My Liposuction and sub-cutaneous J-Plasma experience
I am in my late 30s and a mom to two amazing kids small children. I work out, I eat fairly healthy, and, I still had a little belly and some love handles. This is a normal part of the aging process, but not one you have to just accept, if you do not want to.
Liposuction has been around for decades, and is the hands-down most effective method for removing unwanted fat. There are many aesthetic devices on the market that promise to shrink or destroy fat cells through the skin – but only liposuction directly removes fat.
In our office, we use a combination of tumescent liposuction – which just means you are locally numbed for the treatment, and fat is removed. You are awake during the procedure, and the recovery is localized to just the treated area. Dr. Janowski also uses a tickle device – which employs a vibrating cannula to assist with fat removal – and makes the procedure A LOT more comfortable for the patient — which also makes for an easier recovery.
On top of these two great technologies – we are now combining the brand new and revolutionary power of J-Plasma, inserted under the skin, to tighten skin post-liposuction. Whenever you remove fat from an area, you run the risk of being left with looser skin. Without the natural buoyancy of the fat, post-treatment skin can appear lax. What J-Plasma allows Dr. Janowski to do is to offer targeted tightening UNDER the skin, which contracts tissue and leaves your with not only less fat, but tauter skin.
The combination of the two treatments makes for superior and targeted results.
For my treatment, we were looking to remove some unwanted fat on my abdomen and love handles. I also had some skin laxity on my tummy – from having two kids in two years. I worked out regularly and was at my ideal weight already – which made me a good candidate for liposuction. Liposuction is not meant as a weight loss plan – and there is only so much fat you can safely take out at one time.
This is a before treatment image of me … after to be posted shortly
On the day of treatment, I took a prescribed medication at the office to help me relax, but otherwise, was awake and conscious throughout the procedure. My treatment areas were numbed using lidocaine injections – and honestly, I only felt the first tiny poke. After I was sufficiently numb, a small cannula was inserted on either side of my tummy (and later on my back for my flanks), and through a series of smooth back and forth motions – Dr. Janowski began removing fat. It is a pretty cool experience to see your own fat coming out. The tickle device that was vibrating the cannula felt like a strong vibration – and I barely noticed what was happening. The only bad part was that the tickle sensation made me want to go pee! Once the fat was removed, which took about 15 minutes, Dr. Janowski inserted the J Plasma cannula – which uses cold plasma to tighten the area that was just liposuctioned. I didn’t feel this part of the procedure at all.
All in all, the procedure took about an hour and a half – from numbing to being out the door. Post treatment, some occlusive dressings were put on my incisions – kind of like clear stickers. My treated areas were a little swollen with fluid – as some of the lidocaine used to numb me was still present. That night, I took a shower and some fluid “drained” from my incisions – which is good and normal.
I put on the compression garment / Spanx – which you need to wear for the next two weeks – and went to bed.
The next morning, because all the numbing had worn off, I was definitely sore. I refrained from working out or carrying anything too heavy (outside of carrying my kids) for the next ten days. For me, the swelling resolved within two days – and I could already see a flatter tummy and a smoother profile. That was very gratifying. I did have a pretty large bruise in the treated area, which resolved in about a week.
I had some patches of soreness for about three weeks – but nothing I couldn’t manage. Really, it was only the day after treatment that I felt super tender and sore. Patients do report that soreness also depends on areas treated and the extent of the procedure – and that the abdomen tends to be the most tender, as it moves around the most.
I am now over two months out, and getting ready to wear a bikini for summer swimsuit season. I’ve lost one waist size – and I feel like I have the abdomen I had when I was a teenager (in a good way!). I do have a little bit of skin laxity – but it gets better and tauter each week.
And overall, for me, liposuction + J Plasma sub-c was easy, totally worth it, and did something I wasn’t getting by working out 5 days a week and cutting out carbs – a flat tummy.
If you are interested in if this treatment is right for you, come in and chat with Dr. Janowski. 303-469-0064
*Results may vary from patient to patient