Dr. David Stoker
4640 Admiralty Way #1000
Marina del Rey, CA 90292
Phone: (310) 300-1779
Monday–Friday: 8:30 a.m.–5 p.m.
If you’re considering Los Angeles liposuction, you probably have many questions about your options and what to expect. Dr. David Stoker takes the time during his consultation to address any concerns and provide thorough information. While the only way to get information that is specific for you is through a consultation, here are a few answers to FAQs Dr. Stoker often encounters.
To learn more about your specific options for liposuction surgery in Los Angeles, request a consultation with Dr. Stoker online or by calling our office at (310) 300-1779.
Anesthesia options for liposuction include local, twilight or general anesthesia. When multiple areas are treated, it’s usually best to supplement local anesthesia with either intravenous sedation or a “light” general anesthesia.
Liposuction is most definitely surgery, but it is less invasive than procedures such as tummy tucks and facelifts. It may also have a faster recovery and lower complication rate than those other surgical procedures.
Liposuction techniques include tumescent, power-assisted, ultrasound-assisted, water-assisted and laser-assisted technologies. The technique is important, but the surgeon’s skill is even more critical.
You should consult with only board-certified plastic surgeons for surgical procedures such as liposuction. Why take a chance? Make sure your surgeon has great credentials and board certification in plastic surgery as a minimum. You take bigger risks than you need to take by going to physicians who are not certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery.
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Fat is removed permanently with liposuction, but it doesn’t prevent weight gain in the future. Even if a patient gains weight after surgery, the areas treated with liposuction are still likely to look better than they would have without liposuction. People who gain large amounts of weight are unlikely to have ideal figures, whether or not they have liposuction.
Training and experience have been most helpful to me in knowing how much fat to remove for optimal results. When done well, liposuction is essentially sculpting in three dimensions. I use a combination of science, art and experience to help my patients achieve their goals.
The recovery from liposuction is rapid. Typically a day or two away from work is enough for most patients. Dramatic improvements are usually noticeable immediately. The results get even better with time and are usually final about 6 months following surgery.
The best candidates for liposuction have skin with good elasticity and focal collections of diet-resistant fat. Obese patients should try to lose weight through diet and exercise. For those unsuccessful at losing weight, liposuction in limited areas may still benefit them greatly.
Liposuction has one of the lowest complication rates of any cosmetic surgery operation. Most severe complications occur in the hands of doctors who are not board-certified plastic surgeons. Excessive bleeding, infection and skin damage are all rare when liposuction is performed by an experienced plastic surgeon.
Tumescent solution is the dilute, local anesthesia solution that is infused into the fatty tissues as the first step of liposuction. The solution contains lidocaine (an anesthetic), adrenaline, and saline. Concentrations vary depending on surgeon preference. The tumescent solution is critical for performing safe and effective liposuction.
Instead of discarding fat after liposuction, it’s possible to place it in other areas of the body where fullness may be desired. The Brazilian Butt Lift is an example of a procedure I perform with fat grafts to create a buttocks with youthful curves. My clinical research with UCLA demonstrated that over 90% of the fat cells I remove remain viable for days and would be useful for fat grafts.
Risks from liposuction increase significantly when over 5 liters of fat are suctioned out. I always stay below this limit for patient safety. I’ve found that I’m able to achieve dramatic improvements for my patients with 2 to 4 liters of liposuction, depending on their needs. Please take a moment to review my before and after photos for many examples of these results.
If you’d like to ask some questions of your own, request a consultation online or call us at (310) 300-1779.
Our expertise extends beyond plastic surgery. We offer an extensive range of non-surgical treatments administered by our talented, experienced team of aesthetic providers under the guidance of board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. David Stoker.
If you have a treatment in mind, review our complete offering of non-surgical services. If you need a little help deciding, narrow down your options with our interactive treatment planner.