It has been said that teenagers should not be so concerned with appearance and that they should concentrate on their studies. But we all know that looks plays a big part in acceptance, especially in high school. While we don't condone plastic surgery for teenagers, some teens may need a little help when it comes to fitting in. More and more teens are interested in fat reduction.
Surgery today is getting more safe, especially with the introduction of the laser. Laser liposuction is one type surgery that offers teens little to no risk. While most surgeons will not perform fat reduction surgery on anyone under the age of 18, some may do it for those 16 and older with a parent's consent. The surgery is performed most often in a doctor's office using local anesthesia in the treated area. The lidocaine in the anesthesia restricts blood vessels resulting in hardly any blood loss, if any. A doctor uses a tiny cannula resembling a hallowed out needle equipped with a laser. The cannula is inserted into the skin through the tiniest of incisions.
Once safely under the skin, the laser melts the fat until it turns to liquid, then it is suctioned out of the body. There are no sutures required for the incisions, resulting in little to no scarring. The procedure takes generally one hour to perform, per body part and patients can leave after about three hours, walking on their own. The surgery is safe and relatively risk and infection free. It is a great alternative to traditional liposuction for smaller areas of reduction. The perfect candidate is in good health, who eats well and is active.
We must consider that a teenager could be carrying baby fat that will disappear in their twenties, but a doctor can give a better assessment as to if they are a good candidate for surgery. A double chin, fat thighs, or arms might only get worse with age, especially if the teen has a family history of weight problems or is predisposed to carry fat in certain areas. Any surgery is an important decision not to be taken lightly and should be discussed at length with your doctor and teen. I would not recommend any type of fat reduction for those under 16 years of age.
A patient having laser assisted surgery has little recovery time. The patient is required to take it slow for two days following surgery with light to moderate activity. There is pretty much no pain post op and if there is some, over the counter meds provide relief. A compression garment is required to be worn for three days and nights and for some body parts, for up to two weeks, but just for 8 hours per day.
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