"WOW! I had the best tan in my 20's & 30's. Now with Dr. Lotstein's' help I'm getting my skin rejuvenated. I have completed my second Intense Pulse Light/Photo-Rejuvenation treatment and I can't wait for my second microdermabrasion treatment. My skin is becoming so healthy; my friends are starting to notice and ask me what I'm doing. I rarely wear make up and have so much confidence interacting with other people. I recommend this skin care program to anyone that instills a health outlook on life."

Clarkston, WA

Liposuction

Liposuction can give you a slimmer more youthful figure with health benefits as well. Patients of all ages and sizes have liposuction and because very small to very large amounts of fat can be removed, liposuction can significantly change the way clothes fit or the way the patient looks in a bathing suit. Even people who exercise and diet vigorously can have trouble spots. Common areas of liposuction include the abdomen, back, hips, arms, neck, and legs.

One of the most common areas for liposuction is the abdomen. After childbirth women often find that no amount of dieting or exercise seems to give them a flat stomach or take away their accumulated “baby” fat. The way the abdomen ages is largely determined by genetics - even relatively thin or young women can suffer from a bulging stomach or love handles. Abdomen liposuction safely and permanently removes abdominal fat and helps correct for skin laxity, resulting in a flatter and smoother abdominal shape.

Liposuction permanently removes fat in the upper and lower abdomen and helps stimulate skin tightening, restoring a tighter and toned appearance. Abdominal liposuction can restore a waist and smooth abdominal bulges so that the stomach is flat. When combined with love handle liposuction, the results can be dramatic and the shape of the body looks not only slimmer, but younger and better contoured.

What are the benefits of abdominal liposuction?

• Liposuction is a minimally invasive procedure performed with only local numbing.
• There is minimal to mild pain managed with ibuprofen or Tylenol.
• There are minimal complications.
• Recovery is quick and patients can resume normal activities as tolerated.
• Fat removed is permanent
• Results can be dramatic with no unsightly scars
• Cost is way lower than a traditional abdominalplasty.
• Your clothing fits better and leaves you with a better body contour.

What is the abdominal liposuction procedure like?

Liposuction takes less than two hours and is done at our office in Lewiston, Idaho with only local anesthesia. No IV sedation is used and patients walk-in and walk-out. Patients remain awake and comfortable, listen to music or talk with Dr. Lotstein during their procedure.

The procedure is safe and simple. First, the skin is numbed with lidocaine and a several tiny punctures (smaller than a spaghetti noodle) are made. A small instrument called a cannula is inserted and fat in the treated area is numbed with a saline-based solution. This numbing process is called tumescence. Once the fat is numbed, it is removed by the cannula with mild suction. Dr. Lotstein uses a gentle technique with the smallest of instruments. These smaller, safer instruments lead to a more precise result with a faster recovery.

What is the recovery from abdomen liposuction like?

After the procedure, patients feel very little discomfort. A light compression garment is worn 24 hours 3-7 days. There are no stitches. Most patients experience only minimal bruising which resolves in a about a week or two. The day after the procedure patients are sore, similar to a doing a strenuous work-out. The skin on the area done is slightly numb and some patients experience an itchy sensation for the first few days. Many patients treat any soreness with ibuprofen or Tylenol. Soreness improves every day after the procedure and is usually gone entirely in less than 3 weeks.

Unlike abdominalplasty ("tummy tuck"), abdomen liposuction patients are immediately able to walk and participate in light activities like driving. You could return to work after a rest of 1-2 days. Returning to exercise is up to the individual – you are encouraged to do as much exercise as possible. The more you keep moving and walking, the faster the recovery.

Because the body is both muscular and fibrous, a good result can usually be seen in three months, but final results take up to six months. Most patients notice an initial difference the first few days, however beginning about four days after the procedure about half of patients experience swelling in the abdominal area that lasts up to two months. The fluid retention in the abdomen makes the tissue feel hardened and lumpy, almost as though cardboard is under skin. The hardness can last an up to 3 months, though most people return to their normal fleshy texture in about 6 weeks.

The swelling is slight to moderate and even though large volumes of fat have been removed, the patient remains at about roughly the same size as before the procedure. The swelling is a natural phenomenon and happens after procedures and while it is frustrating, it is not generally painful. Women usually have longer swelling periods than men. If you tend to retain fluid easily, you will stay swollen longer than average. Results in the abdomen are among the most dramatic, but due to the natural body's swelling and healing mechanisms, many patients remain the same size for several weeks and the final outcome can take between three to six months to become apparent. The love handles typically heal much quicker than the abdomen and patients see initial results in about two weeks.

What are the aftercare instructions for abdominal liposuction?

After the procedure we will put you into a compression garment. Which compression garment you get depends on what areas were treated. Under the compression garment we will place absorbent pads to help absorb any drainage. The pads should be changed every 8 to 12 hours until you stop leaking, usually in 2 to 3 days. You can shower any time after the first day, however if you are leaking, you may prefer to wait to shower until the leaking has stopped. After you stop leaking, you can launder your garment in a washing machine. Your garment should be worn for 7 days, taking it off only for showers or laundry. After the first 7 days, experiment with taking breaks from the compression garment. If you find that you feel good with the garment on, continue to wear it. If you find that you feel better with the garment off, you don't have to wear it. Many people find that wearing the garment for certain activities, like exercise, feels good for up to a month after their procedure. After 7 days, the choice to wear the garment is yours and you can treat your abdomen as usual with application of lotions or exercise.

Am I a good candidate for liposuction?

Liposuction is a very safe procedure and is performed on men and women and of all ages and sizes. In fact, patients for liposuction ranged from ages 17 to 83! If you are in good general health and are unhappy with the overall size or shape of your body, you are likely a good candidate for liposuction.

Dr. Lotstein’s refined liposuction technique stimulates collagen formation and most women or men, even those who are considering a traditional tummy tuck procedure, are generally very pleased with the outcome.

Should I treat my upper or lower abdomen or both?

Most patients have the best results treating the full abdomen (upper and lower) and love handles together in one procedure. In fact, the full abdomen and love handles is the most popular area we treat. Unless you are very lean or you have already had liposuction on your lower abdomen, you most likely need to treat the upper and lower abdomen together at the same time. If you are heavy, you must treat your upper and lower abdomen together. If your lower belly hangs or folds over when you are standing, you must treat your full abdomen and love handles together since it is impossible to give you a good cosmetic result without also reducing the fat on the sides that causes the hanging fat roll. Thin or lean patients who do not have fat on their upper abdomen and have a well defined lower belly "pooch" can select to have only their lower abdomen treated. Patients who have undergone a tummy tuck or liposuction in the past can treat the upper belly bulge that often results from incomplete liposuction done elsewhere. A good rule of thumb is that if you have fat you can pinch on your upper belly thicker than 1/4 inch, you most likely need to treat the upper and lower abdomen together for the best cosmetic result.

What if I want additional skin tightening on my abdomen?

If you have abdominal skin that is very thin, loose or wrinkled or you simply want additional skin tightening, you can choose to add the CoolLipo skin tightening laser for an additional fee per area. The upper and lower abdomen is considered two areas.

Do I need to add CoolLipo skin tightening?

We offer the CoolLipo skin tightening laser to assist with skin tightening and see improved results over Liposuction treatment alone.