Liposuction in Nashville, TN, With Dr. Cash
Liposuction is a minimally invasive procedure to remove pockets of excess fat.
The goal is to slim and reshape your body, improving your contours and balancing your proportions for a more attractive appearance. Liposuction can be used to trim excess fat from almost anywhere on your body, including your abdomen, hips, thighs, buttocks, upper arms, and under your chin.
Liposuction can be paired with fat grafting to further enhance your appearance. In this combination, some of the fat removed with liposuction is processed for injection into a part of your body where more volume is wanted.
To learn more about liposuction and how it might benefit you, contact Nashville Plastic Surgery today to schedule a consultation with Dr. Michael Cash. Dr. Cash has attained certification from the American Board of Plastic Surgery. He has the training and expertise to perform complex reconstructive surgery and customized cosmetic procedures with remarkably natural-looking results.
Why Choose Dr. Cash for Liposuction?
Liposuction is a type of plastic surgery that is minimally invasive and uses only small incisions. Given that, your choice of surgeon is the most important decision you’ll make in the process. Ample experience with this procedure is crucial. Always choose a surgeon who is board-certified through the American Board of Plastic Surgery (ABPS), which is the only valid board certification for a plastic surgeon. Dr. Cash has earned certification from the ABPS.
Choose a liposuction surgeon who listens and whose results demonstrate a flexible and customized approach. A skilled plastic surgeon will tailor the details of each cosmetic procedure to your unique needs and desires. As one of the best cosmetic surgeons in Nashville, Dr. Cash will spend time with you to understand the results you hope to achieve. He’ll explain what you should realistically expect, plus the risks and costs. He equips his patients with the knowledge they need to make decisions confidently, always treating everyone with respect and attention.
Why Might I Consider Liposuction in Nashville with Dr. Cash?
Liposuction removes pockets of fat that remain even when you are near your ideal weight — the stubborn bulges that resist slimming with diet and exercise. Liposuction can flatten a double chin, trim your waistline, and reduce excess fat from your thighs or upper arms.
You might consider liposuction if you’ve achieved a healthy weight but are bothered by localized areas of excess fat. Parts of the body that are commonly slimmed with liposuction include the:
- Abdomen
- Chest and back
- Hips and thighs
- Upper arms
- Buttocks
- Calves and ankles
- Chin and neck
- Breasts (especially for men)
Liposuction can also be combined with other surgical procedures. It is often included as part of a tummy tuck, for example, and can enhance the results of a breast augmentation or breast reduction.
What Happens in a Liposuction Procedure?
When you come in for your liposuction procedure, the area to be treated will first be numbed with an anesthetic. You may also be sedated for the treatment. In some cases, liposuction is performed under general anesthesia. Once your skin is numb or you are fully sedated, a thin tube (cannula) is inserted through a small incision. The fat is then broken up using one of several techniques and suctioned out through the cannula. Different types of liposuction are distinguished by the way the fat is broken up to ease extraction.
- Tumescent liposuction uses an injection of sterile fluid to make the fat easier to remove.
- Ultrasound-assisted liposuction (UAL) uses ultrasound energy to liquefy the fat tissue for removal.
- Laser-assisted liposuction (LAL) uses high-intensity laser light to break up the fat tissue.
- Power-assisted liposuction (PAL) uses a rapid back-and-forth movement of the cannula to break up the fat.
Dr. Cash will use the liposuction technique or combination of methods best suited to remove excess fat safely and with optimal results.
A liposuction procedure typically takes between one and three hours, depending on how much fat is being removed and from how many locations on your body.
You can go home when the procedure is finished and you are fully alert. You’ll need a friend or family member to drive you and stay with you, at least for the first night.
At Nashville Plastic Surgery, our mission is to treat you with the utmost respect, help you make an educated decision, and provide you with the finest medical services in a safe and professional environment.
Dr. Cash, our board-certified plastic surgeon, specializes in breast augmentation, tummy tuck, liposuction, and more. Schedule a consultation today to learn more!
Am I a Good Candidate for Liposuction?
Dr. Cash can tell you in your consultation if you are a good candidate for liposuction. You may be a good candidate for the procedure if you:
- Are unhappy with the appearance of specific parts of your body because of stubborn diet- and exercise-resistant pockets of fat
- Are close to (within 20 to 30 pounds of) your ideal weight
- Are in generally good health
- Have firm, elastic skin that will not sag or appear lax and wrinkled when fat is removed
As part of your consultation, Dr. Cash will examine you to determine whether the distribution of fat on your body is suited to treatment with liposuction and whether your skin has the resilience to tighten over the areas to be treated. If your skin is loose, liposuction might be combined with a skin-tightening procedure.
It’s important to note that liposuction is a body-contouring procedure, not a way to lose weight. Liposuction removes moderate accumulations of fat from specific parts of the body. It can’t be used to remove large amounts of fat over broad areas.
The best candidates for liposuction have realistic expectations for the results of the procedure and an understanding of the risks.
What to Expect in Liposuction Recovery
You’ll need some time for rest and recovery at home after your surgery. You can expect some swelling and bruising at first. To minimize swelling and promote healing, you will probably be supplied with compression garments or bandages. Temporary drains may be placed to allow the discharge of excess fluid. Any discomfort can be treated with pain medication. Most patients take a few days off from work after the procedure.
Dr. Cash will provide you with detailed instructions on how to take care of yourself as you recover, when to see him for follow-up appointments, and how to reach him with any concerns. You should be able to resume light activities after about a week, gradually building up to your typical activity level over the next few weeks, following Dr. Cash’s guidance.
