Liposuction

Plastic Surgeon

The consultation always takes place with the plastic surgeon who will be treating you. During this initial consultation, you can explain what bothers you most about your body and what you would like to change. Together with your plastic surgeon, you will discuss your wishes and the specific areas in front of the mirror. Based on this, the surgeon will propose the surgical technique best suited for you and discuss it with you. In front of the mirror, the surgeon will explain what this technique entails and what you can expect in terms of the final result.

The plastic surgeon will then show you before-and-after photos of procedures he or she has performed. This will give you an idea of the possible results. At the end, your consultation will be summarized in a treatment plan, and the total costs will be discussed with you immediately. This will allow you to make an informed decision.

Would you like more information about your first consultation at Boerhaave? Read more here.

Consultant

Following your initial consultation with your plastic surgeon, you’ll have a conversation (by phone) with your consultant. The purpose of this conversation is to inform you about matters that need to be arranged regarding your liposuction. This ensures you’re well prepared for your treatment.

BMI

When you undergo general anesthesia during surgery, it is important that the procedure proceeds safely. For this reason, you should be at a healthy weight. Would you like to know if you are at a healthy weight?

Calculate your BMI here. The BMI (Body Mass Index) indicates whether your weight is healthy in relation to your height.

On the day of your liposuction, you are expected to arrive at the clinic half an hour in advance. The exact duration of the procedure depends on the number of fat cells to be removed and the number of treatment areas. Whether you receive local anesthesia or general anesthesia also depends on this. A minor liposuction procedure can be performed under local anesthesia, while a more extensive procedure will be performed under general anesthesia. If you’re undergoing a more extensive liposuction procedure involving multiple areas, you may need to stay overnight at the clinic.

Read here about how a typical treatment day generally proceeds.

How is the procedure performed?
For this procedure, we use tumescent liposculpture: this involves making one or more small incisions of about five millimeters in the skin folds, so that they are barely visible afterward. Through the incisions, a solution is injected into the fatty tissue to minimize blood loss and liquefy the fat. The plastic surgeon then uses fine suction cannulas to remove the excess dissolved fat. After the excess fat has been removed, the incisions are carefully closed with dissolvable sutures.

If your procedure was performed under local anesthesia, you can usually go home half an hour after the procedure. If you had general anesthesia, you will typically stay at the clinic for another three to four hours so that your blood pressure and heart rate can be monitored. Depending on the extent of the surgery, you may need to stay overnight. You may not go home until the nurse and the anesthesiologist deem it safe to do so.

Was your procedure performed under general anesthesia? If so, you may start with easily digestible foods at home, such as water, tea, and crackers. Try to avoid nausea and vomiting, as this reduces the risk of post-operative bleeding and/or swelling at the wound site. It’s also important to drink plenty of fluids.

It is normal for some fluid—and occasionally blood—to seep from the incision sites during the first 24 hours. There is no need to worry about this; it will resolve on its own.

Post-treatment pain

After treatment, the treated area may initially:

• Feel painful and tender

• Feel sore

• Sore; and a burning sensation when you move

In addition, fluid buildup may occur in some areas. This usually resolves on its own after about two to six weeks.

Recovery

As with any surgical procedure, the body needs time to recover. The treated area will initially be quite swollen, and the scars may appear red and raised immediately after the procedure. Don’t be alarmed by this—it’s a natural reaction of the body. In addition, the skin around the treated area may turn blue to yellow, and you may experience reduced sensation in the skin.

You won’t see the immediate results right away, because your skin is quite swollen and puffy. The skin needs time to tighten and adapt to your new body shape. After a few weeks, the swelling will have subsided and the fluid will have disappeared. It is only after three months that you can properly assess whether the liposuction was successful. The final result will not be fully visible until one year after the treatment, as your body will not have fully healed from the procedure until then.

Due to your new body shape, it’s often necessary to buy new clothes. Be sure to take this into account well in advance.

Scars

The scars left after liposuction are small, averaging half a centimeter. The plastic surgeon will do everything possible to ensure the scars are barely visible.

During your first follow-up visit with us, you’ll be given a scar care cream to take home. As soon as the wound has closed and the scabs have fallen off, you may begin applying the scar cream. By applying this cream to the closed wound twice a day, you’ll increase the chances of a smooth healing process. It’s helpful to know that a scar takes one to one and a half years to fully settle. That’s why it’s important to keep your scars out of the sun and to always apply sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30 to your skin during the first year.

The results of liposuction are often permanent. Fat cells that have been removed will never return. However, a thin layer of fat remains just beneath the skin, which is necessary for a shapely figure and plays an important role in skin health. These remaining fat cells can grow larger again due to factors such as an unhealthy diet. Regular exercise and a healthy diet are therefore important for long-lasting results.

Our specialists take the time to thoroughly tailor the treatment plan and expected results to each individual’s specific wishes and needs. We carefully assess your body’s contours and ensure they remain in balance following the treatment. Boerhaave has helped thousands of people achieve their dream figure through liposuction.

Curious about the results? View the before-and-after photos of various liposuction treatments here.

It is important to remember that any surgical procedure can involve risks and complications. Plastic surgery procedures are generally performed on healthy individuals, so the risks and likelihood of complications are low. Through thorough counseling, a comprehensive medical history, and our professional approach, we minimize these risks to an absolute minimum.

The likelihood of a complication occurring during liposuction is rare. In addition, you can reduce certain risks by carefully following the instructions you have been given.

Possible complications include:

• Hematoma (a collection of blood under the skin that requires drainage)

• Adverse reaction to the anesthesia

• Postoperative bleeding

• Infection

• Changes in sensation

• Permanent visible scars

• Damage to underlying structures

• Unsatisfactory aesthetic result

• Irregularities

• Loose skin after liposuction

Smoking

Patients who smoke or use tobacco or nicotine products at the time of surgery are at a higher risk of complications, such as skin necrosis and poor wound healing. In addition, smoking can have a negative effect on anesthesia, potentially resulting in an increased risk of bleeding. It is important to stop smoking at least four weeks before the procedure and to continue abstaining throughout the entire recovery process.

It is important to note that people exposed to secondhand smoke may also face a potentially increased risk of similar complications. People who are not exposed to tobacco smoke or nicotine-containing products have a significantly lower risk of complications.