Since the development of laser liposuction as a means of providing a relatively safe method of liquefying fat, the opportunity for facial liposuction expanded tremendously. It was quickly followed by a surge in demand and the facial liposuction trend continues today. The precision of the laser technique coupled by the ability to work small areas of the body makes it an ideal method of slimming down and correcting the delicate regions of the face and neck.
Facial Plastic Surgery
The facial area is one of the most popular for plastic surgery procedures. But whatever the procedure the goals is almost always the same and that is to look younger and rested. That means eliminating lines and wrinkles either by Botox injection, skin resurfacing, rhinoplasty (nose job), blepharoplasty (eye lid surgery) or some other procedure. Facial liposuction is just one of the many options and can actually provide some extra positive side effects to improve the results beyond just removing fat.
Laser Liposuction for Facial Surgery
Many patients both female and male request facial liposuction because they want a slimmer face and more definitive features since the face is probably the hardest place to eliminate fat through traditional methods such as exercise and dieting. These areas that harbor stubborn localized pockets of fat are perfect for liposuction surgery. The most common treated facial areas are the chin to eliminate or reduce a double chin, the jowls to reduce a sagging appearance, or in the neck to eliminate rolls from excess accumulation of fat. Some procedures are also performed to cheeks to produce enhanced facial features.
Patients with a lot of elasticity in their skin, namely younger skin that hasn’t been damaged by sun exposure or other weathering effect, can expect optimal results from the laser treatment. This is due to the heat generated by the laser causing collagen in the skin to contract. This contraction means tighter and younger looking skin as a side effect. Older skin that does not have much of its elasticity might be recommended to undergo a facelift as a complement to further enhance the results of facial liposuction.
Side Effects of Facial Liposuction
As with any surgical procedure there are always risks involved and despite being a relatively safe procedure it is important for the prospective patient to be aware of these risks. Common side effects include bleeding, infection, embolisms, necrotizing fasciitis, nerve damage, scarring and anesthesia related risks such as allergic reactions and cardiac arrhythmia if general anesthesia is required. Depending on the exact procedure and technique involved there may be other risks.
Serious side effects, both surgical and anesthesia related are rare. Recovery time is one of the advantages facial liposuction offers because it is a quick and usually low pain. Most patients are released from the clinic to return home after a few hours of completing the surgery and able to return to work following a day of rest.
Superficial Liposuction
A technique that has received a bad reputation as of late is superficial liposuction. This is not without reason since there are many undesirable side effects of this liposuction technique when performed incorrectly. It was originally developed as a way to combat sagging skin that resulted from traditional liposuction. Since skin with less elasticity cannot contract well, removing fat under the skin can result in even more sagging of the skin. Superficial liposuction is a method of removing fat closer to the skin. This brings about a myriad of problems.
Working on the fat closer to the surface of the skin means threatening more nerves and tiny blood vessels. This can cause side effects such as necrosis and scarring when blood vessels that supply nutrients to the skin are cut off causing the skin cells to die prematurely. Also, in parts of the body a net of blood vessels will grow to make up for the original vessels that were damaged. This net-like collection of new vessels grows near the surface of the skin causing it to appear discolored and is a permanent effect.
The only place where this technique is acceptable is in the area of the face and neck because of the difference in vertical and horizontal direction of blood vessels. The different flow direction prevents the patches of blood vessels and resulting pigmentation from appearing in the face and neck. This is a common technique used in a face lift so as long as the practice is restricted to the face and neck regions superficial liposuction is a viable choice of technique.
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