How it works
Everything begins with an examination and consultation. Your plastic and aesthetic surgeon will map out the areas of excess fat on your face, assess the fat and how lax your skin is, and screen for any coexisting conditions. You will also have some routine pre-operative tests so the surgeon understands your overall health.
Before the procedure, you need to fast from food and drink for at least 6 hours. If you take medicines such as Aspirin or blood thinners, these need to be stopped 10 days before surgery. Tell your surgeon about every medicine you take so you can be given specific guidance.
When facial liposuction is done on its own, the procedure is usually carried out under local anesthesia, meaning only the treated area is numbed and you do not need to be put to sleep. The surgeon makes two small incisions of about 1 to 2 mm in places that are easy to keep hidden. The fat layer under the skin is swollen with a fluid (called tumescent fluid), and then fine cannulas are passed in to draw off the extra fat through a suction system.
There are several liposuction techniques your surgeon may use depending on the case, for example standard suction, power-assisted suction, or suction aided by laser or ultrasound. The liposuction itself usually takes about 30 to 45 minutes. Because it is a medical procedure, it is performed at a licensed medical facility.