Liposuction Frequently Asked Questions
Liposuction Surgery
How is the liposuction surgery performed?
Dr. Pittman–Waller normally performs liposuction surgery at an outpatient surgery center, either:
- Northeast Baptist Surgery Center, located in the Northeast Baptist Medical Center, 8715 Village Drive, San Antonio, Texas 78217, 210-477-1775 or
- Physicians Ambulatory Surgery Center at the Quarry, in our own building at 423 Treeline Park, San Antonio, Texas 78209, 210-829-2600.
Dr. Virginia and the staff are dedicated to ensuring your comfort during and after your liposuction surgery. The procedure should take about two hours during which general anesthesia will be used, although it can sometimes take longer or shorter depending on your particular anatomy, the areas to be treated, and the amount of fat to be removed.
The area to be treated is first numbed by an injection of local anesthetic. A very small incision is made in the area to be treated and a very narrow tube or cannula is inserted through which the anesthetic wetting solution can be infused. Once a sufficient amount of solution has been injected, the fat tissue will be plumped up or tumesced. After about 20 minutes, the area will be ready for liposuctioning.
The same incision is then used to insert the cannula through which the fat will be suctioned. Dr. Pittman–Waller normally performs power-assisted liposuction. The suctioning cannula is connected to a device which moves the cannula back and forth rapidly about 4000 times per minute. This makes the cannula much easier to move through the fat and allows the doctor to have greater control over the process of contouring the shape of the treated areas. The cannula and the PAL device are connected to a hose which is connected to the aspirator or suctioning device. The aspirator suctions the mixture of fat and the wetting solution much like a vacuum cleaner as the doctor moves the cannula in a radiating pattern around the incision site.
After you awaken from the anesthetic, the nursing staff will determine when you can leave and a friend or relative can drive you home. You will be able to walk on your own. It is best to have someone stay with you the first night, as you may have discomfort and need help to take your pain medication on time. You may also need help with simple things like getting to the bathroom and getting some food to eat.
Preparing for Your Liposuction Surgery
Starting Now
STOP SMOKING: Smoking reduces circulation to the skin and impedes healing. It is best to avoid smoking, second hand smoke, and cigarette replacements, such as nicotine patches or gum, in the perioperative period, the period before and after liposuction surgery.
TAKE MULTIVITAMINS: Start taking multivitamins twice daily to improve your general health once you have scheduled your liposuction surgery.
TAKE VITAMIN C: Start taking 500 mg of Vitamin C twice daily to promote healing.
DO NOT TAKE ASPIRIN OR IBUPROFEN: Stop taking medications containing aspirin or ibuprofen. Review the list of drugs containing aspirin and ibuprofen carefully. Such drugs can cause bleeding problems during and after liposuction surgery. Instead, use medications containing acetaminophen (such as Tylenol).
LIMIT VITAMIN E: Limit your intake of Vitamin E to 400 mg or less per day.
FILL YOUR PRESCRIPTIONS: You will be given prescriptions for medications. Please have them filled BEFORE the day of your liposuction surgery and bring them with you.
The Day Before Liposuction Surgery
CONFIRM SURGERY TIME: We will call you to confirm the time of your liposuction surgery. If you are not going to be at home or at your office, please call us to confirm at (210) 826–2626.
PRESCRIPTIONS: Make sure that you have filled the prescriptions you were given and set the medications out to bring with you tomorrow.
CLEANSING: The night before your liposuction surgery, shower and wash the surgical areas with antibacterial soap.
EATING AND DRINKING: Do not eat or drink anything after 12:00 midnight. This includes water.
The Morning of Your Liposuction Surgery
SPECIAL INFORMATION: Do not eat or drink anything! If you take a daily medication, you may take it with a sip of water in the early morning. (Except, do not take any diabetic medications.)
ORAL HYGIENE: You may brush your teeth but do not swallow the water.
CLEANSING: Shower and wash the surgical areas again with antibacterial soap.
MAKEUP: Please do not wear moisturizers, creams, lotions, or makeup.
CLOTHING: Wear only comfortable, loose-fitting clothing that does not go over your head. Remove hairpins, wigs, and jewelry. Please do not bring valuables with you.
Medications to Avoid Before and After Liposuction Surgery
If you are taking any medications on this list, they should be discontinued 10–14 days prior to liposuction surgery and only Tylenol should be taken for pain. All other medications that you are currently taking must be specifically cleared by Dr. Pittman–Waller prior to liposuction surgery. It is absolutely necessary that all of your current medications be specifically cleared by the doctor.
