Frequently Asked Questions

Tumescent liposuction is considered the gold standard of liposuction surgery. This technique offers more safety, less recovery time and minimal risks and complications for the patient. Tumescent lipo is done by administering local anesthetic agent into the target area to make it numb and to loosen the fat for easy removal.

Lasers work by emitting a light beam that is adjusted in a frequency that is safe for surgical use. The laser on the cannulas used in laser liposuction melts the fat cells so that they can be suctioned out of the body.

Anyone who has stubborn fat, causing disproportions in their figure that cannot be improved through diet or exercise, could be a good liposuction candidate assuming they do not suffer from life-threatening illnesses.

Patients who are obese and have multiple health problems are not advised to undergo liposuction surgery because of their increased risk for developing complications. Severely overweight patients, however, may be eligible to have liposuction provided they lose some weight before undergoing the surgery.

During your initial consultation with Dr. Tirgari, you will be free to express your concerns and ask your questions regarding the procedure that you wish to have. He will also discuss how the procedure is performed and what should be your expectations before, during and after having liposuction.

Once you have decided to undergo laser liposuction, you will schedule a pre-op appointment between three to four weeks before surgery. At this appointment your measurements will be taken for the compression garments you will wear after surgery. We will also advise you which medications you should or shouldn’t take.

You will be given some time to rest after the surgery, but you can leave the clinic on the same day. You may be given some pain medications to minimize the post-op discomfort that you may feel, but you may return to your regular activities the next day. You will also be scheduled for a follow-up consult so that Dr. Tirgari can ensure proper healing.

The time of surgery varies depending on the size of the target area. Typically, it may last from one to three hours. However, patients with minor fat deposits may be done within 30 to 40 minutes.

In most cases, it is safe to treat one to three areas in one session. Should you need to treat more areas, you will be advised to return after a month of recovery.

The amount of fat that will be removed varies depending on the target area. However, keep in mind that liposuction is not done for weight loss purposes. The aim is to remove fat deposits to achieve a more contoured and proportional figure. Typically, patients have one 1 to 2 liters of fat removed, which will actually give more visible results than a 2 ½ to 5 pound weight loss.

Your surgeon can safely remove up to 5 liters (approximately 11 lbs.) of fat. However, this limit is not what determines how much fat will be removed, but rather how many areas can be safely treated at once.

Liposuction is recommended for clients who are between 18 and 78 years old. However, the surgeon also considers the overall body and health profile of a patient who wishes to undergo liposuction.

Keep in mind that the elasticity of the skin decreases with age. Therefore, it may not be ideal to remove a lot of fat in older patients because their skin may not be able to recuperate with the loss of underlying fat, making the treated area sag.

Patients are encouraged to take long, slow walks in the days following surgery to encourage healing. Most patients can return to all forms of activity between one to two weeks after surgery.

• Abdomen
• Hips
• Buttocks
• Inner & outer thighs
• Anterior thighs
• Arms
• Male chest
• Neck
• Chin
• Back
• Flank(love handles)

But, essentially, any area can be treated.

You will be given a mild sedative to keep you relaxed during the procedure. Antibiotics will also be given as a prophylaxis for possible infections. The target area will be cleansed and marked by the surgeon. Next, local anesthesia will be injected on the target area to make it numb. The insertion of laser micro-cannulas will then be started and fat will be liquefied and suctioned out. Once this is completed, you will be wrapped in surgical bandages, if needed, and free to go home if you feel well.

After having liposuction surgery, the treated area may be swollen for several days. Once the swelling has subsided, and your doctor has already told you to stop wearing the compression garment, you will see the visible results of the surgery. The fat cells that were melted and removed will not grow back. With the help of diet and exercise, you should be able to maintain the results of the liposuction procedure.

One of the main benefits of having laser liposuction is its skin-tightening effect. The heat coming from the laser induces the production of collagen. This protein gives the skin a firmer appearance, thus preventing it to sag and become loose.

You will be able to return to work after two days of having the procedure. There may be swelling, bruising and mild pain on the treated area, but this will eventually subside. The incision sites will also be draining with the excess anesthetic agent for 24-48 hours. You can resume performing strenuous work after 2-4 weeks.

Any type of invasive surgery poses some risk. With regular tumescent or laser liposuction, risks can include:

• Infection
• Bleeding
• Uneven contouring
• Difficulty healing
• Change of skin pigmentation
• Temporary blisters
• Scars
• Nerve injury
• Reaction to anesthesia

Smokers may be at higher risk for complications so your surgeon will ask that you stop smoking six months prior to undergoing laser liposuction.

Since the skin is more toned before pregnancy, women are advised to have the liposuction procedure before having a baby. You may discuss this with our cosmetic surgeon.

There will be mild discomfort during the instillation of local anesthesia. Patients reported the feeling to be like a “pinching” sensation. However, once the anesthesia has taken effect, the liposuction procedure will be completely painless.

Very few patients come back to our clinic for touch-up procedures. Our surgeon can deliver satisfying results on the first session.

With the experienced professionals at Avalon Lipo & Aesthetics, the chances are very low. Our surgeon takes the time to fully assess your body profile before doing the procedure. If he identified that you are prone to having irregularities, you will be given per-treatment to prevent these.

In regular tumescent and laser liposuction, the incisions made are very small (less than 2 mm) because we use micro-cannulas. In addition to that, both the tumescent anesthetic fluid and laser technology additionally help close up small blood vessels, so the chances for scarring are very low.

It is recommended that patients wear the prescribed compression garments for 4-6 weeks (and possibly longer). However, not all patients need to wear compression garments. This all depends on the treatment area and your treatment plan.

If you have any additional questions, we will be more than happy to answer them. Please call us today at 619-494-3678 to schedule a consultation at our office in San Diego or Carlsbad.