Washington, D.C. and Fairfax County Liposuction and Other Body Contouring Options

From our Fairfax County, Virginia and Washington, D.C. area offices, we offer liposuction, tummy tucks, and other means of contouring the body.

• Liposuction
• Tummy Tuck

For many people, regardless of how much they exercise and diet, certain areas of the body stubbornly retain fat. In many situations there is no natural way to eliminate pockets of fat, which can make people feel self-conscious about their bodies. For these problem areas, our Washington, D.C. area offices use current liposuction techniques that can eliminate fatty areas with minimal scarring. For those who have a higher concentration of fat in the abdomen area, the tummy tuck can also be a solution.

At our Fairfax County practice, a plastic surgeon can perform liposuction on almost any area of the body, but more common areas include hips, thighs, abdomen, neck, upper arms, and buttocks. Through liposuction, patients can experience increased self-confidence and enjoy a more comfortable shape.

Our Washington, D.C.-area patients often request liposuction in conjunction with tummy tucks in order to streamline the abdomen and give a complete body makeover.

In addition to treating Washington, D.C. and Fairfax County residents with liposuction and tummy tucks, Dr. Roberta Gartside also performs arm lifts and thigh lifts to fully rejuvenate the body. In consultation, you can determine if one of these procedures may give you the desired results. Depending on your cosmetic surgery goals, these procedures can be performed individually or in combination.

The Liposuction Procedure

Our Fairfax County surgeon can perform liposuction on one specific area of the body or on several, depending on the desired results.

Once the patient has been anesthetized, the surgeon inserts a small hollow tube, also called a "cannula," into a small incision in the targeted area. Using this tool, the surgeon breaks up fat cells and vacuums them out, removing fat until the area has reached the desired contour.

There are several variations on this traditional procedure. Two variations, the tumescent technique and the super-wet technique, require the surgeon to inject fluid into the targeted area. This makes the targeted area firm and decreases scarring and healing time following the operation. Ultrasonic lipoplasty, the third technique, uses a special cannula that releases ultrasonic energy. These pulses of energy explode and liquefy fat cells, which are then removed using traditional liposuction techniques. This method offers more precision than the other techniques, but it can also increase the time spent in surgery. At our offices in the Washington, D.C. area, we’ll help determine the liposuction technique that would be best for you.

Back to Top

The Tummy Tuck Procedure

Dr. Gartside offers her Washington, D.C.-area patients both mini tummy tucks and full tummy tucks. For patients whose excess fat or skin is concentrated in the lower abdomen, the mini tummy tuck may be their best option, while for those whose fat is uniformly distributed across the abdomen, the full tummy tuck may be more suitable.

The mini tummy tuck requires only one incision, across the abdomen from hip bone to hip bone. In the fully tummy tuck, the surgeon will make a second incision up the center of the abdomen. In both procedures, from the incision(s), the surgeon separates skin and fat from the underlying tissue and pulls the abdominal muscles together to provide a firm muscular foundation for the stomach. Then, the surgeon pulls the skin back down over the new structure and removes excess skin and fat, stitching the skin back in place.

Back to Top

After Liposuction and Tummy Tuck

Following a visit to our offices in the Fairfax County and Washington, D.C. area for liposuction or tummy tuck surgery, patients will experience bruising, swelling, and soreness around the surgery site. Though the surgeon will recommend they get up and move around as soon as possible to ease swelling, patients should avoid strenuous activity for several weeks.

At first, the new contours will not be readily visible. However, several weeks after surgery, swelling and bruising will fade, and new contours will begin to appear.

It is important that patients maintain realistic goals for their liposuction and tummy tucks. While body contouring cannot give anyone a “perfect” body, it can form a solid foundation for improvement through both diet and exercise. A few patients will be unhappy with their results, and a very small percentage may require a second surgery. However, most of our patients in the Washington, D.C. area are happy with their liposuction or tummy tucks and enjoy the added confidence and comfort of a slimmer, smoother shape.

For more information on Washington, D.C. area liposuction, tummy tucks, or any other body contouring procedures, contact plastic surgeon Roberta Gartside today.

Back to Top