Rebecca Garza Plastic Surgery
322 U.S. 41 #103
Schererville, IN 46375
Phone: (219) 322-3131
Monday–Friday: 8 a.m.–5 p.m.
Men and women from all walks of life sometimes need help reducing stubborn fat. Although fitness and nutrition are a great foundation, liposuction provides the finishing touches by sculpting away fat from areas that don’t fully respond to diet and exercise.
Patients from Crown Point and Munster, Indiana, and other nearby cities trust Dr. Rebecca Garza for liposuction in Schererville. They often leave with renewed excitement about exercise and healthy eating because they are motivated to maintain their new shape.
What Is Liposuction?
Liposuction, or lipoplasty, is a surgical procedure that uses a cannula (tube) attached to a vacuum instrument to remove excess fat from specific areas of the body. Liposuction is a popular cosmetic surgery procedure that can help people achieve a slimmer and more proportional body shape. Liposuction is not intended to be a weight loss procedure.
What Areas Does Liposuction Treat?
Liposuction can essentially be used anywhere there is excess, stubborn fat. The most common treatment areas are different for men and women.
- For men, the most common areas are the belly, flanks (love handles), the chest area (especially useful for treating gynecomastia), and the neck and chin.
- Women usually request liposuction for the abdomen, hips, thighs, arms, buttocks, back, neck, and chin.
Dr. Garza can also perform liposuction on the knees, calves, ankles, or other areas.
Liposuction With Skin Excision
Pregnancy and significant weight changes often leave excess fat and lax skin around the midsection. While liposuction effectively reduces fat, it does not provide significant skin tightening. An abdominoplasty, or tummy tuck, is usually required to rejuvenate the abdominal area completely.
The drawback for some patients is that a tummy tuck usually involves several weeks of downtime. When patients want a less invasive option, Dr. Garza may perform liposuction with skin excision to remove abdominal fat and most of the excess skin that is left behind.
While this procedure does not flatten bulging abdominal muscles, patients often appreciate the smoother look they attain and the reduced downtime compared to a tummy tuck.
Your Liposuction Consultation With Dr. Garza
During your consultation, Dr. Garza evaluates your weight, skin elasticity, and muscle tone. She asks about your diet and exercise habits and encourages you to discuss your concerns and ask questions. She goes over all your surgical options, which may include procedures like brachioplasty (arm lift) or thigh lift if you also have excess, sagging skin.
Complementary Procedures
Dr. Garza may educate you about other procedures to complement your liposuction if she feels it will help meet your goals. She never recommends or “sells” treatments unless she feels it is in your best interest.
Abdominoplasty (tummy tuck) is often combined with liposuction to help repair separated abdominal muscles and restore a flatter, smoother midsection.
Breast enhancement is often complemented by liposuction to smooth away “bra fat” or slim the waist.
Liposuction with abdominoplasty and breast enhancement is a popular combination for women who have had children and individuals who have lost a significant amount of weight.
Meet Your Surgeon,
Rebecca Garza, M.D.
Dr. Garza is one of the most accomplished female board-certified plastic surgeons in Indiana and the Chicagoland area. She completed elite fellowship training and is active in several prestigious professional associations, including the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, The Aesthetic Society, and the American Society for Reconstructive Microsurgery. She performs a full range of facial procedures, as well as breast enhancement and body contouring, all tailored to your personal needs.
More About Dr. GarzaCredentials You Can Trust
Liposuction Before and After Photos
Dr. Garza is happy to share her previous patients’ liposuction before and after photos with you. These photos can help you visualize your final results and see the type of targeted body contouring that is possible with this procedure.
What To Expect From Your Liposuction Procedure
Dr. Garza performs tumescent liposuction on an outpatient basis—using either local anesthesia with sedation or general anesthesia—so you can return home the same day. With tumescent liposuction, Dr. Garza injects a saline solution with local anesthetic and adrenaline into the treatment area. The anesthetic keeps you comfortable for several hours after your procedure, and the adrenaline minimizes bruising by decreasing bleeding.
During liposuction, Dr. Garza uses a cannula (a thin tube) to suction out the fat deposits through small incisions. The tumescent technique is gentler on your body than previous liposuction techniques because it causes minimal trauma to the surrounding tissue and reduces swelling and pain. Your procedure may last from 1 to 2 hours on average, depending on the number of areas treated.
Liposuction Recovery
You will return home on the day of your liposuction procedure with compression garments on the treated areas. These elastic garments minimize swelling and help the overlying skin and layer of superficial fat form smooth contours during the healing process. Expect to feel sore for a few days after the procedure. Most patients manage any discomfort with prescribed or over-the-counter oral medication.
