Olympia & Portland Liposuction

Liposuction is consistently one of the most popular cosmetic surgery procedures performed in the United States, and for good reason. Imagine permanently removing unwanted and unsightly pockets of fat to slim and contour "problem areas" that may be resistant to diet and exercise. For our Olympia, Vancouver, and Portland liposuction patients, results can transform their entire profile.

Dr. Chung is a board-certified plastic surgeon serving Portland, Oregon as well as the central Washington area from Vancouver to Olympia. Liposuction is one of the procedures in which he has extensive training and experience, particularly during his years as a Los Angeles plastic surgeon.

If you would like to learn more about body contouring with liposuction, click here to request your complimentary consultation with Dr. Christopher Chung, a board-certified plastic surgeon based in Longview, Washington.

Liposuction Options

Most people have at least one area of the body that retains fat, despite diet and exercise. For men and women who are otherwise physically fit and at or near their ideal weight, liposuction can be an excellent option for the permanent removal of stubborn, unwanted fat deposits. For people with loose skin and muscle as well as excess fat in the abdomen, Dr. Chung also performs tummy tucks (abdominoplasty).

At his plastic surgery practice near Vancouver, Washington, Dr. Chung offers power assisted liposuction (PAL), considered by many to be the "gold standard" of liposuction techniques. Through advanced developments in liposuction technology, power assisted liposuction is able to provide excellent results with fewer complications than traditional liposuction.

What is PAL?

Power assisted liposuction utilizes a cannula whose tip vibrates at a high rate of speed, gently breaking up the fat cells so that they may be suctioned away with minimal disruption to the surrounding tissue. The power-assisted method of liposuction has proven to have less incidence of complications than other methods, with shorter surgical and recovery times.

Your PAL Procedure

Power assisted liposuction is performed using the tumescent technique, which has multiple benefits. This involves infusing the treatment area with a large volume of a solution of saline, anesthetic, and epinephrine, which minimizes bruising and bleeding, and allows for increased patient comfort and more precise liposculpture. Due in part to this tumescent solution, PAL can be performed using local anesthesia, either with or without sedation.

The PAL cannula glides through areas of fat more quickly and gently than with other liposuction methods. This makes for a shorter surgery with minimal damage to surrounding tissues, and a shorter recovery time. Furthermore, power assisted liposuction allows Dr. Chung increased ability to sculpt and contour the treatment area, as opposed to simply removing a volume of fat. Dr. Chung specializes in this three-dimensional approach to body-contouring at his Olympia area cosmetic surgery practice.

Recovery and Results

PAL patients experience much less bruising, swelling, and discomfort than traditional liposuction patients, because the PAL cannula is gentler to surrounding tissue. You will be instructed to wear a compression garment for several weeks, and to walk around regularly to avoid the formation of blood clots. In most cases, you will return to work and light activity within a week, with the full results of your liposuction emerging over several months as swelling subsides.

As a part of your body contouring procedure, Dr. Chung includes follow up visits to Flourish Skin & Laser Medi-spa, conveniently located adjacent to Dr. Chung's plastic surgery suite. The skin care professionals at Flourish can provide treatments to refine your skin tone and optimize your liposuction results.