Can I Have Liposuction If…
“Contraindications,” they’re called in the medical world: reasons a person might not be a candidate for a particular procedure. Since one of the most popular cosmetic surgeries in New York is liposuction, we field “can I have liposuction if” questions often. Here are some of the leading concerns prospective patients have.
My BMI is High
By now, we find most people interested in liposuction in New York understand that it’s not a weight loss tool. You can probably choose to move forward if you are somewhat overweight—meaning a BMI, or Body Mass Index, under about 30—notes an article in Very Well Health. We generally agree with the rest of the piece too: people with a BMI over 30 should understand that there’s a limit to how much fat can be removed safely. Hence, it’s much better for a person to be relatively close to their normal weight and to accept that liposuction is for light contouring. For a person with a high BMI, the only appropriate target may be a small area like under the chin.
I Have Another Condition
For people with diabetes, COPD, high blood pressure or another chronic disease, one priority in life is to manage the condition on a daily basis. Assuming this is the case for you, it’s likely that cosmetic surgery will be possible. With medication or other management methods keeping key measurements normal, your risk is probably no higher than any other patient’s. We’ll explore the topic with you and coordinate with your regular doctor.
I Have Lost Weight
Congratulations on improving your health! Like the majority of people who have dropped several or more pounds, you’ve found that traces of your overweight body remain. This is why formerly obese people so often seek cosmetic surgery near the end of their weight loss journey. We perform liposuction in New York for many weight loss patients and it’s normally quite safe when their BMI is at a reasonable point.
Of course, there’s often the matter of loose skin as well as leftover pockets of fat. That’s why we’ll evaluate your whole body when you come in for a consultation. We’ll discuss your goals and give you some options to consider.
General Anesthesia and I Don’t Get Along
If you don’t tolerate general anesthesia very well, and you have read that local anesthesia is not usually a good choice for liposuction patients (we agree), you might think you’re out of luck. Not so! We use IV sedation for nearly all our New York cosmetic surgery patients. When you work with us, you will be lightly but completely asleep during your procedure and you’ll feel nothing and remember nothing afterword. You’ll wake up quickly when we’re finished and you’ll suffer none of the ill effects of general anesthesia.
We can do this because our M.D. anesthesiologist, Dr. David Calvello, is highly skilled and has been by our side for more than 25 years. Read about him here.
I Take an Immunosuppressant
You are right to wonder about taking an immunosuppressant when you’re having cosmetic surgery—your risk of infection would be higher than that of an average patient. This doesn’t necessarily mean you shouldn’t have liposuction, however. We have operated successfully on patients with autoimmune conditions and on people who have had organ transplants. We are hyper vigilant when it comes to preventing infections.
We would talk this over with you in consultation and discuss how to be extra cautious during the recovery process. We would also want to coordinate with your primary care physician to be sure you get the green light for surgery and find out if you might be able to suspend your medication for a short time.
I’ve Had Hernia Repair
Most of the time, patients who have had hernia repair can have liposuction with no issues. Our consultations include a careful examination during which we can inspect the site of your previous operation. Of course, it partly depends on how close to the repair we would need to position the cannula to get the result you’re looking for. We may want to coordinate with your surgeon or get an x-ray if there’s any doubt, but generally previous hernia surgery is no problem.
Get the Picture?
By now you’ve probably spotted our theme: your doctors can help you determine whether cosmetic surgery is a good idea for you. Seeking input and scheduling consultations is the way to go. We would be glad to hear from you at our practice in New York—liposuction is one of our specialties and has been for 30+ years. If you contact us online and tell us your situation, we can begin a conversation.
