Liposuction Analysis: Negative Pressure Technique, Applicable Areas, and Extraction Recommendations

What are the types of weight loss surgeries?

Weight loss surgeries refer to methods that directly remove fat from the body through a skin incision. Common methods include: dermal fat removal, vacuum aspiration, ultrasonic liposuction, and high-frequency current liposuction.

Dermal fat removal: This involves directly removing excess fat through a skin incision. It is a highly invasive procedure, resulting in large scars and numerous complications, and is now largely obsolete.

Vacuum aspiration: This is currently the most widely used weight loss surgery. Advanced technology and sophisticated instruments combine to achieve highly satisfactory results, and the extracted fat can be used for fat grafting.

Ultrasonic liposuction: This uses ultrasonic energy to break down fat cells, which are then suctioned or squeezed out of the body. Ultrasonic liposuction requires a longer procedure time. Increasing the energy used to break down fat cells also increases the heat of the ultrasonic liposuction machine's probe. A thicker probe requires a longer skin incision, and the skin at the incision site can be burned by the high-temperature probe, leaving a noticeable scar. Therefore, ultrasonic liposuction still requires further improvement in terms of equipment and technology.

High-frequency current liposuction: This method uses a high-frequency current between two electrodes to break down fat cells, drawing the lipid fluid out of the cells. However, the cell membranes and intercellular matrix of the fat cells are not removed. Whether fat may accumulate again after tissue repair requires long-term observation. Because it uses two high-frequency electrodes, approximately 2mm in diameter, the temperature is relatively high during operation. Furthermore, without skin incisions or protective devices, the resulting circular scars on the skin are difficult to fade.

What are the advantages of negative pressure liposuction?

Negative pressure liposuction is currently the most clinically applied, technically mature, and widely used surgical method. Using needle-like instruments suitable for people of East Asian descent, 40% to 80% of excess and oversized fat cells, along with their cell membranes and intercellular matrix, are suctioned out from various parts of the body through concealed locations. This thoroughly removes residual fat cell membranes, preventing the re-accumulation of fat, and areas where fat has been suctioned will not regain weight. Because negative pressure liposuction requires only a small surgical incision, it is virtually scarless, and the procedure is safe and effective.

Negative pressure liposuction can remove a large amount of fat; in some cases, up to 11,300 ml of fat can be removed in a single procedure for people of East Asian descent. It causes minimal damage to the body and does not generate electromagnetic waves or ultrasound waves that could damage other tissues. The suctioned fat cells are minimally damaged during liposuction and, after processing, are injected into areas requiring augmentation—a process known as fat grafting.

The pressure in the surgical area during negative pressure liposuction is always lower than the arterial and venous pressures of blood vessels, thus preventing fat embolism. Negative pressure liposuction does not require the dissolution and liquefaction of fat within the body, resulting in a very low probability of complications from fat liquefaction. Therefore, negative pressure liposuction is a very safe procedure.

What areas can be treated with liposuction? Subcutaneous fat is the body's fat reservoir, the surplus from normal metabolism. Small amounts of subcutaneous fat serve to cushion, insulate, and store energy, and are essential for maintaining a woman's soft, rounded curves. When excessive subcutaneous fat accumulates, beautiful curves disappear, making a person appear bloated and aged.

Liposuction can be performed on almost any area of ​​the body where subcutaneous fat accumulates. Common areas include: cheeks, neck, shoulders, back, upper arms, breasts, abdomen, buttocks, thighs, and calves.

Liposuction can also be performed on excessively obese forearms, backs of hands, fingers, or insteps.

Is it true that the more fat removed, the better?

People who consult about liposuction all share a common request: they want to remove as much of this bothersome fat as possible.

Is this really true? As I mentioned earlier, fat plays three main roles in the body: insulation, cushioning, and energy storage. When there's too much fat, it can lead to illness and cause the loss of a woman's beautiful curves, causing distress. However, completely eliminating fat is also not ideal, as a woman's beautiful curves depend entirely on fat. Furthermore, subcutaneous fat contributes to the smooth, fair skin of women.

Excessive fat removal exposes muscle tissue under the skin. Uneven muscle development detracts from a woman's appearance, and skin pigmentation takes longer to fade. Removing too much fat from a specific area can disrupt the overall balance of curves, sometimes backfiring. Therefore, liposuction should be tailored to each individual's specific situation, removing only the excess fat as needed. It's crucial to avoid the misconception that removing more is always better.