Will Most Surgeons Draw on Your Body Before Liposuction?

In my experience, the vast majority of surgeons will mark for two reasons: One is to confirm the areas discussed and to be treated as well as the incisions planned but also to delineate areas in the standing position that may change when a patient lies down on the operating table and makes these areas less prominent.

After the local anesthetic is infiltrated into the areas that are to be treated with liposuction, there can be some obliteration of landmarks from the swelling of the fluids. It is very helpful for me to see the areas that I have marked with my patients awake and standing up prior to liposuction, during the actual surgery. Furthermore, it helps the patient and me agree that we are both thinking along the same lines of which areas will be treated.

During your office visit, your plastic surgeon may draw on you to confirm and show you exactly where liposuction will be performed.  Also, he/ she may show you where the liposuction cannulae incisions need to be made.  These incisions are usually quite small, about 2-5 millimeters long and hidden in folds of your body.

Right before surgery, virtually all plastic surgeons will draw on your body while in the standing up position to ensure that both of you are on the same page regarding areas of liposuction. 

Best of luck with your possible procedure!

Dear Megan:

I mark my patients with them standing-up in the preop area right before performing liposuction. This serves as a topographical map of where the fat is. Since the skin, and fat, will shift when changing from standing to laying down, these drawings can be critical guide to obtaining a good result.

While can serve as a confirmation of the areas to treated, the drawing is part of the operation, and "final approval" of the operative plan should happen before heading for the operating room. The plan should be determined before the consent forms are signed. This occurs in the office at a preoperative appointment.

Dear Megan

It is critical that your surgeon understand your health status prior to surgery.   Liposuction is surgery.  The blood work does not "Map Areas and Help You See the Plan."  Blood work is done where medically indicated.  Each surgeon will have a different idea of what needs to be investigated.  The type of anesthesia and the size of the liposuction will influence this decision making process.  Also the nature of your health history very much affects this.  Typical lab work will include a complete blood count, a set of tests called a comprehensive metabolic panel, often serology to learn if you harbor a viral infection like HIV or hepatitis., and for sexually active women, a serum pregnancy tests.  Some surgeons will investigate your coagulation system but it is not clear that this is any more meaningful that questioning your history regarding bleeding.  This blood work has very little to do with the plan for fat removal and everything to do with your health and your ability to tolerate the planned surgery.   Those with heart or lung problems will warrant a detailed assessment of those systems as well. Many states have mandates that patients have some type of health assessment prior to any liposuction.  The State agency that licenses doctors in Georgia may have this information posted on their website for consumers.