Liposuction Vs. Liposculpture: Are They Different?

Liposculpture is an up-and-coming plastic surgery trend that has gained considerable popularity. It's a variant of liposuction that takes on a different perspective regarding fat removal.

While liposuction solely focuses on removing fat, liposculpture involves transferring fat to specific places to improve body contour.

Liposculpture and Liposuction Candidates

Before undergoing a liposculpture or liposuction procedure, a surgeon must examine you. Ideal candidates are over 18, in generally good health, and within their ideal body weight.

Of course, patients interested in these types of procedures should also have fat deposits resistant to exercise and diet.

Most importantly, patients undergoing liposculpture or liposuction must understand that neither of these procedures is a weight-loss method and that results will only be preserved if they commit to a healthier lifestyle.

How Does A Liposculpture Procedure Work?

A liposculpture procedure is, by definition, similar to liposuction. Both consist of extracting fat with thin suction tubes called cannulas. With liposculpture, surgeons may focus on refining small areas and sculpting subtle curves, whereas, with liposuction, the focus may be on removing large quantities of fat. This distinction is quite subjective; to some surgeons, liposuction and liposculpture mean the same thing.

Once the fat is removed during a liposculpture treatment, it is moved to another body part that the patient wants to contour.

This movement of fat is generally known as a fat transfer, fat graft, or lipofilling in the cosmetic procedure community. These procedures are typically performed under general anesthesia, but recent innovations have allowed them to be performed on an outpatient basis with a local anesthetic.

Liposculpture Recovery

The recovery time for traditional liposculpture requires about a week off from work, and minimal physical activity should be ceased for around three weeks.

It is common to experience bruising and swelling that can persist for a month or two. Overall, the extent of your recovery depends on the degree of contour on your body.

Surgeons will usually recommend wearing compression garments for nearly a month to reduce swelling, pain, and the potential formation of seroma. A seroma is a lymph fluid build-up within a body cavity.

A Better Form Of Liposculpture: AirSculpt®

Most people considering a liposculpture procedure prefer a method that does not require a long recovery time or significant risks. 

If you're looking forward to the best and most precise liposculpture technique, we recommend opting for the patented AirSculpt® process. This approach uses automated technology to remove and transfer fat, cell by cell, with enhanced precision. Patients enjoy a more comfortable body contouring experience and still achieve dramatic results without an invasive traditional liposuction-based approach.

The majority of AirSculpt® procedures follow the following steps. During an AirSculpt® Fat Transfer, or liposculpture treatment, there are added steps for creating entry points on the enhancement site and conducting the actual fat transfer, but the harvesting steps remain the same.

1. The surgeon numbs treatment areas with a jet injector. This device uses pressurized air differentials to administer a topical anesthetic instead of injecting the patient with needles.
2. The surgeon then forms perfectly symmetrical two-millimeter-wide openings in the skin with a biopsy punch tool, skipping the need for scalpel cuts. A local anesthetic is applied through these entry points, meaning patients remain fully awake for all AirSculpt® procedures. This benefit reduces risks and allows surgeons to easily maneuver their patients to ensure proportional, balanced results are achieved and provides for patient participation.
3. The fat is removed with a unique, patented handpiece, vastly different from those found in traditional liposuction processes. The device gently plucks fat cell by cell, with enhanced precision that minimizes side effects to surrounding areas. Due to its delicate design, patients report that they feel vibrations and deep-tissue massage-like sensations.
4. Once the fat has been extracted, the tiny entry points are naturally left to heal, resulting in mere freckle-sized scars, if they form at all. In other words, elongated, nasty scars and stitches are not a concern after AirSculpt®.

We offer a premium liposculpture experience and look forward to helping patients achieve their dream bodies each and every day. Head to Elite Body Sculpture Nashville or any of our locations worldwide to begin your free consultation.