Liposuction Surgery

Conveniently located to serve Seattle and Bellevue

Liposuction is a body-contouring procedure used to remove localized fat through small incisions and a cannula system. For patients from Seattle with areas that remain resistant to diet and exercise, liposuction can help improve shape and proportion.

At RP Plastic Surgery, Dr. Rikesh Parikh evaluates skin quality, fat distribution, and the contour changes you want to achieve before recommending treatment. Liposuction may be performed on areas including the abdomen, waist, back, thighs, arms, and calves.

Benefits of Liposuction

Liposuction is an excellent body contouring procedure for men and women who struggle with excess stubborn fat in areas that have not responded well to diet and exercise. It is extremely versatile and can be used to treat different areas of the body

Why Consider Adjuncts to Liposuction?

Liposuction outcomes and contour results are based on the skill and expertise of the Plastic surgeon doing the procedure. Not on the following techniques used below. The following techniques can be employed in combination with traditional liposuction.

• Laser assisted
• Ultrasound assisted
• Water assisted

These techniques can be employed in combination with Suction Assisted Liposuction (SAL) or Power Assisted Liposuction (PAL). Results can vary based on techniques and Surgeon skill.

Why Choose RP Plastic Surgery for Liposuction?

Liposuction results depend largely on the skill and judgment of the plastic surgeon performing the procedure. Technique matters, but so do decisions about how much fat to remove, how treated areas relate to one another, and whether the skin is likely to retract well afterward.

Dr. Parikh is board-certified in both plastic surgery and general surgery, with a primary focus on aesthetic surgery of the face, breast, and body. He evaluates each patient individually and may recommend liposuction alone or another body-contouring procedure when loose skin or other concerns could affect the result.
Patients can review RP Plastic Surgery’s before-and-after gallery and real patient selfies to see examples of Dr. Parikh’s work.

Fat transfer

Fat is harvested and transfer can be performed with liposuction and injection techniques. Liposuction is used to harvest the fat for transfer in a sterile fashion. This harvested fat is then processed and injected into the desired areas. Common areas where fat can be transferred include;

• Face
• Breast
• Buttocks (Brazilian Butt Lift)
• Calves
• Hands
• Defects in soft tissue in different areas of the body

Dr. Parikh can perform fat transfer to these areas if you are a candidate at the time of liposuction.

Reviews

If you’re looking for a surgeon who is honest, has impeccable attention to detail, and very skilled, Dr. Parikh is your surgeon. He performed a breast implant replacement and breast lift, along with liposuction on my abdomen area. I’m very excited about the results. I didn’t have one second of anxiety or concern. He listened to my to all of my questions and desired outcomes. I was at ease the moment I chose him as my surgeon. I would recommend him to anyone and everyone, and I would definitely go to him again. He’s a class act.
L.D.

Tumescence

The fluid that is infiltrated in the fat prior to liposuction. It allows for anesthesia and vasoconstriction (reduces blood loss) during liposuction. It allows for liposuction to be performed in the awake individual.

Tumescence is made of;

• Anesthetic for pain control = Lidocaine
• Fluid = Normal Saline (NS) or Lactated Ringer’s (LR) Solution
• Vasoconstriction drug = Epinephrine or Adrenaline

The amount of tumescence infiltrated to the amount of lipoaspirate (the amount removed) is monitored closely. There are different ratios in how much tumescence is infiltrated to how much is removed with liposuction. Techniques such as Wet technique 3:1 ratio, Superwet technique 1:1 ratio or Tumescent techniques are employed.

Lidocaine toxicity occurs from too much lidocaine in the system based on weight of the individual. It’s very important to record lidocaine dosing and weight when performing liposuction.

Liposuction is the most common cosmetic procedure performed. It is competitive and performed by physicians trained in different specialties or disciplines all over the world. Please do not underestimate liposuction procedures. Complications can occur and undesirable results can happen. It is important to set the goals and expectations for your body in a thorough consultation with Dr. Parikh prior to your procedure. We can offer liposuction either awake or asleep.

