Liposuction

Conveniently located to serve the areas of Los Angeles and Beverly Hills

overweight person pinches himself on the fat side stock photoDo you have fat on your chin, neck, or body that refuses to budge, no matter how much you diet and exercise? Say goodbye to stubborn fat with liposuction!

Liposuction is a minimally-invasive procedure that accomplishes major results. Thanks to Dr. Kenneth Kim’s advanced surgical methods, recovery is more comfortable and downtime will be short. You can receive liposuction and be back to work within days!

Dr. Kim will customize your liposuction surgery to your specific needs. He understands the nuances of both the male and female physique. Results are flattering and look natural.

If you are seeking your ideal physique, call to schedule an informative body contouring consultation at Dream Medical Group in Los Angeles, CA today!

About Liposuction

Plastic surgery of the female body stock imageLiposuction is a minimally-invasive fat elimination surgery. The procedure requires only a cannula, tumescent fluid, and a few small incisions to perform. During a liposuction procedure, Dr. Kim carefully dislodges and breaks down fat from surrounding tissues for safe, easy removal. Due to the fact that the fat deposit is eliminated from the body during the procedure, the fat cells should not return. Patients who maintain their weight with a healthy lifestyle will enjoy their skinny, slim results for years!

Dr. Kim prefers to perform liposuction under Awake Anesthesia. This will greatly reduce your recovery time for an all-around effective, convenient treatment.

About Awake Anesthesia

Slim and sculpt your body and be back to your usual schedule with minimal downtime, thanks to Awake Anesthesia.

Some doctors perform the majority of their surgeries under general anesthesia. While general anesthesia is an excellent comfort option for the right patient, it also puts a strain on the body and can prolong your recovery period. Disorientation and post-procedure nausea are common following general anesthesia. Patients under general anesthesia must be monitored closely in order to make sure there is no threat to their heart or breathing function. Most patients require more than a few days to recover from the side effects of general anesthesia. General anesthesia also raises procedure costs for patients.

Dr. Kim prefers to perform liposuction under Awake Anesthesia.

Under Awake Anesthesia, the patient is able to communicate with their doctor and reposition their body as necessary, but they do not feel any pain or discomfort during their procedure.

 

Awake Anesthesia consists of tumescent fluid and oral sedation. Tumescent fluid is a combination of saline, epinephrine, and lidocaine. Lidocaine is a local anesthetic that will numb the treated area and allow patients to receive their liposuction without discomfort.

The tumescent fluid is given 30 minutes to take effect. The epinephrine in the tumescent fluid will reduce bleeding, which in turn reduces post-procedure swelling and bruising.

The tumescent fluid has the additional benefit of causing the fat deposit in the targeted area to swell. This will make the fat easier to break apart and remove.

Patients will be sedated in addition to their awake anesthesia to guarantee they are as relaxed and comfortable as possible. This is a safe, popular, highly recommended method of avoiding discomfort during your liposuction.

Thanks to the reduced bleeding and minimal side effects of Awake Anesthesia, you will be able to return to work within days of receiving liposuction with Awake Anesthesia!

Benefits of Liposuction

Why is liposuction such a popular body contouring solution? Dr. Kenneth’s Kim patients love liposuction because:

  • It allows them to eliminate unwanted fat from almost anywhere on their body
  • The procedure slims and contours the body
  • The procedure is safe
  • The results look natural
  • Dr. Kenneth Kim tailors the treatment to achieve preferred outcomes
  • The procedure is comfortable
  • Downtime is short and comfortable, thanks to Awake Anesthesia

Areas Treatable with Liposuction

  • Chin
  • Neck
  • Arms
  • Back
  • Stomach
  • Flanks/Love Handles
  • Buttocks
  • Inner & Outer Thighs
  • Calves
  • Ankles

Candidates

Woman Legs stock imageLiposuction is an excellent option for men and women who are looking to put the finishing touches on their physiques. Fat that does not respond to regular diet and exercise is best addressed with a fat elimination treatment like liposuction. Liposuction is not intended to be used as a weight loss alternative. Ideal candidates for liposuction are those who have completed the majority of their intended weight loss and are within thirty pounds of their goal weight.

You are a good candidate to sculpt your body with liposuction if you are:
  • A non-smoker
  • Free of pre-existing conditions that can impact your post-procedure healing
  • In good health overall
  • Open-minded towards the results obtainable with a cosmetic procedure like liposuction
  • Able to take a few days out of your schedule for a short recovery

Tired of the pudge along your jawline? Do your arms jiggle? Double chin and arm liposuction are two of the most common forms of liposuction performed today. No matter where on your body you want to sculpt, liposuction will help!

Dr. Kenneth Kim will meet with you during a private consultation to answer your questions and help you determine if liposuction is the right body contouring procedure for you.

Consultation

If you have any questions about Liposuction or Awake Anesthesia, you are invited to ask them during your private consultation.

Your private consultation at Dream Medical Group in Los Angeles, CA is all about You! Dr. Kim will want to get to know you and your goals for your appearance. He will discuss your medical history and medication use with you, as well as examine the area or areas of your body you would like to slim down and sculpt.

Once Dr. Kim has a clear sense of the details of your case and your desired outcomes, he will work with you to customize a liposuction procedure and treatment plan that’s best for you. If you have any questions following your private consultation, call our helpful staff at any time.

