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More Attractive & Sculpted Shape
Do you have stubborn body fat that won’t respond to your efforts to get rid of it? Want to fit more comfortably in your clothes or look slimmer and trimmer when you’re out of them? Liposuction with Naperville’s double-board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. John Bull can help. Dr. Bull strives to achieve the very best body-sculpting results possible via liposuction for patients in the Chicago area. Liposuction can give both women and men a more attractive and sculpted shape by taking unwanted, stubborn fat away from many areas. He strives to deliver the best liposuction Naperville has to offer. If you spot a bulge or can pinch excess fat between two fingers, there is a good chance that Dr. Bull can remove it with liposuction, whether traditional, ultrasound-powered VASER lipo, or minimally invasive laser-driven SmartLipo.
Visit our photo gallery to see the results possible with plastic surgery and non-surgical treatments at The John Bull Center in Western Chicago. *Individual patient results may vary.
See More Before & AfterResults Of Successful Weight-Loss
There are two types of fat in the body: visceral fat and subcutaneous fat. Everyone has some of both. The infamous stuff may get a bad rap, but it is actually an important part of the body, serving many vital functions. Too much of it, however, can be a problem. An excess of visceral fat is a health risk. This is the hard fat that lies deep within the body, surrounding internal organs. Too much of it increases your risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and other health issues. It can also cause a thick, bulging belly.
The best way to keep this visceral fat tamed is to eat a healthy and sensible diet and exercise regularly. It is not possible to surgically remove it with liposuction. An excess of subcutaneous fat is more of a cosmetic issue. This is the fat that sits just below the skin, acting like a layer of padding that hides the muscle beneath. There is some of this fat in the belly area, as well as on the thighs, hips, buttocks, waistline, upper arms, back, bra line, axilla, inner knee, chest area, cheeks, chin, neck, calves, and ankles. These are all common areas where fat cells “congregate. Unfortunately, these are also areas that may resist slimming down, even in the face of strict diets and routine physical activity. This is because genetics plays a significant role in determining where you see the results of successful weight-loss efforts.
Do your parents tend to store fat in specific areas? Chances are good that you will, too. The problem lies in the fact that adults do not lose fat cells when they lose weight. The fat cells merely shrink as their volume is reduced. Similarly, gaining weight back—as can often happen after an effective diet—does not add fat cells, but causes the existing cells to swell again. Certain fat cells are more “stubborn” than others, refusing to shrink down even as their counterparts elsewhere in the body do. This is why you may be happy to see your love handles dwindling away, but dismayed to find that your double chin remains as full and visible as ever. Fortunately, subcutaneous fat responds very well to removal via liposuction. Dr. Bull emphasizes to his patients that liposuction is for fat removal—and fat removal only. It is not a weight-loss method that can substitute for healthy living.
Traditional liposuction is also not designed to address loose skin. When patients lose a significant amount of weight quickly, their skin can hang loosely on their body instead of retracting to fit the slimmer contours. Although some amount of skin-tightening can happen after a liposuction session—and modern technology and techniques have made this result more common—patients dealing with skin laxity typically find a lift to be a more appropriate choice than liposuction. Surgical fat reduction is often an element of tummy tuck surgery, allowing Dr. Bull to address excess fat and skin simultaneously. The exception to this is SmartLipo, which makes use of laser energy. The heat generated during a SmartLipo fat-reduction procedure also causes tissues to tighten, so can address a modest amount of laxity. Many women who have gone through pregnancy, childbirth, and nursing a baby find that they are unable to lose their “baby weight”—even long after their kids get older. Liposuction is frequently included in “Mommy Makeovers,” which are combo procedures designed to help mothers enjoy contours more in line with their pre-baby bodies. In addition to liposuction and tummy tucks, these makeovers also tend to include breast augmentation, breast lifts, or breast reduction. While breast reductions involve removing breast tissue, there is also typically excess fat to be suctioned out via liposuction. Liposuction—and particularly SmartLipo—is also especially effective for removing fatty tissue that contributes to the appearance of male breasts. The condition known as “gynecomastia” impacts men of all ages, causing breast tissue and excessive fat to develop on the chest.