Direct Liposuction Complications

• Bleeding
• Infection
• Nodule formation and Scar
• Contour Irregularities
• Asymmetry
• Injury to adjacent structures ( bowel, vessels, nerves etc..)
• Burning of skin
• Seroma and abscess
• Cellulitis

Complications of Tumescence Solution and Anesthetic

• Lidocaine Toxicity
• Anesthetic Complications
• Fluid shifts
• Dehydration
• Fluid Overload

With any surgical procedure complications can occur, but are generally low. We encourage that you ask about complications during your visit with Dr. Parikh. Dr. Parikh will ensure that your safety is first and discuss any concern in great detail that is tailored to your specific medical history.

How Much Does Liposuction Cost?

The specific techniques used to perform a liposuction surgery varies from patient to patient depending on their unique aesthetic goals. The cost of the procedure is determined by factors including the amount of fat that needs to be removed and the areas of the body you want to target. During a consultation, we’ll discuss the details of the procedure in more depth and help develop a customized treatment plan that’s tailored to your individual needs. We’ll then discuss the cost associated with your liposuction surgery.

FAQS about Liposuction

• Is liposuction safe?

  Yes, for the right patient, the right plan, and the right setting. Liposuction is one of the most common cosmetic operations. Serious problems are rare when a trained surgeon does it in an accredited facility, doses the numbing fluid to your body weight, and keeps the amount removed within sensible limits. The specific risks are listed in the complications sections on this page. The ones patients ask about most are fluid collecting under the skin and uneven contours, both uncommon, and numbness in the treated area, which is common at first and fades over a few months. You can lower them further: stay healthy, don’t smoke or vape, and follow the garment and walking instructions.

• Does liposuction hurt?

  Not during the procedure. If you’re awake, the tumescent fluid numbs the area; you feel pressure and movement, not pain. If you’re asleep, you feel nothing. Afterward, the treated areas feel bruised and sore, like a hard workout, and the first week is the roughest. Pain medication keeps it manageable, and most patients are back to over-the-counter relief within days. The compression garment helps more than you’d think. Numbness and itching as the nerves wake up can last a few months.

• Is liposuction a weight loss procedure? Is there a weight limit?

  It’s a shaping procedure, not a weight loss one. The best results come when you’re within reach of a weight you can keep and have specific areas that diet and exercise won’t change. The amount of fat removed in one session is measured in pounds, not tens of pounds, so the scale barely moves even when the shape changes a lot. There’s no single cutoff, but patients who are significantly overweight are usually better served by losing weight first and then shaping what’s left.

• How much fat can be removed in one session?

  Many surgeons treat about 5 liters as the upper limit for an outpatient session, and that figure includes the fluid that comes out with the fat; the right limit for you depends on your health, your size, and what else is being done. Beyond that, surgeons stage the work into more than one session or do it in a hospital with overnight monitoring, because fluid shifts become the main risk. The amount is planned around your safety first and your wish list second, which sometimes means two sessions a few months apart.

• Does the fat come back, or move somewhere else?

  The fat cells that are removed are gone for good, which is why the shape holds as long as your weight does. What can happen is that the cells left behind, in the treated area and everywhere else, get bigger if you gain weight. People who gain after liposuction can notice it in areas that weren’t treated. Keep your weight steady and the result is lasting.

• When will I see the result, and how long does the swelling last?

  Your shape changes within about 1 to 2 weeks, the swelling drops a lot at 10 to 14 days, and most of it is gone by 6 weeks. The last of it comes and goes for several months, and the final result settles in at 6 to 9 months. The treated area feels firm and lumpy in between; that’s normal and softens with time and the massage you’ll be shown.

• Liposuction or a tummy tuck? What if I have loose skin?

  For the abdomen, it comes down to your skin. Liposuction removes fat and relies on your skin to shrink back over the new contour. If your skin is still elastic, it does. If it’s loose or stretched, from pregnancy or weight loss, liposuction can leave it looser. Then a tummy tuck is the right operation, because it removes the skin and tightens the muscle underneath. Some patients do well with both at once. An exam at the consultation tells Dr. Parikh which you need, and loose skin elsewhere (arms, thighs) has its own lift.

