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Are You A Good Candidate For Liposuction?

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By Jerome Edelstein, MD

The majority of people are good candidates for liposuction, a type of fat removal surgery, but certain factors may make a potential patient ineligible.IDEAL CANDIDATESIdeal liposuction candidates are in good health with a normal BMI. The procedure isn’t meant as a weight loss technique, but is intended to remove localized, disproportionate fat deposits from the body. These deposits don’t respond to healthy eating or regular exercise.

One of the best ways to determine if the fatty areas you wish to eliminate should be treated through liposuction or with exercise/diet is the “pinch test.” The pinch test involves grabbing a hold of excess skin and fat between two fingers in order to determine its structure, taking note of its pliability, the amount of fat and whether it is composed of a superficial fat deposit or structures like intra-abdominal fat or abdominal musculature. Localized, superficial deposits are best suited for liposuction treatment.

Age is not an issue – it is the physical and mental health of the patient that is most important. Elderly candidates in good health can successfully undergo surgery. An ideal candidate should be motivated to rid themselves of localized fat deposits and have a realistic expectation of what liposuction can do to improve their concern.

Having reasonably good skin tone (elasticity) is important to obtain best results with liposuction. As one ages, skin tone tends to decrease. This occurs after massive weight loss or pregnancy as well. A good indicator of reasonable skin tone is the lack of stretch marks or loose skin.

If the information above seems overwhelming, don’t worry: we ensure that all patients can be successfully treated before going forward with surgery. A good surgeon will always guarantee that their patients are healthy and aware of how effective liposuction will be for them.NON-IDEAL LIPOSUCTION CANDIDATESGood health is key to the success of liposuction treatment. Medical complications lead to increased surgical risks that may disqualify someone from being a candidate for the procedure. Anyone who suffers from a history of immunodeficiency disorders, seizures, cardiac arrhythmia, excessive bleeding, deep vein thrombosis (leg blood clotting) or pulmonary emboli (blood clotting in the lungs) may not be eligible for liposuction.

The use of drugs that increase bleeding (aspirin), anticoagulants (like Coumadin/warfarin) and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) is incompatible with liposuction as well. A risk of adverse drug interactions between medications that inhibit lidocaine metabolism and liposuction anaesthetic requires patients to discontinue the use of these medications for a minimum of two weeks prior to surgery.

Patients who expect to experience permanent weight loss as a liposuction benefit may be disappointed. Skin without good elasticity can also lead to a slightly wrinkled appearance. Understanding the risks of liposuction — and having realistic expectations for surgical benefits — makes for a good patient. Those who fail to consider potential complications and expect more from liposuction than it offers are not ideal candidates.

Special note:

Patients with a BMI of less than 25 in the normal range are considered to be ideal candidates. However, if you are a body builder, very muscular, or have lost more than 100lbs, a BMI of less than 30 may also be acceptable.

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