People often have areas of their body that don’t seem to respond to diet and exercise. Robert Frank, MD Plastic Surgery helps patients reduce unwanted pockets of fat through liposuction. Patients from Munster, Hobart, Crown Point, and Frankfort often ask us to treat their:
- Thighs and lower legs.
- Hips, abdomen, and back.
- Arms and neck.
Dr. Frank can also move this fat to areas of the body that patients want to emphasize or re-contour. Our practice often combines liposuction with other plastic surgeries, such as the Brazilian Butt Lift, reducing our patients’ overall recovery time.*
Dr. Frank’s Approach to Liposuction
In an initial consultation, Dr. Frank talks with patients about their areas of concern and what they want to achieve. He explains what liposuction can realistically accomplish and may recommend additional procedures depending on the patient’s needs.
This is important because liposuction is not ideal as a weight-loss surgery alone. Instead, Dr. Frank uses liposuction to help patients contour specific trouble-spots, creating a slimmer and more aesthetically-pleasing appearance.*
By the end of the consultation, patients receive a price quote covering everything they can expect to pay, excluding postoperative medications. Though some plastic surgeons only price out the surgery, Dr. Frank wants patients to make their surgical decision based on all of the facts.
“This was an experience I would never forget! Dr. Frank is awesome and i’m in love with the results of my surgery. No complications and may scars are unnoticeable. Me results look so natural as if I didn’t get any surgery.”
– D.J
About the Procedure
Following preoperative testing and surgical scheduling, patients receive care in an accredited surgical facility near Hobart and Munster. Liposuction takes place under general anesthesia so that patients stay safe and comfortable throughout the treatment. During surgery, board-certified plastic surgeon, Dr. Frank:
- Makes a small incision in the targeted area.
- Injects fluid that anesthetizes the area, restricts blood vessels, and helps release fat cells.
- Uses a small cannula to suction out fat, contouring the area to a slimmer shape.
Recovery from Liposuction
Liposuction offers a relatively fast recuperation. Most of Dr. Frank’s patients are back on their feet within a day or two.* Typically, they wear a compression garment over the area treated, which helps to reduce spaces where fat used to live and give a more even appearance.*
Patients can usually see their results almost immediately. Liposuctioned areas should look slimmer and create a smoother transition from one area of the body to the next.*
Dr. Frank’s Advice on Recovery
We all have our own ideas of how long recovery should take. Unfortunately, this means many patients try to rush their recovery and go back to normal activities. This trend is especially true among young mothers who want to spend every moment with their children. They may attempt to play with or pick up their children before their bodies are ready to handle that strain.
Dr. Frank sees rushed recoveries in several ways, with one of the most common being pain. Patients who try to be too active too early in the recovery process often find themselves running through their pain medication too soon and have to ask for an early refill. Rather than increase the amount of medication you take, you will feel better sooner and end the period wherein you need the medication faster if you allow your body to rest. Do not force your body to undergo more physical strain than it is ready to handle. It is okay to take 30-minute breaks on the couch.
Another way Dr. Frank sees patients push themselves too hard is an increased risk of both swelling and dangerous hematomas.
For example, after liposuction, your body needs time to move fluid out of your skin. Patients who have had liposuction will have skin that feels firmer than untreated areas because of this fluid buildup. Getting that fluid out of your skin is one of your recovery goals during the weeks after surgery. But if you activate your muscles near the treated area, that activity draws fluid into the area, which increases swelling and often pain. In the case of a tummy tuck, too much activity early in your recovery can increase blood pressure, which then causes more oozing into the space created during surgery. While a little fluid is normal, it’s easy to overwhelm your body’s ability to absorb this fluid. A hematoma is the result.
To minimize these concerns, Dr. Frank encourages all patients to clear their schedules of everything except the most essential duties for the two weeks after surgery. You should minimize the amount of childcare, job responsibilities, meetings, social activities, and home chores in which you partake so your body can rest. You will feel better and recover faster if you plan ahead so that your body, not your calendar, determines when you are ready for your physical activities.
Schedule Your Liposuction Consultation Today
If diet and exercise are not helping eliminate unwanted pockets of fat, consider liposuction. Patients from Munster, Hobart, Crown Point, and Frankfort can learn more by calling Robert Frank MD Plastic Surgery at (219) 513-2011. You can also schedule your consultation with our online form.
*Individual results may vary