Ultrasonic Liposuction: 40-Year Old Woman Reduces Size of Her Waistline

By C. Downey © 2008
PlasticSurgery.com Staff Writer.

She was one of those enviable people who could eat pretty much whatever she wanted without gaining weight. That is, until her 40th birthday rolled around.

J.K. (who asked to remain unidentified,) a Houston pharmaceutical sales representative, is a pretty snappy dresser. Most people in her line of work do their best to look good and stand out in a very competitive field. Pharmaceutical sales reps are in and out of doctors' offices all day, every day, and do their utmost to dress impeccably.

"Because Houston is very hot, I like to wear two piece business suits with a spaghetti strap tank top underneath," says J.K. "That is a pretty common way here to dress a little feminine and still be business appropriate.

"When I turned 40, I found I couldn't fit into my favorite fun clothes, like the form-fitting jeans and shirts I was accustomed to wearing," says J.K. "I had developed a little bit of a fat roll around my tummy that diet and exercise just would not touch."

So J.K. started researching surgical fat removal on the Internet and found that liposuction, while not designed for general weight loss, does work well for removing pockets of stubborn fat.

Houston Plastic Surgeon Dr. Christopher Livingston

J.K. had already seen a board certified Houston plastic surgeon, Christopher Livingston, M.D., for Botox and Restylane injections, so she inquired about liposuction for her stomach. Dr Livingston -- who is on the teaching staff at Memorial Hermann Hospital System and is a clinical assistant professor of plastic surgery at the University of Texas Health Science Center in Houston -- thought J.K.'s condition was right for a fat removal procedure known as ultrasonic liposuction.

Ultrasonic Liposuction Surgery

The procedure, also known as Liposculpture uses a small, vibrating tube -- known as a cannula -- that breaks up and removes the fat cells. According to Dr. Livingston, the cannula that is inserted through the skin into the fat pockets is smaller than the one used in regular liposuction. Ultrasonic energy produces far less trauma to the surrounding tissues so that the patient experiences less bruising, less water retention, less swelling and recovers faster. Afterwards, patients wear a compression garment around the treated area for about six weeks.

"The nice thing about the surgery was that there was no bruising and hardly any 'downtime,'" says J.K.. "I took a few days off work and was fine. The cannula was inserted into my pockets of fat through four incisions smaller than a dime so I can wear a two-piece bathing suit with no worries."

But time, tide, and the natural aging process spares no one. Encouraged by the surgery, J.K. started eating better and making sure she found time for weight training and a running program.

Before and After Liposuction Pictures

J.K. 's stomach is pictured, left, before her procedure. The right hand pictures shows the results six weeks later. (Photos, courtesy of Christopher Livingston, M.D.)

J.K. says she is single with three kids so she stays focused on her looks:

"Even when I was married, I did my best to keep myself up. If a little minor surgery makes me look and feel better, I think it's worthwhile....as long as you don't go too crazy on the rejuvenation surgery.

"The surgery inspired me to keep my new look current. So I gave up pizza and fun appetizers for more protein bars and salads."

Bonus: J.K. now thinks those pant suits look great on her, even with a tight-fitting tank top underneath.