Liposuction in Chicago and Northbrook, IL

Many people assume that, should they be overweight or obese, liposuction is the cure to all their weight problems. This is completely false. While it is true that liposuction can be a wonderful motivational tool to lose weight and get fit, liposuction was not actually designed for weight loss. Instead, the procedure was designed to contour areas throughout the body and provide a more even tone and appearance. The best candidates for liposuction are those who are relatively fit and have fat deposits in unwanted places that need to be removed. When this fat is removed from a fit individual, the body begins to take on a better shape.

The American Society of Plastic Surgeons recommends limiting fat removal to five liters, which is about 10 pounds. This is to maintain safety with the procedure.

The fees associated with liposuction tend to vary greatly due to a number of factors, such as the region, plastic surgeon, and area of the body. Patients should exercise great caution about trying to find the cheapest option, for as the saying goes, “You get what you pay for.” Choosing your surgeon and location based solely or primarily on the cost could mean a greater risk of complications, an unnatural appearance, incomplete results, and higher future costs. Dr. Schlechter is an experienced and skilled liposuction surgeon and can help you achieve the best liposuction results for a fair price.

Depending on your desired expectations and if you are going to transfer your fat to another area of your body, Dr. Schlechter will advise you as to which method of liposuction is best for you.

Liposuction does not address skin laxity, but there are other procedures that can help. Liposuction can generally be paired with another surgery, such as a thigh lift, tummy tuck, or even breast reduction, to remove unwanted fat bulges and tighten sagging skin in problematic spots of the body.

The recovery for each type of liposuction is quite similar. You can expect to come home wearing a compression garment on the treated areas. This garment is vital to your recovery and compresses the treated area to promote healing, ensure proper contouring of the tissues, and reduce swelling. You can resume your daily activities within a few days, but you should not do anything that will increase your heart rate or blood pressure, as this can increase the amount of swelling and bruising. Swelling and bruising typically last up to a week or so. Other than that, you should rest and take your antibiotic that is given to all surgery patients and any pain medications when needed.

Weight gain is still possible after liposuction, but it may be less likely and may not occur to the same degree that it would have if you had not undergone liposuction. With liposuction, you have fat cells permanently removed from your body, so you cannot gain weight as readily because there is a decreased number of fat cells. With that said, if you gain weight, your remaining fat cells will increase in volume; ergo, those areas will become larger. The treated areas may still “fill out,” but not to the degree they would have if the area had not been treated.

Liposuction permanently removes fat cells from the body. With a healthy lifestyle, the results can last for many years. However, if you fall into unhealthy habits and are not careful about your diet and exercise, your existing fat cells may grow, and you may gain weight. Liposuction can provide excellent motivation to maintain a healthy lifestyle and avoid future weight gain.