Liposuction for men, what to expect?

Liposuction can help men eliminate pesky, unwanted fat. Stubborn fat pockets are typically caused by decreased physical activity, aging, or metabolic and hormonal changes.

Liposuction for men typically targets different areas of the body than in women. Men’s most popular treatment areas are the neck, chest, midsection, abdomen, flanks, and love handles. The goal is to provide a more toned, youthful, and slim appearance.

How Does Liposuction Work?

Lipo is a body contouring procedure that works wonders for both male and female patients frustrated with unwanted fat despite a healthy lifestyle and dedicated exercise routine? Liposuction can help you reduce targeted areas of fat to contour the body. Liposuction permanently removes unwanted fat cells to help shape, slim, and define areas with stubborn fat pockets.

How is Liposuction Surgery Done?

Male liposuction surgery is usually an outpatient procedure, meaning you do not have to stay overnight. Lipo is generally a non-invasive cosmetic surgery, and you’ll remain safe and comfortable with intravenous sedation or local anesthesia. Most board-certified plastic surgeons agree that it’s best to avoid general anesthesia whenever possible because it’s more invasive and hard on the body.

Once you’re comfortable and the area is numb, your doctor will make minor incisions in different areas of the body where you want to remove excess fat. The incisions allow access for the doctor to insert the cannula to break up and suction out fat cells. The small incisions are closed with dissolvable stitches and typically don’t cause noticeable scarring.

The procedure usually lasts around 30 minutes to one hour, depending on how many areas undergo treatment. Most patients will rest in a recovery area for approximately 1 to hour post-op before being discharged to go home. Patients will also receive a snug-fitting compression garment to support, help with the healing process, promote skin contraction, and optimize the final results. Always wear the compression garment according to your doctor’s instructions.

Liposuction patients are not permitted to drive home after surgery. Although most liposuction techniques don’t require general anesthesia, it’s still dangerous to get behind the wheel after any kind of sedation or local anesthetic.

Who Can Benefit from Male Liposuction?

Typically, women store excess fat around the hips, thighs, and lower abdomen, whereas men tend to hold fat deposits around the flanks and abdomen. Different liposuction techniques are used to target localized areas of fat, like the lower abdomen, sides, and love handles. Lipo can also remove fat from the neck and jowls using a very thin cannula. Cosmetic surgery can also help treat gynecomastia or enlarged breast tissue in males. Male breast reduction surgery removes excess fat through tumescent liposuction. For some patients, surgical removal of the excess breast tissue is required in more severe cases.

Male patients who have good skin elasticity but suffer from bulky fat deposits that don’t respond well to diet and exercise are typically good candidates for male liposuction. Patients close to their goal body weight are ideal patients. Keep in mind liposuction is not a type of weight loss surgery like bariatric surgery or another weight loss procedure.

If your main concern is excess fat in the abdominal area, you should get your desired results with liposuction alone. However, if you have excess fat and loose abdominal skin, you may see better results with abdominoplasty (tummy tuck). Some patients with good skin laxity and fat may be candidates for a combination of liposuction of both.

How Long is Recovery After Liposuction?

Male patients contemplating liposuction are usually eager to return to regular activities as soon as possible after surgery. However, your recovery time is unique to your body and specific surgery. Male liposuction is tailored to each patient. Typically, the more fat you have removed and where it’s removed will affect your recovery time.

Ample rest is recommended for at least 24 to 48 hours after your procedure. Most patients spend the rest of surgery day and the day after taking it easy on the sofa. You should be able to return to work around 3 to 7 days after surgery and resume exercise in 1 to 2 weeks. Don’t do any strenuous activities until your doctor clears you. Keep in mind you will likely have to wear your compression garment for 3-6 weeks to decrease swelling as you recover. You can only take the tight-fitting garment off to shower.

Male liposuction results are visible almost immediately and will improve throughout the healing process. You can do a few things to help speed up the recovery process and remain comfortable as your body heals. For example, drink plenty of water to help rehydrate your body, eat a balance of healthy foods packed with vitamins for proper nourishment, and get plenty of sleep.

Pain & Discomfort After Liposuction – What to Expect

You can expect some discomfort, soreness, bruising, and swelling in the treatment area. These symptoms are typical and should resolve on their own within a week or so. Depending on the patient, you can manage pain with prescription strength or over-the-counter painkillers. Some patients who have multiple treatment sites or combine male liposuction with other plastic surgery like a tummy tuck or surgical male breast reduction will likely need a stronger pain management plan.

The pain should subside entirely within two weeks. For most patients, 80% of the swelling decreases six weeks post-op. However, the final results can take up to a year as the swelling continues to lessen.

When Should You Consider Lipo for Men?

Stubborn fat pockets can affect your self-confidence and alter your appearance in clothing. If you can relate to any of the following, liposuction may be the ideal solution for optimal body sculpting.

• You have fat that has accumulated in resistant areas and doesn’t respond to diet or other weight loss measures.
• Your unwanted fat is concentrated on the stomach, jawline, upper arms, flanks, hips, buttocks, thighs, ankles, chin, cheeks, or neck.
• You have a more feminine-looking chest, and you want to reduce the look of male breast tissue.
• You don’t need a large area of fat removed; rather small local areas of pesky body fat.

What Happens During a Male Liposuction Consultation?

You can learn more about male lipo by clicking on male liposuction before & after photo galleries or reading testimonials by previous patients. In your research, always remember that your liposuction results will be different. Everyone has a unique reaction to surgery. If you’re ready to move forward, book an appointment with a trusted, experienced physician at an accredited medical facility.

Having a one-one-on-one consultation with your doctor is the first step. During your initial meeting, talk to your doctor about your concerns and what you would like to improve. Every surgical procedure is customized. The plan is based on your body goals, body type, skin characteristics, and the amount of fat that needs to be removed. During your consultation, you will learn about:

• Various liposuction techniques
• Your skin quality and whether or not you’re a good candidate
• What to expect before, during, and after liposuction
• After-care instructions to reduce the risk of complications
• Anesthesia options
• Pricing

Your in-person or online consultation is also a great opportunity to ask the doctor any further questions you have about male liposuction or another cosmetic surgery you’re considering. Sometimes plastic surgeons can combine procedures.

Are There Risks of Liposuction Surgery?

Like all voluntary cosmetic procedures, you should be aware of the potential risks. In general, liposuction is a safe, relatively non-invasive procedure, and most patients experience stellar results.

Risks after any liposuction procedure are rare but can include infection, excess skin following surgery, temporary numbness, and contouring irregularities. You can reduce the chances of complications after male liposuction by having your procedure performed by an experienced physician in a clean and secure medical facility.

Liposuction is not recommended for males or females with preexisting medical conditions that could alter the healing process, with a weakened immune system or heart-related problems. As a general rule of thumb, good candidates should be no more than 10 to 15lbs overweight.

How Much Does Male Liposuction Cost?

Liposuction for men typically can cost anywhere from $3,000 to $7,000 per body part. Surgery fees will depend on the body part and the patient. In addition, men may have harder-to-remove fat in certain areas, which can also add to the cost. Here’s a typical breakdown of lipo costs you can expect.

• Doctor’s fees
• Surgical room fee
• Anesthesia fee