Resolutions are all the rage this time of year. You vow to stop wasting hundreds of hours on mindless social media, scrolling through pictures of other people’s perfect lives. You vow to stop watching reality TV shows about obnoxious, talentless people. You vow to stop eating fast food. You vow to read 50 books in 2020.

Fill in your particular resolution here ______.

Want a resolution you’ll keep? Come see Dr. Barrera and have him remove your stubborn pockets of fat with liposuction. That fat will be gone for good and you’ll finally be able to actually keep a resolution.

What is liposuction?

Liposuction was invented in France. It came to the U.S. in the 1980s. Originally it was a pretty violent procedure. Large cannulas (tubes with suction) were inserted under the skin but they had to be moved back and forth quite aggressively to break loose the fat cells to suction them away. Patients could lose a good deal of blood, plus bruising from the tissue trauma could last for months.

Today’s liposuction has come a long way. Cannulas used are much thinner and new methods make liposuction really only minimally invasive. Patients can usually return to work in just a day or two after most liposuction treatments.

Different options

Dr. Barrera uses tumescent liposuction for these procedures. This involves the injection of a tumescent solution to begin the procedure. This solution is a mix of saline water, epinephrine, and lidocaine. The saline solution acts to swell the area. The lidocaine provides local anesthetic. The epinephrine constricts the blood vessels to limit bleeding and subsequent bruising. The epinephrine also tends to constrict the fat cells, making it easier to break them loose.

Depending on the patient’s needs, Dr. Barrera also uses various different options to assist these procedures. He may use a cannula whose tip vibrates and breaks loose the fat; this is power-assisted liposuction. He may use ultrasound waves to break down the fat before removing it. He may use laser energy to liquefy the fat cells before removing them. Laser-assisted liposuction has the added advantage of providing some degree of skin tightening, as the body produces new collagen in response to the laser heat in the dermis layer of the skin.

During your consultation with Dr. Barrera, the two of you will discuss which method would be the best fit for particular needs.

Resolve to lose those stubborn pockets of fat for the New Year. Call Dr. Barrera at (713) 468-5200 and set up a consultation for liposuction.