Male Body Contouring


Introduction

Male aesthetic surgery is among the most rapidly growing areas of plastic surgery. This is evident in the growing number of procedures and techniques being developed specifically to address men’s concerns.

At Aesthetic Enhancements Plastic Surgery, we pride ourselves on being able to offer men a wide range of options for the achievement of their individual goals. One of our most popular procedures among our male patients is VASER Liposelection, with the most common areas of desired improvement being the chest, abdomen and love handles.


Ideal Candidates

Not all men are great candidates for liposuction, as men often collect fat in the visceral compartment, meaning the excess abdominal fat is internal, within the space holding your stomach, intestines, and other vital organs. This is in contrast to the way most women collect excess fatty tissue in the subcutaneous space (under the skin). Therefore, a thorough evaluation is needed at the time of consultation to assess your candidacy for the procedure.

You must be healthy enough to undergo surgery and have the time and support necessary to recover from the procedure. Skin tone should be good, and there should be little excess skin. Those with diminished skin tone and/or excess skin may need to consider other options such as a lower body lift or abdominoplasty; Dr. Soto will be able to advise you as to the options available to you.


Types of Liposuction

Ultrasound assisted liposuction (VASER Liposelection) is an excellent option for men interested in body contouring, as the ultrasound improves removal of the thicker, more fibrous fatty tissue seen in men, with improved skin tightening compared with traditional tumescent liposuction or power-assisted liposuction.

The ultrasound energy effectively emulsifies the fatty tissue selectively, meaning there is less trauma to nerves and blood vessels, so there is less bruising and swelling in the postoperative period. You see dramatic improvement immediately after surgery with final results seen within 3 months.

Tumescent Liposuction involves the injection of fluid into the subcutaneous fat followed by removal of the fluid and fatty tissue using suction. This more mechanically dependent technique is not usually the best option for management of men’s more fibrous tissue.

Laser assisted liposuction is an emerging trend that may prove beneficial. As of this writing, there is no evidence that laser assisted liposuction offers benefits over the above techniques, and due to the heat generated by the laser filament, its safety is a concern as well.


How it's Done

Both ultrasound assisted and tumescent liposuction involve an initial infiltration of fluid through small, inconspicuous incisions into the space under the skin in order to expand the fatty tissue and shrink the blood vessels. This lowers the risk of bruising and makes fat removal more effective.

In the tumescent technique, the fat is aspirated using a surgical vacuum and special instruments. In the VASER Liposelection technique, an intermediate step, involving treatment of the fat with ultrasound energy, is performed before aspirating the fat.

Both types of liposuction require anesthesia, which may be simple injection of the fluid (which contains lidocaine), or may involve administration of a sedative or general anesthesia, depending on your preferences and the areas and volumes to be treated.

The incisions are then closed with a small suture and a compressive garment applied.


Recovery

The use of a compression garment is very important to the outcome of your surgery, as it assists in skin contraction and achievement of your desired shape. You will wear a garment that is chosen just for you and specific to the type and areas of liposuction for 4 weeks post surgery at all times except when in the shower. You may shower the day after surgery. Most patients develop mild to moderate bruising, swelling, and discomfort, but this passes fairly quickly.













All photos on this site are models or stock photos, not patients.