It is normal to experience one or more of the following temporary side effects:
- Swelling
- Soreness
- Decrease in energy
- Numbness, tingling, & itching
You’ll need to wear the compression garments over the treated areas for about 1 month. You can resume light physical activities after a week but plan to avoid strenuous workouts for 4 to 6 weeks.
Keep in mind that your recovery timeline will vary with the size and number of areas treated and whether you have liposuction performed individually or along with other procedures.
Helpful Tips for Recovery
- Have plenty of clean towels on hand for the first few days after liposuction because tumescent fluid may drain out of the incisions.
- Buy 2 sets of compression garments so you have one to wear while the other is being washed. We can recommend specific garments for your needs.
- Get up and gently walk around several times daily to facilitate healing.
- Wear a thin cotton T-shirt or tank top under your compression garment for improved comfort.
- Be patient. It may take 3 to 6 months for you to achieve your final results.
- Eat healthily. Resist the urge to indulge in comfort foods, especially when you’re feeling sore and tired after surgery.
- Drink plenty of water to prevent dehydration.
Liposuction for Men
Over the years, liposuction has increased in popularity among men. It is now one of the most common plastic surgery procedures for our male patients. In many circumstances, it can be an effective way to improve a man’s physique with minimal scarring.
Men often have liposuction on their flanks and abdomen, reporting that even with frequent exercise and a balanced diet, pockets of fat in these places remain. Fortunately, the skin on the flanks is generally thick and elastic and will shrink down once the fat is removed. Treatment on the abdomen also provides excellent results for men, giving them a leaner and more athletic appearance.
A Reputation Built on Results
A Reputation
Built on Results
Liposuction FAQs
Who is a good candidate for liposuction?
Both women and men come to our Schererville practice for liposuction. Men make up between 10% and 15% of liposuction patients nationally, and those numbers are reflected at our office.
A good liposuction candidate is already in good overall shape but can’t get rid of stubborn fat from areas where it accumulates naturally based on age or genetics. The primary locations include the abdomen, flanks, thighs, lower back, buttocks, and neck. Men with overdeveloped breast tissue, a condition called gynecomastia, can be helped with liposuction in many cases, in addition to male breast reduction surgery.
Patients who benefit the most from liposuction also have good skin elasticity, meaning the skin naturally “bounces back” to fit the new contours once underlying fat is removed from the treated area.
What is the best liposuction technique?
When you research liposuction, it quickly becomes clear that there are several techniques that plastic surgeons use. Dr. Garza believes the best technique is tumescent liposuction, which is often referred to as the traditional form of liposuction.
Some surgeons add various forms of energy to the tumescent method, but Dr. Garza believes this tried-and-true technique provides the most consistent and attractive results with the most comfortable recovery.
How do I know if I need liposuction or a tummy tuck?
This is a common question among patients who are unhappy with the look of their midsections. If you have stubborn fat in the area that doesn’t respond to diet and exercise, but your skin is relatively resilient and elastic, liposuction may work for you.
If you have excess, stretched skin after pregnancy or weight loss, in addition to some excess fat, then you may be a better candidate for a tummy tuck. A tummy tuck actually removes extra skin and repairs damaged abdominal muscles (a condition called diastasis recti). Dr. Garza frequently performs these procedures at the same time and can help you decide which is best for you.
Are there nonsurgical alternatives to liposuction?
There are plenty of devices and treatments marketed as liposuction alternatives, but none can produce results that match those achieved by liposuction. There is only so much fat that can be addressed non-surgically. Dr. Garza’s expertise in liposuction allows her to get dramatic results without significant bruising, swelling, or downtime.
How long will my results last?
The answer is really up to you. Although you probably won’t add bulk in the areas where the liposuction was performed, you can still gain weight after surgery. Many patients find that the sleek, trim contours they achieve are so satisfying that they kick-start a series of healthy lifestyle habits. By eating a balanced diet and regularly exercising, you can maintain your liposuction results indefinitely.
How much does liposuction cost?
The price of your liposuction procedure depends on the area you want to target, whether you want to combine the procedure with other surgery, and other factors. The cost of any cosmetic surgery varies depending on the patient’s specific needs, the surgeon’s experience and qualifications, and the geographic location of the practice.
Dr. Garza strives to keep her prices competitive with other plastic surgeons around Northwest Indiana. She is also pleased to offer various financing options to help you manage your budget. During your consultation, you receive a written quote that has been customized to reflect the specifics of your procedure.
Trust a Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon
for Your Liposuction Procedure
To find out if liposuction is right for you, request a consultation online or call our office at (219) 322-3131 to meet with Dr. Rebecca Garza, an accomplished board-certified plastic surgeon in Indiana.