Preparation

If you take any blood-thinning medications, you will need to discontinue their use two weeks before your liposuction procedure. Blood-thinning medications include drugs like the following:
  • Aspirin
  • Ibuprofen
  • Plavix
  • Coumadin
  • Celebrex
  • Fish Oil/Omega 3
  • Red ginseng and other herbal medications
If you take these medications by prescription, consult with your prescribing doctor before discontinuing their use. If you take blood pressure medication, continue taking it as usual before your procedure. Bring it with you the day of surgery to confirm with the staff if you need to briefly modify this medication use.

The day of your procedure, do not wear any jewelry. Wear clothing that is comfortable and easy to remove, like front-button shirts and loose apparel.

Prior to your surgery, arrange for a friend or family member to drive you to and from Dr. Kenneth Kim’s office on the day of your procedure. You should not drive yourself home after liposuction. We also recommend asking this person to stay with you during the first night of your recovery. This will guarantee you start out your recovery period as comfortably as possible.

Your Customized Procedure

Young woman using measuring tape to measure weight loss stock imageThe details of your liposuction procedure will depend on a number of factors, including the treatment area and your goals for your procedure. Depending on the scale of your procedure, your liposuction will be performed within one to two hours.

In order to perform liposuction, an oral sedative and local anesthetic will first be administered. Tumescent fluid will be introduced to the treatment area and given thirty minutes to take effect. Once you are comfortably numb, Dr. Kim will insert a cannula through tiny incisions that will be easily concealed in the natural folds of the body. Using the cannula and tumescent fluid, Dr. Kim will gently break up and suction out stubborn fat deposits. Qualifying patients may choose to have their fat removal assisted with targeted laser energy or ultrasound waves. The laser energy will melt the fat for easy removal, while the ultrasound waves will achieve optimum fat disruption for removal. Laser liposuction has also shown to tighten skin and tissue in the treated area.

Using your chosen liposuction method, Dr. Kim will extract the fat that is hiding your otherwise slim, healthy physique. He will contour your treated area to accomplish your desired body shape.

Once your fat has been removed and your body shaped into your preferred contour, your incisions will be closed with stitches.

Some patients decide to undergo fat grafting in addition to their liposuction. Dr. Kim performs fat grafting by transferring the fat gathered during liposuction to another part of the body. Fat grafting allows Dr. Kim to add shape and curvature to the body. Fat transfer often makes the slimming effects of the liposuction more pronounced.

Dr. Kim will assess your physique and make a recommendation of the best liposuction treatment plan to achieve your goals during your private consultation. Contact us to schedule your informative consult for liposuction surgery today!

Aftercare

You will receive personalized recovery instructions to help you accomplish your most comfortable recovery and best results from your liposuction surgery. These instructions will also cover approved methods of relieving any post-procedure discomfort.

If you have questions at any time during your recovery from liposuction, do not hesitate to reach out to us!

Swelling and bruising are common after liposuction. Thanks to the tumescent fluid and Dr. Kim’s careful fat elimination methods, bruising and swelling will be minimal. A compression garment will be worn to help reduce post-procedure swelling and achieve ideal results. The use of awake anesthesia will additionally keep your recovery time short: most patients are able to return to work within three days of liposuction with awake anesthesia. More extensive cases may need to take up to a week off work. Dr. Kim will go over your personal timeline for return to exercise and more strenuous activities with you.

Results

fit man stock photoYou will notice your treated area is slimmer right after your liposuction surgery. You will begin to see your final body contouring outcomes as post-procedure swelling diminishes. The contour of your body will continue to improve with each week that passes. Final results will be visible within four to eight weeks.

Liposuction will leave your body slimmer, smoother, and more contoured than before. Patients who maintain their weight with a balanced diet and exercise will enjoy the outcomes of their liposuction for years!

Wondering if liposuction is right for you? Ask Dr. Kim to see his beautiful liposuction before and after gallery during your private consultation at Dream Medical Group. Whether you would like to address a trouble spot of fat on your body or are interested in full-body liposuction, Dr. Kim will achieve the flattering results you are looking for.

FAQS

CAN LIPOSUCTION BE DONE UNDER LOCAL ANESTHESIA?

Liposuction can absolutely be done under local anesthesia. With the help of lidocaine and an oral sedative, our patients receive their liposuction under awake anesthesia without pain or discomfort. Awake anesthesia has the added benefit of reducing recovery times for patients!

DO THEY PUT YOU TO SLEEP FOR LIPOSUCTION?

Some patients may want to receive liposuction under general anesthesia and be completely unconscious for their liposuction. However, this form of anesthesia has drawbacks. General anesthesia is more expensive and your health will need to be monitored while you are under. The procedure will be performed while you are lying down. The side effects of general anesthesia, like nausea, can last for days. Patients can receive their liposuction completely comfortably with local anesthesia and an oral sedative and avoid the unpleasant after-effects of general anesthesia. Awake anesthesia will also allow you to stand when necessary, increasing the likelihood that Dr. Kim can achieve your preferred body contours.

HOW PAINFUL IS TUMESCENT LIPOSUCTION?

Tumescent liposuction is not painful! Tumescent liposuction contains an anesthetic, lidocaine, that will keep you completely numb and comfortable during your liposuction. Once the tumescent fluid is given thirty minutes to take effect, and you confirm you are resting comfortably, Dr. Kim will perform your tumescent liposuction. You will experience no discomfort during your procedure. Dr. Kim’s careful surgical methods will keep post-procedure discomfort to a minimum. We will go over approved methods of keeping yourself comfortable during your recovery before your procedure.

*Results May Vary