Aspirin Medications to Avoid
- 4–Way Cold Tabs
- 5–Aminosalicylic Acid
- Acetylsalicylic Acid
- Adprin–B products
- Alka–Seltzer products
- Amigesic
- Anacin products
- Anexsia w/Codeine
- Argesic–SA
- Arthra–G
- Arthriten products
- Arthritis Foundation products
- Arthritis Pain Formula
- Arthritis Strength BC Powder
- Arthropan
- ASA
- Asacol
- Ascriptin products
- Aspergum
- Asprimox products
- Axotal
- Azdone
- Azulfidine products
- B–A–C
- Backache Maximum Strength Relief
- Bayer Products
- BC Powder
- BC Tablets
- Bismatrol products
- Buffered Aspirin
- Bufferin products
- Buffetts 11
- Buffex
- Butal/ASA/Caff
- Butalbital Compound
- Cama Arthritis Pain Reliever
- Carisoprodol Compound
- Cheracol
- Choline Magnesium Trisalicylate
- Choline Salicylate
- Cope
- Coricidin
- Cortisone Medications
- Damason–P
- Darvon Compound–65
- Darvon/ASA
- Dipentum
- Disalcid
- Doan's products
- Dolobid
- Dristan
- Duragesic
- Easprin
- Ecotrin products
- Empirin products
- Equagesic
- Excedrin products
- Fiorgen PF
- Fiorinal products
- Gelpirin
- Genprin
- Gensan
- Goody's Extra Strength Headache Powder
- Halfprin products
- Isollyl Improved
- Kaodene
- Lanorinal
- Lortab ASA
- Magan
- Magnaprin products
- Magnesium
- Magsal
- Marnal
- Marthritic
- Meprobamate
- Mesalamine
- Methocarbamol
- Micrainin
- Mobidin
- Mobigesic
- Momentum
- Mono–Gesic
- Night–Time Effervescent Cold
- Norgesic products
- Norwich products
- Olsalazine
- Orphengesic products
- Oxycodone
- Pabalate products
- P–A–C
- Pain Reliever Tabs
- Panasal
- Pentasa
- Pepto-Bismol
- Percodan products
- Phenaphen/Codeine #3
- Pink Bismuth
- Propoxyphene Compound products
- Robaxisal
- Rowasa
- Roxeprin
- Saleto products
- Salflex
- Salicylate products
- Salsalate
- Salsitab
- Scot–Tussin Original 5–Action
- Sine–off
- Sinutab
- Sodium Salicylate
- Sodol Compound
- Soma Compound
- St. Joseph Aspirin
- Sulfasalazine
- Supac
- Suprax
- Synalgos–DC
- Talwin
- Triaminicin
- Tricosal
- Trilisate
- Tussanil DH
- Tussirex products
- Ursinus–Inlay
- Vanquish
- Wesprin
- Willow Bark products
- Zorprin
Anti Inflammatory Medications to Avoid
- Actron
- Acular (opthalmic)
- Advil products
- Aleve
- Anaprox products
- Ansaid
- Cataflam
- Clinoril
- Daypro
- Diclofenac
- Dimetapp Sinus
- Dristan Sinus
- Etodolac
- Feldene
- Fenoprofen
- Flurbiprofen
- Genpril
- Haltran
- IBU
- Ibuprin
- Ibuprofen
- Ibuprohm
- Indochron E–R
- Indocin products
- Indomethacin products
- Ketoprofen
- Ketorolac
- Lodine
- Meclofenamate
- Meclomen
- Mefenamic Acid
- Menadol
- Midol products
- Motrin products
- Nabumetone
- Nalfon products
- Naprelan
- Naprosyn products
- Naproxen
- NaproxX
- Ocufen (opthalmic)
- Nuprin
- Orudis products
- Oruvail
- Oxaprozin
- Piroxicam
- Ponstel
- Profenal
- Relafen
- Rhinocaps
- Sine–Aid products
- Sulindac
- Suprofen
- Tolectin products
- Tolmetin
- Toradol
- Voltaren
Other Medications to Avoid
- 4–Way with Codeine
- A.C.A.
- A–A Compound
- Accutrim
- Actifed
- Acular (opthalmic)
- Anaprox products
- Anexsia Arthritis
- Anisindione
- Anturane
- Bufferin
- Children's Advil
- Clinoril
- Clinoril C
- Contac
- Coumadin
- Dalteparin injection
- Dicumerol
- Dimetapp Sinus
- Dipyridamole
- Doxycycline
- Emagrin
- Enoxaparin injection
- Feldene
- Flagyl
- Fragmin injection
- Furadantin
- Genpril
- Heparin
- Hydrocortisone
- Ibuprin
- Indochron E–R
- Isollyl
- Ketoprofen
- Lovenox injection
- Macrodantin
- Meclofenamate
- Mellaril
- Menadol
- Miradon
- Nabumetone
- Naprosyn products
- Nuprin
- Opasal
- Oruvail
- Pan–PAC
- PentoxyfYlline
- Persantine
- Phenylpropanolamine
- Ponstel
- Prednisone
- Protamine
- Pyrroxate
- Rhinocaps
- Ru–Tuss
- Salatin
- Sinex
- Sofarin
- Soltice
- Sparine
- Stelazine
- Sulfinpyrazone
- Suprofen
- Tenuate
- Tenuate Dospan
- Thorazine
- Ticlid
- Ticlopidine
- Toradol
- Trental
- Ursinus
- Vibramycin
- Vitamin E
- Warfarin
Tricyclic Antidepressant Medications to Avoid
- Adapin
- Amitriptyline
- Amoxapine
- Anafranil
- Asendin
- Aventyl
- Clomipramine
- Desipramine
- Doxepin
- Elavil
- Endep
- Etrafon products
- Imipramine
- Janimine
- Limbitrol products
- Ludiomil
- Maprotiline
- Norpramin
- Nortriptyline
- Pamelor
- Pertofrane
- Protriptyline
- Sinequan
- Surmontil
- Tofranil
- Triavil
- Trimipramine
- Vivactil
Herbal Medications to Avoid
- Garlic
- Ginkgo Biloba
- Ginseng
- St. John's Wort
More Liposuction FAQs
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