It was back in the 1920s in France when the very first highly experimental surgical procedures were developed that would eventually lead to modern day liposuction. Just the same though, back then it was a very risky procedure that led to many people being killed, and disfigured but even back in the 1920s some people were willing to accept the risk.
Real progress in the development of effective liposuction though would have to be put on hold until sometime in the early to middle 1940s, due to the fact that it was then that penicillin was first extracted from the penicillium mold. So after the advent of this powerful new antibiotic, the door was wide open for doctors, and surgeons to begin working on new cosmetic surgery procedures which they did. There were FDA regulations in the U.S. though, so most of the work was done in Europe.
So you see, liposuction really is a relatively new surgical cosmetic procedure that really only began to take hold in the U.S., the UK, and Canada in the early 1980s, and what was offered back then was one basic type of procedure. It was basic in that an incision was made, and a metal tube (cannula) connected to a powerful vacuum was used to remove fat.
Now while on the surface, vacuuming out fat may seem like a relatively simple and safe procedure, the fact is that it does bring with it some inherent problems. Bleeding is one, and secondly any time a significant portion of a persons body is surgically removed there is the shock factor that enters the equation. It causes trauma, and also there was issues regarding aesthetic results control.
So it was apparent from the onset that in spite of its success rate, that better systems needed to be developed that could better guarantee plastic surgery patients that the procedure was safe, and also that they would be left with optimal results. Systems that would also allow for larger volumes of fat to be removed without multiple surgeries.
Ultrasonic liposuction is one of these newer and more improved techniques to arrive on the scene, and it was big step forward. It uses ultrasonic sound waves emitted at the business end of the cannula to actually vibrate fat cells loose as they are being sucked out, and the benefit here is that far more veins and blood vessels are left intact which meant less bleeding.
Even so, this new method is anything but perfect because for one thing, the high frequency sound waves can cause nerve damage in some patients that leads to numbness. Another issue is control, as pockets of fluid known as seromas are often as a side effect that can take weeks to heal. Seromas can also lead to an uneven surface skin texture.
One of the very latest developments to come available recently, is what’s referred to as laser assisted liposuction, and its overall effectiveness has been the subject of much debate. By the way, the laser does not in any way “blast or zap” away fat. Rather, it’s used to in effect seal off blood carrying capillaries as they are damaged during the procedure. Another function of the laser at the end of the cannula, is promote the production of collagen.
The next procedural development that followed laser, is tumescent liposuction, and it in fact eliminated some of the issues that came with ultrasonic. What makes this system so different, is that the area to be treated is first expanded with water injections that also contain a drug to shrink blood carrying capillaries, and lidocaine for pain. The benefit, aside from less bleeding, is that the surgeon is able to use a slimmer cannula as well.
One of the big benefits of this system is the water makes for a more liquid medium to work in and that in turn allows plastic surgeons to focus less on a difficult removal process, and more on shaping, and forming. Also because the area is bloated out by the water injections, there’s simply more room to work in, and greater ease in maneuvering around blood vessels. However; even this system has some problems.
The biggest issue that comes with this procedure, is that for some people the higher levels of lidocaine can be a problem, and also just like ultrasonic lipo some people experience temporary post operative nerve damage that can take months to recover from. Even so, all these new development render the prospect of surgical fat removal far safer than it ever was, and at the same time they do offer more choices for today’s patients.
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