• Will I have scars?

  Tiny ones. Liposuction is done through incisions a few millimeters long, placed in creases and spots your clothing covers. They’re pink at first and fade to small marks that are hard to find after a year. Leave the crusts alone while they heal and keep sun off them, since sun darkens a healing scar.

• Can skin tightening be added to liposuction?

  Yes, for mild to moderate loose skin. Dr. Parikh can add Renuvion, which uses helium plasma energy under the skin through the same small incisions to help the tissue contract as it heals. It adds no extra downtime to the liposuction itself. It’s not a substitute for removing skin: if you have a lot of excess, a lift or tummy tuck is still the answer.

• How many areas can be treated at once?

  You can treat several at once, within limits. Treating the abdomen, flanks, and back in one session is often possible. The limits are the total fat removed and the time under anesthesia. For awake procedures, the safe dose of numbing medication also caps how many areas can be numbed in one day. More areas also means more swelling and a longer recovery. Anything beyond that goes in a second session.

• When can I go back to work, drive, exercise, and fly?

  Most patients take at least a week off work. You’ll walk from day one and build up after the first week. Driving starts once you’re off prescription pain medication. Vigorous exercise comes back at 6 to 8 weeks, and flying is fine after 7 to 10 days with Dr. Parikh’s okay. Showering starts after 72 hours; soaking in a tub or pool is off limits for at least 2 weeks.

• Should I be awake or asleep?

  Either can be right, depending on what’s being treated. Awake liposuction, with the tumescent fluid and sometimes oral or IV sedation, suits smaller areas and patients who want to skip general anesthesia and the grogginess that follows. Going to sleep makes sense for larger or multiple areas, for anyone anxious about being awake, and when liposuction is combined with another procedure. The recommendation comes down to how much is being treated and your health history. If you have a strong preference, say so; it counts.

• Is there an age limit?

  Not a number, no. What matters is your health and your skin’s ability to shrink back, which declines with age. A healthy patient in their 60s with reasonable skin elasticity can do well; someone of any age with very loose skin may need a lift instead.

• I live in Seattle. How many visits will liposuction take?

  Usually three or four. A consultation can start by phone or with photos, followed by an in-person visit with Dr. Parikh. Pre-op is mostly handled remotely. Then it’s surgery day, a visit in the first week or two, and a check once the swelling has settled, which can often be done by photos. The office is about 20 minutes from downtown Seattle outside rush hour. You’ll need a ride home on surgery day and an adult with you for the first 24 hours. If you’re coming from farther away, the travel and stay page covers hotels and timing.

• What are Dr. Parikh’s qualifications?

  Dr. Parikh is double board-certified by both the American Board of Plastic Surgery and the American Board of Surgery. He completed his plastic surgery residency at Vanderbilt University and a research fellowship at Cleveland Clinic, and he is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons. He performs liposuction awake and asleep, along with the tummy tucks, lifts, and fat transfer that often go with it, so you can compare every option with one surgeon. You can see his patients’ results in the before-and-after gallery.

• Does Dr. Parikh have hospital privileges?

  Yes, at Overlake and Swedish. Dr. Parikh holds surgical privileges at Overlake Medical Center in Bellevue and at Swedish Medical Center, at both the First Hill campus in Seattle and the Issaquah campus. Privileges mean a hospital has reviewed a surgeon’s training, board certification, and record and allows him to operate there. Your liposuction is done at RP Surgery Center, the practice’s state-accredited surgery center; the privileges are an outside check on his credentials.

This FAQ is general information and doesn’t replace the personal instructions Dr. Parikh will give you.

Discuss Body Contouring & Liposuction With Dr. Parikh

If you are considering liposuction in Bellevue or the Seattle area, contact RP Plastic Surgery to schedule a consultation with Dr. Parikh at the Bellevue office. He will examine the areas you want to treat, discuss your goals, and explain what liposuction can realistically achieve based on your anatomy and skin quality.

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