I just had tumescent Smart Lipo done on my abdomen and a male breast reduction. The doctor suctioned out the liquefied fat after using the laser. If the excess fat was not suctioned out, what happens?
Liquified fat is aspirated to prevent collections of fluid and or blood; these collections can interfere w/ healing and the ultimate body/facial contour.
Also, this permits the skin to 'stick" to the underlying base of the tissue below the fat. The drape of skin can then mold to the underlying fascia and musle, giving the resulf a more sculpted appearance.
Christine Petti, M.D.
Laser or ultrasound assisted liposuction causes fat cell destruction. The fat cells are composed of a lipid bilayer and the lipids are metabolized and removed from the body. This means that it will take additional time for you to see the final result.
Dead tissue left behind from surgery is generally eaten up by the body by macrophages or walled off as a granuloma (firm permanent lump). The process of removal of this tissue involves inflammation. The mediators of inflammation cause pain and lumpiness ( temporary and sometimes permanent) and scarring, and prolong the healing (and therefore recovery) process.
While it is true that scarring can cause tightening of the tissue, the process of scarring can also cause contracture, or undesireable scarring. This in turn can cause limitation in motion and tethering of the skin, dimpling and irregularities. The formation of these problems is not predictable.
It is better not to leave dead tissue behind during surgery. This in my opinion includes leaving behind emulsified fat without doing liposuction to "clean up" the emulsified fat.
Contact the doctor
