Suck It Up: Liposuction

That bulgy middle has your mind screaming: "Liposuction…now!" But hold on a minute, not so fast. First you need to find out if you're a good candidate for this procedure. After all, it is surgery. Check yourself against this list to see if you might make the grade for having a liposuction procedure:

*You are within 30% of your ideal body weight.

*Your abdominal fat resists all your attempts at diet and exercise.

*Your weight hasn't changed for at least 6 months.

*Your skin has good elasticity and tone.

*Your skin is not saggy or loose.

*You don't have stretch marks.

*Your expectations of liposuction are realistic.

*You have emotional stability.

*You understand the exact nature of the surgical risks involved in liposuction.

Isolated Spot

Relax…you didn't really think you had to fit all of those criteria did you? You must meet some of them, but you may not need to fit all these stipulations in order to have the surgery. In general, this procedure is well-suited to people who are close to their perfect weight. But if you have a large amount of fat in one isolated spot, you are still a probable candidate for liposuction. The thing to remember here is that most people who have liposuction find it to be a great incentive for losing weight, but the procedure cannot cure obesity.

Tummy Tuck

A patient with good skin tone is the one will respond best to liposuction surgery. If you have stretch marks or sagging skin, liposuction may make you look even worse. Where skin tone is not ideal, it's better to go with a tummy tuck.

In the case where a large amount of fat is withdrawn during liposuction, say 11 pounds worth, the patient will require an overnight stay in the hospital.

If you have any of these risk factors, your risk for complications from a liposuction procedure increases:

*You smoke

*You have a family history for blood clots

*You have liver, lung, or heart disease

*You have poor circulation

*You have diabetes

Certain medications may also increase your risk for complications from the liposuction procedure. Your physician should be made familiar with your medical history before accepting you as a candidate for surgery.

As for the procedure itself, you may be given general anesthesia, only sedation, or perhaps a local anesthetic. The procedure may be performed at a surgical center, doctor's office, or in the hospital. The surgery can take anywhere from 30 minutes to 4 hours. Women are better candidates for liposuction than men, since they have softer fat that is less fibrous than a man's fat. This makes the procedure easier to perform. All costs included, liposuction can cost anywhere from $2000-$10,000.