The simple fact is that almost every medical procedure carries risks – some more than others. When it comes to fat removal those risks vary depending on the type of procedure you choose.
Keep reading as we look at some fat removal methods and their safety.
Abdominoplasty or Tummy Tuck
This is an invasive type of surgery which requires doctors to make large cuts and incisions to the patient’s abdomen. During the procedure, excess fat and skin are removed so that the muscles and connective tissues in the abdominal wall can be tightened.
A tummy tuck produces the kind of dramatic results other fat removal procedures can’t. On the downside, recovery from a tummy tuck can be long and painful. Plus, as with any kind of invasive surgery, there is always the risk of infections and complications.
The most serious complications rarely occur and include blood clots and thrombosis, as well as complications involving the heart and lungs. Other dangers of a tummy tuck are skin loss, skin discoloration and persistent pain.
Liposuction
Liposuction is a form of minimally invasive surgery which involves making small incisions and suctioning fat tissues from the body through a narrow tube. There are different types of liposuction, each with its own method of breaking up fat tissue so that it is easily removed.
Compare to a tummy tuck, liposuction causes less discomfort and pain and patients generally recover quicker. Dangers, however, include infection, blood clots, disfigurement and punctured organs. The more advanced methods of liposuction tend to carry lower risks, with the most reported issues being bruising, soreness and swelling.
Non-invasive methods
Several non-invasive, non-surgical procedures for fat removal and body contouring are available and are steadily gaining in popularity. These do not require any form of cutting and while the results are not as immediately dramatic, they carry little to no downtime and very minimal side effects compared to a tummy tuck or liposuction.
Each of the non-invasive procedures works by breaking down pockets of fat which the body then naturally flushes out over the course of a few days or weeks. They cause minimal to no damage to skin or underlying muscle tissues. Among those cleared by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are:
- CoolSculpting – uses cryolipolysis which kills fat cells by cooling
- Ultrasound fat reduction – creates pressure changes which break down fat cells
- Laser fat reduction – uses heat to break down fat cells
- Red light therapy – specific wavelengths of light are used to shrink fat cells
- Injectable deoxycholic acid – a digestive substance found naturally in the body is used to break down fat cells
Consult a plastic surgery professional for advice on the procedure you are considering. For example, you can call PlatinumCare LA to find out more about CoolSculpting.
So, is fat removal really dangerous? As you can see, that depends on the results you are after and the procedure used to get them. Be sure to click on the links we included in the article to find out more about fat removal as you research which fat removal procedure is right for you.