Contact us today to schedule your appointment for liposuction for Naperville, all of Western Chicago, and beyond. Call (630) 339-4555, or send a message online.
Ideal Approach
Dr. Bull can perform several variations of liposuction, with the ideal approach depending on a patient’s specific needs. He frequently uses a form of the traditional liposuction technique that has gained wide acceptance in recent years, known as SAFELipo. The first four letters in the procedure’s name stands for “separation,” “aspiration,” and “fat equalization.”
Other options include VASER Liposuction and SmartLipo, each of which offers unique benefits when it comes to the first stage of a surgical fat-reduction procedure, known as “separation.” This stage is necessary because successful liposuction requires a plastic surgeon to first free the fat. Fat cells are not loose blobs floating in the body. They are sturdy cells that must be loosened and broken up prior to removal, whether by manual force or the application of sound or heat energy.
For the SAFELipo technique, which has been used around the world in recent years, Dr. Bull uses a small hollow tube—known as a cannula—with a larger tip to separate the fat. While plastic surgeons would historically use their own muscles to move the fat-loosening cannula back and forth, modern technological advances have led to the development of powered-assisted liposuction, which automates the necessary motion and allows for more complete fat removal in less time. Dr. Bull uses this typically more thorough technique, known as PAL, most of the time at the surgery center—frequently combining it with VASER. Once the fat is freed, he inserts a smaller cannula beneath the skin to suction out the separated fat. Once all of the unwanted fat is removed, he then uses another cannula to smooth out the remaining tissue to give it a natural-looking and more even result. This liposuction technique allows a more uniform “shrinking” of the skin than the technique used years ago.
The VASER LipoSelection® procedure uses pulsed ultrasound energy to break up and remove the fat deposits. Considering that fatty tissue contains a large percentage of fat cells as well as blood vessels, nerves, and connective tissue, ultrasound energy selectively breaks up and emulsifies the fat itself, while leaving the other tissues intact. During the VASER procedure, Dr. Bull makes a small incision in the area to be sculpted, then introduces a special saline solution to numb the site, shrink blood vessels, and enhance the fat-liquefying process, known as emulsification. The emulsified fat is then readily removed with suction.
During a SmartLipo treatment, Dr. Bull directs a high-powered laser that emits bursts of energy at the fat deposits. This heats the subcutaneous fat cells until they rupture. The now liquified fat is then removed via suction as with typical liposuction, and the leftover fluid is drained from the body through tiny incisions.
Lipo 360 is not a specific liposuction technique, but describes the practice of treating several areas encompassing the midsection—including the abdomen, waistline, and back—during the same operation. Another term for this is “circumferential liposuction,” because it involves removing fat from a full circle around the body. It may also involve the bra line. The main advantage of Lipo 360 is its comprehensive approach to fat reduction.
While Dr. Bull always works to make the results of any liposuction procedure appear natural and proportional—even if he is focusing on a single, isolated pocket of fat—Lipo360 is truly a “whole body” method. Lipo 360 also involves “liposculpture,” as opposed to simple liposuction. While surgical fat removal reduces volume in the targeted areas, liposculpture involves using the remaining fat deposits to further shape and contour the area. This approach has the added advantage of making the contour of the buttocks stand out without the need for a Brazilian butt lift—although that volume-adding procedure may also be included as desired. Once the fat has been removed and the area equalized by smoothing out the tissue, Dr. Bull places dressings over any incisions. A foam pad will be applied to the treatment area, and a compression garment will help decrease swelling and help the skin shrink down to the newly improved contour as much as possible. Many liposuction patients find that the retraction is quite effective, because the amount of fat being removed—while visibly significant—was not enough to stretch the skin past its ability to retract again.
Visit our photo gallery to see the results possible with plastic surgery and non-surgical treatments at The John Bull Center in Western Chicago.
