Liposuction Glossary

Body Jet Lipo

This is water liposuction that originated out of Germany. The machine sprays the tumescent fluid at a high force and various pulse frequency to wash the fat off of the subcutaneous support structures. Very large volumes of anesthetic fluid are utilized with this procedure. The large amount of anesthetic fluids that are used with the procedure may affect the quality of the fat suctioned. If desired for transfer the large amounts of fluid may affect the viability of the fat.

Body Sculpting or Body Contouring

A variety of surgical techniques and procedures that can be employed to enhance body appearance. These include removal of fat cells via suctioning (and, sometimes, repositioning that fat to another body area via injection), inserting implants to augment the shape of a body area and/or removing excess skin with a variety of “lift” procedures. While exercise remains the best way to achieve an optimal body shape and tone, body sculpting procedures can effectively eliminate excess fat and skin that is unresponsive to diet and exercise.

Dry Method (Liposuction)

The oldest form of liposuction, the Dry Method was imported to the United States from Europe in the early 1980s. Unlike the Wet Method of liposuction, no fluids are pumped into the tissues before removing the fat. While the Wet Method is often performed with local anesthetic, the Dry Method usually requires a general anesthetic due to increased pain. The Dry Method usually involves more bleeding in the treated areas and occasionally required blood transfusions if large or multiple areas were treated.

Fluid Injection Liposuction

A technique whereby a special medicated solution containing an intraveneous saline solution, lidocaine (a numbing medication) and a drug to contract blood vessels (usually epinephrine) is injected into targeted areas before the fat is removed by liposuction. The injected fluid helps the surgeon remove the fat with less trauma, provides anesthesia for pain control, helps to reduce blood loss during the surgery and also helps to reduce bruising following the surgery.

Hi-Def Liposculpture for Men

A form of liposuction that uses ultrasonic energy and can be utilized by a talented surgeon to selectively reduce fat while simultaneously creating muscle definition in a targeted area.

More specifically, the ultrasonic waves are transmitted beneath the skin to liquefy the fat for ease of removal, and the hi-def technique focuses on the precise removal of the superficial and deep fat surrounding a particular muscle group. The resulting effect is that the underlying musculature is attractively accentuated. While the technique is most commonly used on the abdominal area, it can also be used to define biceps, triceps and deltoids. Compared to other liposculpture techniques, the hi-def option is widely considered to be the “next generation” for body contouring.

Injection Lipolysis

Lipolysis is the scientific term for the breakdown of fat molecules (Medline). Injection Lipolyisis therefore refers to the breakdown of fat through injections of external substances.

Houston Liposuction Glossary Cont’d…

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