For many social analysts, the growing attraction and demand for liposuction in Singaporeare bolstered by two factors. One, accessible and affordable technology has made the procedure cheaper even for the average consumer. Two, despite lack of credible and reliable scientific evidence, quick-fix solutions have become very attractive alternatives if only for the convenience they offer.
Liposuction is a cosmetic surgery that sculpts your body by eliminating excess fats in various parts of the body through state-of-the-art suction technology. It is fundamentally a cosmetic procedure but in rare cases, liposuction can be used to treat certain health conditions. During liposuction, small, thin, blunt-tipped tubes (cannula) are inserted through tiny cuts in the skin. And excess fat is suctioned out through these tubes as the doctor moves the tubes around under the skin to target specific fat deposits. In other words, the procedure eliminates unwanted body fats in just one to three hours.
In terms of method, tumescent liposuction, an innovative modification of traditional method has become the most common and popular liposuction surgery in Singapore and other parts of the world. The procedure is an invasive procedure typically performed under local or general anesthesia and uses several litres of a saline “wetting” solution that is injected below the skin and into the fat. This decreases blood loss, facilitates anesthesia and creates space between the muscle and fatty tissue, allowing the cannula to move more freely so that fat cells can be readily and permanently removed through small incisions with the use of a microcannula attached to a high-power vacuum.
Slimlipo on the other hand is a semi-invasive treatment performed under local anesthetic which takes just 2 hours. This method is more sophisticated since it uses utilizes laser technology to directly target fat and protect the surrounding tissues and nerves. An ultra-thin, flexible cannula is then used to ensure minimal pain and reduce the risk of bruising and swelling by 79%, compared to more traditional methods. This high tech liposuction method can effectively remove up to 6 liters of fat in just a single session while at the same time inducing tightening of the skin dermis to reduce wrinkles and cellulite.
Fat grafting or fat injection, also known as fat transfer, is also another reliable liposuction method in Singapore. However, the objective of patients who choose this method is not as outright as regular liposuction methods. A fat grafting procedure transfers fat from areas in which you have excess fat, such as the outer thighs, and injects it into areas that may be lacking in volume, such as your face, hands, breasts or buttocks. This allows patients to “balance” their body form by transferring fat in body areas that appear creased and sunken, remove scars, fill bodily depressions or rejuvenate hands and face and for breast reconstruction.
There have also been more recent cutting edge techniques like zeltiq cool sculpting and vaser liposuction technique. But depending on extent of procedure required, liposuction operations in Singapore costs somewhere between $2,000 to $3,500 per treatment region, not including the cost of anaesthesia and other fees. As such, despite the many options in procedures and the newer technologies for liposuction, the procedure remains controversial to say the least if only the question persists: is the cost of these treatments truly worth the risk of vanity?