View More“Excellent experience every time! Everyone is always so friendly and very knowledgeable! Dr. Bull is awesome and I’m very pleased with my results.”
- Lori, Patient
*Individual Results May Vary
Realistic Expectations
You’re a good candidate for liposuction if you have stubborn body fat that won’t respond to your life style changes. All of our Naperville liposuction candidates should be healthy non-smokers, be within 10 to 20 pounds of their ideal weight, and have realistic expectations for their procedure.
Although there are limits to the amount of fat that can be removed, we can assist you with your decision about potential areas for reshaping. A good mental mindset is important, since knowing what to expect in terms of the surgery and the results to follow can lower stress and improve healing times.
Many patients are surprised to learn that liposuction—even traditional liposuction—has minimal discomfort and a short recovery time. The suctioned areas may be swollen and bruised for a time, and you may feel a burning sensation in the days after your liposuction surgery, but these will resolve quickly. VASER® liposuction typically results in low to minimal pain and low incidences of bruising or prolonged swelling. The recovery process isn’t as intense as with traditional liposuction, but you’ll still be asked to lay low and take it easy for the first few days after your procedure, as well as wear a compression garment to help shape your new results. Swelling and bruising should resolve about two weeks after the surgery. SmartLipo treatments involve a local anesthetic, not general anesthesia, as with conventional liposuction.
That means anesthesia-related side effects are reduced. Patients may see some minimal bruising and experience a little discomfort after their procedure, but the sensations are not comparable to what follows traditional liposuction. Because of the laser’s blood vessel-sealing capabilities, and because of the small size of the incisions, SmartLipo treatments are less traumatic on the body’s tissue than traditional liposuction. Minimal downtime is needed after Lipo 360. Combining several midsection areas into one fat-reduction procedure allows patients to have just one recovery period instead of three separate recuperation windows for work on the abdomen, waistline, and back. Any discomfort can be controlled with oral medications prescribed by Dr. Bull, but you may still feel stiff and sore for a few days. Most of our Naperville liposuction patients can return to work in one to five days, depending on the extent of the procedure and the type of work they do. You should start walking again later in the day after your procedure, but more strenuous activity should be avoided for one to two weeks.
Most traditional liposuction and Lipo 360 patients see improvement in their bodies within one week of their procedure, but the post-operational swelling will take several weeks to completely resolve. If you have any bruising, the discolorations will improve greatly over the first week and usually resolve completely by two weeks. The tiny incisions where Dr. Bull inserted the cannulas heal well and fade over time. The ultimate, long-lasting liposuction result will take six months to develop. This is when the skin will have finished its retraction. With VASER liposuction, patients often see changes shortly after the procedure, but the final results can take six to nine months to develop. For SmartLipo, most patients begin to see noticeable inch loss within a few weeks to a few months.
Board-certified and highly accomplished plastic surgeon Dr. John Bull is not just committed to providing beautiful cosmetic surgery results in a safe and comforting environment. He also wants every patient to feel heard, understood, and confident in their choice.
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To schedule your consultation and learn more about liposuction cost, results, and other details in Naperville and the Western suburbs of Chicago, please contact us online or call The John Bull Center for Cosmetic Surgery & Laser Medispa at (630) 339-4555.
If you’re wondering what slimmer hips would do to your silhouette, Dr. Bull can show you at a consultation that includes Vectra®3D imaging. Using the advanced software, he can capture a true-to-life image of you, then alter it in real time to show you how various procedures—including liposuction to specific areas—would change your appearance.
Some patients are not ready for surgery when it comes to dealing with excess fat. Liposuction provides the most dramatic results in a relatively short amount of time, but anyone who wants to avoid incisions but who still wants to reduce a stubborn double chin, annoying bra fat, or sizeable thighs can choose Cool Sculpting®. This treatment drops the temperature in focused areas, crystallizing the fat there and prompting a gradual slim down.
We’re looking forward to hearing from you! Call us, send an online message, or stop by our offices to talk to a member of our team and arrange a consultation.
1307 Macom Drive, Naperville, IL 60564