Top Doctors: Liposuction fast facts
Even if you just say no to every sweet that comes your way, your body may stubbornly keep storing a few pounds in the wrong places. That's where liposuction comes in.
One of the most popular cosmetic procedures in the United States today, liposuction involves surgically vacuuming body fat from under the skin. The goal is to change your body's contour.
Here's what you should know:
1. LIPOSUCTION ISN'T DESIGNED TO HELP YOU LOSE WEIGHT
So if you're looking for a quick and easy shortcut to losing 15 or 20 pounds, liposuction is not it.
"Liposuction is a safe and effective means of removing unwanted fat in selected areas," said Dr. Lyle Leipziger, chief of plastic surgery at North Shore University Hospital in Manhasset. "The important point is that it's a means of body contouring. It's not a means of weight loss."
The procedure is ideal for those who are within 10 to 20 percent of their ideal body weight, Leipziger said. "Many people are out at the gym, dieting and exercising, but they have these diet-resistant problem areas," he said. "In women, these are the lower abdomen, the hip area and the outer and inner thighs. For men, it's mostly the love handles and lower abdomen."
2. LIPOSUCTION IS EXPENSIVE
Insurance doesn't cover liposuction because it's a cosmetic procedure. The cost is typically thousands of dollars.
"People usually bill it by site," said Dr. Frederick Lukash, a Manhasset plastic surgeon. "If someone's getting their belly done, it's a fee. If they're getting their thighs done, it's a fee." And if you have liposuction on more than one area of your body, the cost goes up, he said.
3. YOU MAY WANT TO TIME YOUR PROCEDURE
If you'd like to be ready for swimsuit season, for instance, consider having your surgery at least a couple of months before summer arrives because recovery from liposuction takes a while, Leipziger said.
"Bruising can last a week or two, and it can take up to six to eight weeks to see a generalized result because you can be swollen for a while," he said. "You'll also want to wear supportive surgical garments to help the skin remain elastic."
4. YOUR SKIN MATTERS
A plastic surgeon will examine your skin to see if it has enough elasticity to bounce back into place after the procedure, Leipziger said. If there's not enough elasticity, he explained, your skin may hang loose after the surgery.
5. THE TYPE OF LIPOSUCTION TECHNOLOGY MAY NOT MATTER MUCH
Plastic surgeons now perform liposuction with a variety of tools, including lasers and ultrasound. But both Lukash and Leipziger say there's not much difference between the various approaches.
"At the end of the day, liposuction is liposuction is liposuction," Lukash said.
This is the first installment of a 26-week series in which Newsday presents Castle Connolly's list of top LI doctors. Click here to see the full list.
This week, we're featuring plastic surgeons.
This is the second installment of a 26-week series in which Newsday presents Castle Connolly's list of top L.I. doctors. Today: Plastic surgeons
Dr. Kaveh Alizadeh
999 Franklin Ave.
Garden City
516-742-3404
Dr. John Anton
138 Old Town Rd.
Southampton
631-283-9100
Dr. Arnold Breitbart
1155 Northern Blvd.
Manhasset
516-365-3511
Dr. Alexander Dagum
SUNY Health Science Center
Stony Brook
631-444-8210
Dr. Gregory DeVita
650 Northern Blvd.
Great Neck
516-466-7000
Dr. Vincent DiGregorio
999 Franklin Ave.
Garden City
516-742-3404
Dr. Naishad Doctor
2000 N. Village Ave.
Rockville Centre
516-678-2517
Dr. Sanford Dubner
Long Island Surgical Specialists
410 Lakeville Rd.
Lake Success
516-437-1111
Dr. Elliot Duboys
864 W. Jericho Tpke.
West Hills
631-423-1000
Dr. Marc Elkowitz
107 Northern Blvd.
Great Neck
516-773-9200
Dr. Joseph Feinberg
1201 Northern Blvd.
Manhasset
516-869-6200
Dr. David Funt
19 Irving Pl.
Woodmere
516-295-0404
Dr. Pamela Gallagher
190 E. Jericho Tpke.
Mineola
516-977-9922
Dr. Alan Gold
833 Northern Blvd.
Great Neck
516-498-2800
Dr. Robert Gotkin
31 Northern Blvd.
Greenvale
516-484-9000
Dr. William Groeger
1490 Broadway
Hewlett
516-887-5502
Dr. Ron Israeli
833 Northern Blvd.
Great Neck
516-498-8400
Dr. Armen Kasabian
Dept. of Surgery
1999 Marcus Ave.
Lake Success
516-233-3659
Dr. Alex Keller
900 Northern Blvd.
Great Neck
516-482-1100
Dr. Martin Kessler
242 Merrick Rd.
Rockville Centre
516-536-5858
Dr. Lyle Leipziger
825 Northern Blvd.
Great Neck
516-465-8787
Dr. Frederick Lukash
1129 Northern Blvd.
Manhasset
516-365-1040
Dr. Mark Illan Silberman
650 Northern Blvd.
Great Neck
516-466-7000
Dr. Roger Simpson
999 Franklin Ave.
Garden City
516-742-3404
Dr. B. Donald Sklansky
833 Northern Blvd.
Great Neck
516-504-1800
How they were picked
Castle Connolly Medical Ltd. is a health care research and information company founded in 1991 by a former medical college board chairman and president to help guide consumers to America's top doctors and hospitals. Castle Connolly's established survey and research process, under the direction of a doctor, involves tens of thousands of doctors and the medical leadership of leading hospitals.
Castle Connolly's team of researchers follows a rigorous screening process to select doctors on national and regional levels. Using mail and telephone surveys, and electronic ballots, they ask physicians and the leadership of top hospitals to identify exceptional doctors. Careful screening of doctors' educational and professional experience is essential to the committee. Not every good physician makes the list. Rather, the list is a way for patients to get started on their search for the best medical professional. Newsday is not part of the selection process.
Doctors do not and cannot pay to be selected and profiled as Castle Connolly Top Doctors.
To see the whole list . . .
Who else is on the list of Top Doctors? More than 6,000 listings are in the New York Metro Area edition of "Top Doctors," published by Castle Connolly Medical Ltd. The softcover list price is $34.95. For more information, go to castleconnolly.com, or call 800-399-DOCS.