360 can boost your confidence and self esteem, as it can get you closer to your best body. And since it can improve the contours of your entire midsection, it might be the perfect way to get that perfect beach bod just in time for summer.
Drawbacks of Lipo 360
The benefits of lipo 360 far outweigh the drawbacks. The main drawback of this procedure is that it is only available for your midsection, or abdomen. Lipo 360 can not currently be done on places like your arms or legs. However, traditional liposuction and other alternatives can still be conducted on these areas.
Also, as with traditional liposuction, there is risk of complications from this procedure. Possible risks include:
Temporary bruising and swelling.
Fluid accumulation.
Infection.
Rippling, bumpy skin.
Need for revision surgery.
Changes to deeper skin structures, such as veins or muscle.
Note that it is still possible for asymmetries to occur based on how your body adjusts to its new contour. With that said, it is much less likely in lipo 360 when compared to traditional liposuction.
Who is a Good Candidate for Lipo 360?
Liposuction 360 is a highly individualized procedure. With that said, one of the main criteria you must meet before getting this procedure is that you want to reduce or remove fat in your abdomen, as lipo 360 is only available for this area of the body.
Additionally, there are a few other things that a good candidate for lipo 360 will need to meet. Ideally, you should be:
Within 30% of your ideal body weight.
Uncomfortable with the appearance of your current abdominal contour.
Healthy and have no underlying health conditions that might affect the outcome of the procedure.
A nonsmoker.
Positive and realistic in your goals and expectations.
Other Liposuction Variations
Lipo 360 is a great procedure for people looking to get a more defined contour in their core. However, it might not be right if you’re looking to reduce smaller amounts of fat, or if you want to reduce fat in other areas of the body.
Luckily, there are plenty of different liposuction variations that each come with their own benefits and drawbacks.
Natural liposuction, for example, is a non-surgical alternative that uses ultrasound waves to burst fat cells to be removed by the body’s lymphatic system. This procedure requires no incisions and is safer than lipo 360, though it won’t be able to remove as much fat. Additionally, surgeons won’t be able to sculpt your body in the same ways as surgical liposuction.
Radiofrequency liposuction, or Thermi, is another non-surgical alternative that uses radiofrequency waves to heat subdermal fat beyond repair. Fat is particularly susceptible to heat, but surrounding structures such as skin and nerves are more resistant. This procedure is also great for removing smaller amounts of fat, and recovery time is virtually non-existent.
In some instances, especially after a dramatic weight loss, excess fat may not be the problem. Instead, you may need a skin tightening procedure to remove and flatten excess skin. A tummy tuck improves the appearance of your abdominal profile by cutting away hanging skin and then tightening the remaining skin to your new body contour.
In Conclusion
Traditional liposuction is a very common plastic surgery procedure to remove excess fat. However, one of its main drawbacks is that since it only pinpoints one area at a time, it can lead to asymmetries and irregularities. Lipo 360 is a type of liposuction that incorporates the front and the back of the midsection to improve the appearance of the abdomen and waist as a whole.
It works in the same way as traditional liposuction, though it may incorporate fat grafting to achieve a desirable contour. Lipo 360 can help boost your confidence, improve clothing fit, and finally let you live comfortably in your own skin.
There are plenty of other liposuction alternatives, many of which are non-surgical. Looking to blast away some excess fat? PH-1 Miami is proud to offer both surgical and non-surgical fat removal procedures to match your preferences.
It’s time to take the next steps towards your best body. Click here to get started.
Sources:
Fat Grafting | BreastCancer.org
Liposuction Risks and Safety | American Society of Plastic Surgeons
