Skin redundancy is a critical factor when considering high-definition body contouring. This is because high-definition liposuction predicates maximum removal of fat. When complete fat removal is achieved, the overlying skin will intuitively become redundant.
The analogy I often use is like that of a piece of fruit or balloon. If you depulp the fruit or deflate the balloon, the outer shell will become wrinkly! If your skin appears wrinkled, often referred to as cellulitic in appearance, then this may be considered a botched liposuction procedure.
Several measures are utilized to counter the creation of skin redundancy both during surgery as well as postoperatively. These include:
- skin retraction created by VASER liposuction
- skin excision or tucking procedure.
Intraoperative Measures to avoid skin redundancy
Skin retraction
Skin retraction with VASER liposuction is an intraoperative measure that allows us to avoid skin redundancy. Skin integrity is maintained throughout your entire body by a series of collagen-made cables that traverse from the skin deep to the underlying muscles. These structural cables are surrounded by your fat cells.
In essence, the fat cells act like sponges that prevent the cables from shortening down. When fat is removed during liposuction, these cables, otherwise known as fibroseptal networks, contract and allow for skin retraction. What makes VASER liposuction particularly more effective in skin retraction is that the superficial soft tissue layers possess a higher density of cables than the deeper layers of the soft tissues.
Since only VASER liposuction is unique in its ability to remove superficial fat, this makes it most effective in its ability to cause skin retraction. When skin retraction becomes possible using 360-degree body contouring, then the entire skin of your body will retract up, described as skin redraping.
In summary, skin tightening with VASER liposuction is indicated for minimal skin redundancy.
Skin excision using specialized tucking procedures
Skin tightening utilizing skin excision is the gold standard for eliminating and avoiding skin redundancy during body contouring. Strategically designed skin excisions can tighten the skin over the abdomen, arms, upper back, lower back, buttocks, and medial thighs.
Procedures have been developed to address any of the above areas, including the mini tummy tuck, reverse, brachioplasty, upper body lift, lower body lift, lateral thigh and buttock, and medial thigh tuck. Gauging the amount of skin to be excised is best achieved following a physical examination in which the skin to be removed is distracted to see the optimal degree of skin to be excised.
In general, skin excision is indicated in patients with moderate to severe skin redundancy.
How to avoid skin redundancy during high definition body contouring in summary
In conclusion, avoiding skin redundancy during high definition body contouring is critical to prevent botched liposuction surgery. The degree of skin redundancy will dictate maneuvers to tighten the skin.