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Liposuction

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Stubborn diet & exercise resistant fat can be a source of real frustration, but there's a real solution. Learn how liposuction can help you get a smooth, slender shape you'll love.

INITIAL RECOVERY TIME: 5 DAYS

FINAL RESULTS: 3 MONTHS

Liposuction in Richmond, VA

Considering Liposuction?

You stick to a healthy diet, work out nearly every day, and keep your body weight healthy. Overall, you’re pretty lean. Yet stubborn fat pockets on your hips, thighs, belly or elsewhere just won’t budge, thwarting your efforts to look your best. Does this sound familiar? It’s an all-too-common situation, as we are all genetically programmed to store fat in certain locations. Stubborn fat bulges are notoriously difficult to reduce through diet and exercise, but they are no match for liposuction.

This tried-and-true procedure can help you get the smooth, svelte body you want, removing excess fat and sculpting a beautiful, sleek contours that enhance your natural proportions. With a relatively short recovery and results that are ready to rock within weeks, you’ve got nothing to lose but unwanted fat.

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Before & After Patient Gallery

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Am I a good candidate for Richmond liposuction?

Liposuction has been the most popular cosmetic surgery procedure in the U.S. for years and helped millions of men and women improve their shape. According to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, a a staggering 17.5 million liposuction procedures were performed in 2017. There is a reason it is so popular – it’s a versatile procedure, effective for fat removal in the abdomen, hips, thighs, knees, upper arms, back, and neck.

Because liposuction only removes fat, it’s great for patients whose primary concern is excess fat, but it won’t improve sagging or excess skin like a tummy tuck can, and won’t improve stretch marks. If you can answer “yes” to the following, chances are you’re a great candidate for liposuction:

  1. You have unwanted pockets of fats that are not responsive to diet and exercise
  2. You’re at a healthy, stable body weight
  3. Your skin contracts well
  4. You’d like to refine your proportions by reducing fat in specific areas

What areas can liposuction treat?

Liposuction is effective at permanently removing fat in the following areas of the body:

  • Abdomen
  • Upper arms
  • Buttocks
  • Calves & ankles
  • Chest
  • Back
  • Hips
  • Thighs
  • Neck
  • Chin

How much does liposuction in Richmond cost?

The cost of liposuction in Richmond can vary based on your personal needs and aesthetic goals. Please contact Dr. Chen for a personal consultation to discuss your liposuction options.

About the liposuction procedure

Liposuction is a relatively straightforward procedure for most patients. Dr. Stephen Chen uses his artistic skill and 12+ years of experience as a board certified plastic surgeon to remove precise amounts of fat and sculpt a better shape to a patient’s body. He is experienced in a variety of liposuction techniques, including VASER Liposuction, a less invasive technology that reduces post-operative swelling for an enhanced recovery.

The procedure involves one or more small, slit-like incisions, placed in inconspicuous locations whenever possible. Dr. Chen uses a thin, wand-like device called a cannula to separate and remove fat cells from surrounding tissue to reduce a fat bulge and sculpt a smooth, shapely contour to the area.

Following your liposuction procedure, Dr. Chen will place a compression garment around the area for support and to help control post-operative swelling. You will be allowed to go home shortly after your procedure.

What is liposuction recovery like?

Pain after liposuction is minimal; typically, patients describe feeling sore and stiff, similar to how they’d feel after a tough workout. Any discomfort can be controlled with pain medication. You will be able to get up and walk around the same day as surgery, and light activity can be resumed within a few days. Post-op swelling may increase initially and peak about 48 hours after surgery; wearing your compression garment will help.

Patients typically return to a desk job within 1 week after liposuction, and exercise can be gradually resumed after 2 to 3 weeks. Expect to wear your compression garment for up to 6 weeks, except to shower.

Enjoying your liposuction results for many years to come

While many patients notice a difference just days after surgery, your liposuction results will continue to improve for several months, as residual swelling and bruising dissipate. You’ll be pretty close to your final shape within 2 to 3 months, and final results are usually apparent about 6 months after your procedure.

Since the excess fat cells are gone, liposuction results are intended to last indefinitely. However, liposuction is not a substitute for a healthy diet and exercise. For your results to last, you need to maintain a stable weight. If you gain weight in the future, there’s a chance that your body will store fat in your problem area again.

Ready to learn more about liposuction? Contact us for a consultation with Dr. Chen.