Schedule Your Nashville Liposuction Consultation
Contact Nashville Plastic Surgery online or by calling (615) 454-2271 to schedule a consultation for liposuction with Dr. Cash. He will examine you, ask questions to understand your goals for the procedure, and give his recommendations for the best and safest approach. Patients in metro Nashville and throughout middle Tennessee choose Dr. Cash as their cosmetic surgeon because of his ability to create stunning results and the caring attention he and his staff provide.
FAQs for Liposuction | Dr. Michael Cash
The cost of your liposuction in Nashville, TN depends upon a variety of factors, including the area that you want to treat. After holding a thorough discussion with you, Dr. Cash and our team will give you a detailed breakdown of costs so that you can make an informed decision about your liposuction according to your finances.
Liposuction is performed under general or local anesthesia, which means that during the procedure itself, you should not expect any pain. But similar to other surgeries, you may feel soreness around the treatment site after the anesthetics have worn off. By taking medications and following postoperative instructions provided to you by Dr. Cash, you can manage your pain during the recovery process. This post-surgical soreness should dissipate a few days after your surgery.
Liposuction is a versatile procedure that can be performed on various areas of your figure. This includes your chin, neck, abdomen, chest, back, upper arms, hips, buttocks, thighs, calves, and ankles. Depending upon your goals, you can have liposuction in multiple areas during a single surgery. After your initial consultation, Dr. Cash can suggest which areas of your figure will be best treated with liposuction.
How much is Liposuction?
Swelling after liposuction is common and it can often take several months to see the final result. However, immediately after the procedure you will have a postoperative compression garment and foam padding to place pressure on the area to help with the swelling. This garment should be worn for several weeks after the operation. The small incision holes will have stitches in them that will be removed the following week. We ask patients to wait 2 weeks before getting in a bathtub, pool or hot tub while those heal.
Exercise should be limited to light walking for the first few weeks with a gradual increase in physical activity.
Fat does not weigh a significant amount and while people often appear that they have lost a lot of weight, in fact they may have only lost a few pounds overall. Removing the fat in the right areas can quickly change how thin someone looks, how well clothes fit, or how comfortable someone is in a bathing suit.
Full recovery from the discomfort of the operation is about 2 weeks. The first week the patient is sore, but not debilitated. Patients are able to take care of themselves, shower, etc. The soreness usually lasts 5-10 days and then the patient feels fine. Often a compression garment is necessary for several weeks after the operation in order to get the best outcome and minimize the swelling during this time.
There is mild discomfort after liposuction which is often able to be managed with ibuprofen and tylenol. A numbing fluid is injected before the liposuction which helps with the discomfort. Most of the time the patient goes home the same day and the discomfort is easily managed.
Liposuction is removing the fat from an area using small incisions (less than 5mm) and sucking fat out using a cannula or a metal tube. This is able to decrease the overall size of the area and improve the contour and shape of the body.
A tummy tuck is a more complex operation where skin and fat are removed through a longer incision. Often the abdominal muscles are tightened during this operation which improves the contour of the abdomen as well. Both operations are appropriate for different patients and often they are combined to give the patient the best outcome and greatest improvement.
After your Nashville, TN liposuction, you may experience some swelling and bruising around the surgery site. These side effects may take a few weeks to subside; however, you can typically see the full outcome of your liposuction upon their resolution. Typically, it may take 1 to 3 months after liposuction for you to notice your results. Depending upon your recovery, Dr. Cash will provide you with personalized advice on how soon you will see your results after liposuction.
Liposuction permanently removes excess fat cells from the treatment area. These fat cells do not grow back after the treatment. However, if you experience weight gain after the procedure, as little as 10 pounds, the fat cells around the treatment area can still grow larger. By maintaining a healthy lifestyle and avoiding significant weight gain after your liposuction, you can sustain your results for a long time.
You may resume strenuous activities, such as exercise, typically after 4 to 6 weeks following your liposuction. However, every patient is different and reacts to recovery in their own time. After your follow-up visits with Dr. Cash, he will provide you with personalized advice on how soon to resume your normal exercise routine.
Liposuction is a process where the fat is removed from underneath the skin through small holes and can cannula which sucks out the fat. The area is first filled with a fluid which makes the area numb and helps control bleeding. Through small holes a cannula (a metal tube) is inserted and the fat is removed by suction. There are several types of liposuction that can help with areas that are more fibrous or if the desired outcome is increased skin tightening over the area as well.
Most patients do not complain of a lot of discomfort after this procedure. The numbing fluid placed at the beginning of the procedure will last for several hours after the procedure and you will have pain medicine available. However, we find that most people can manage the discomfort with ibuprofen or tylenol.
A compressive garment will be provided for the patient which will be worn for several weeks after the procedure.
The amount of fat that can be removed depends on the areas involved. There are two layers of fat, superficial and deep. A greater volume of fat can be removed in the deep layer and the superficial layer should only be removed in specific circumstances.
If a very large amount of fat is removed (over 4-5 liters) the patient would need to stay in the hospital overnight to observe them. Most of the time, patients go home the same day safely after the procedure.
Liposuction will last as long as the patient does not gain weight again after the operation. The remaining fat cells can get bigger if the patient gains weight. Liposuction combined with a healthy lifestyle can be a permanent change.
The patient needs to wear a compression garment after the operation for several weeks. However, there are not usually drains involved with liposuction alone. Sleep is a crucial part of recovery after any operation and we encourage patients to find whatever position is comfortable to sleep in. Most people are able to sleep in their bed and are able to find a position where they can rest. This position depends on the areas being addressed during the liposuction.
The results from liposuction can often be seen immediately after the operation, but the final outcome will take several months while the swelling finally subsides.