How to get the smoothest Liposuction results?

Different liposuction cannulas.
Cannula used in Tumescent liposuction.

Liposuction is the procedure which gets rid of unwanted fat. Unfortunately, some patients are often left with lumpy results, uneven results and end up going in search of corrective solutions.

If you’re considering Liposuction to the your love handles, saddlebags, or abdomen, familiarize yourself with the procedure and the options available to your surgeon. Know exactly how your procedure will be handled before you schedule it.

There are four main factors that can affect your liposuction result. Two of them have to do with the instrument used by your plastic surgeon, and the other two are related to the post op recovery period.

Factors which help achieve smooth Liposuction results

1) Surgical instruments: Thin 3mm liposuction cannula

The instrument that a plastic surgeon uses to remove the fat from your body is called a cannula. Cannulas come in a variety of sizes and are classified by the width of the long slender tube.  After over 25 years of performing Liposuction, I have found that the cannula which works best is a small, thin,  3 millimeter diameter cannula.

The small diameter cannula ensures that you don’t leave defects in the fatty tissue where fluids or blood can accumulate. Larger Liposuction cannulas allow fluids to accumulate and have a higher likelihood of uneven scarring and surgery results. Uneven scarring is what causes skin contour irregularities.

2) Surgical instruments: Small 1mm diameter holes at cannula tip

All Liposuction cannulas have holes at the tip where the fat enters the cannula tube to get sucked out. Although large holes allow the surgeon to remove the fat faster, small holes are best for the smoothest result. It defeats the purpose when you have a thin 3mm diameter cannula, but then the cannula has large oval holes! The larger oval holes can result in fluid accumulations and subsequently uneven scarring. So the cannula tip should have small 1mm holes at the tip.

3) Post op recovery: Topifoam pads under the compression garment

Immediately following surgery, topifoam pads should be placed inside your compression garment, next to your skin. The topifoam pads act like a splint on the skin holding it nice and smooth in place. Think of it like putting a lid on jello as it sets to let it set absolutely flat, even if the body is moving.

4) Post op recovery: Medical grade compression garments

Following surgery, you should be wearing a compression garment for the first two weeks. You want a compression garment that is tight enough but not too tight. It should also have shoulder straps so the garment does not kink or move when you move around or sit down. It should not be removed for even 5 minutes during the first 5 days! After that, it should be worn continuously for 2 weeks, only removing it for a few minutes for a shower.

I follow this routine religiously, and it works great for me – always the smoothest results!   Look at these before and after Liposuction photos to see my patients’ smooth, even results.

To learn more, watch my video about Liposuction cannulas read about the importance of Liposuction post op compression garments. In addition, it is always a good idea to read the Liposuction information page at the ASPS website.

(originally published August 7, 2013)

By Dr. Ricardo L. Rodriguez MD Board Certified Plastic Surgeon Cosmeticsurg Baltimore, Maryland Ricardo L. Rodriguez on American Society of Plastic Surgeons.

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6 thoughts on “How to get the smoothest Liposuction results?”

  • leslie says:

    Please comment/discuss the use of liposuction on the face for large jowls/cheeks. Can it be done without leaving visible lumps? Is laser or Ultrasound ok for the face to remove large fat pockets?
    • Dr. Ricardo L. Rodriguez says:

      All energy devices cause unpredictable death of surrounding cells with unpredictable scar formation. The "lumps" after liposuction are usually scar accumulations. I would be hesitant to use laser or ultrasound in the face. In my long experience (>30 years) the best results in the face are with small cannulas (2 to 2.5mm in diameter) with .75mm holes. Having said that, if there is a lot of liposuction and the skin is loose, skin sag may occur after liposuction. I would consult with more than one plastic surgeon to get a better handle of this.
  • Taylor Bishop says:

    I wanted to thank you for this advice for a liposuction. You mentioned that topifoam pads should be placed in the compression garment after the surgery. I'm kind of interested to learn how many pads would be needed or if it depends on how big the liposuction procedure was.
    • Dr. Ricardo L Rodriguez says:

      It depends on the area that was liposuctioned. Every area that was touched by a liposuction cannula gets covered by a pad.
  • Angel Jones says:

    Found your article very informative and would like to know where I can buy the best garment for adbomplasty surgery with lipo to flank area and thetopifoam pads I'm getting ready to have surgery in 2 weeks. Thank you
    • Dr. Ricardo L Rodriguez says:

      Angel: I feel hesitant to make recommendations, because I don't know what technique your surgeon uses and that can impact a lot what kind of garment you can use. But ask your surgeon about what kind of garment an why he likes it. Good luck with your surgery!