• LipoSculpting refers to the art of changing contours by selectively removing fat and remodeling what is left behind. It includes measures designed to tighten the remaining skin and to enhance the shape of the regions treated.  

• Liposuction is one part of this procedure, specifically the removal of the fat.  

• Only you can decide whether the procedure is right for you. Although we cannot give you a guarantee regarding a specific outcome, we are dedicated to doing our very best with each procedure. The decision remains a personal one and you must make it.   

• Anticoagulant Medication- including aspirin and any blood thinners (coumadin, warfarin, Plavix, Xarelto and others) 
• Active malignancy or receiving chemotherapy 
• History of abnormal healing such as keloid scarring 
• Pregnant or attempting to become pregnant 
• Advanced diabetes, uncontrolled hypertension, or underlying heart, lung, kidney or liver disease. In general, persons undergoing outpatient liposuction should be in good general health. 

• On immunosuppressive agents such as prednisone and others 
• Unstable psychiatric conditions 
• Abdominal hernia present 
• On medication which may interact with lidocaine (we will provide a list) and which cannot be paused  
• Weight not stable (gaining or losing excessive amounts of weight within 6 months of the procedure) 

• Active domestic violence or other abusive relationships 
• Unable to comply with post procedure activity restrictions and follow up 
• Lidocaine allergy 

This is not an exhaustive list. You will need to be medically cleared by your primary care provider to undergo this procedure. We provide the form needed. 

• LipoSculpting/Liposuction are not weight loss procedures and are not a replacement for a healthy lifestyle. LipoSculpting is best done when you have been at a stable weight for some time, are comfortable at that weight, but have trouble zones that you wish to contour.   
• If you are planning to lose significant weight you should do that first and maintain a stable weight for 6 months before evaluating whether to have LipoSculpting performed.   

• During your evaluation we assess the possibility of other treatments/approaches. Dr. Vuich will balance the advantages and disadvantages of LipoSculpting for your particular case. If you are a surgical candidate this will be discussed as an option. Dr. Vuich is not a surgeon.   
• A tummy tuck involves surgical excision of the excess skin and fat from the abdomen. Panniculectomy is another form of this procedure which focuses on overhanging skin and fat of the lower abdomen.   
• Other surgical procedures include brachioplasty (arm lift) and the thigh lift. You can certainly also consult with a plastic surgeon regarding candidacy for those types of procedures.   
• If there is already substantial excess skin in a region, we may recommend against LipoSculpting and refer you to a surgeon. The downsides of surgery are the risk of general anesthesia, the increased risk of serious complications, and the larger scars left behind.  

• LipoSculpting and surgery are not interchangeable.   
• The goal of LipoSculpting is not necessarily to be cheaper than surgery, but to be safer and have less scarring and less downtime. It is an option for those who are looking to avoid surgery or who do not need surgical level interventions.  

• LipoSculpting as an outpatient procedure is performed with tumescent (local) lidocaine for anesthesia. The dose of lidocaine which can be administered in this fashion is based on weight and body composition.   
• We do a careful calculation of the safe dose which can be used for a given patient at one time without causing unwanted side effects. In some instances this dose may not be enough to cover every area you wish to contour. In that case you will need to consider two separate procedures, spaced 3 or more days apart.   

• We have a worksheet we will go through with you to arrive at the procedure cost. The “zone” pricing takes into account the size and difficulty level of the procedure in various areas, which translates into the amount of time that will be required to perform the procedure.   
• The Zone pricing sheet assumes an average to large body habitus (BMI/Body Mass Index up to 34) and  treatment zones that are not unusually complicated (free of scar tissue).   
• For BMI 35 and above and/or for corrective work (complicated by scar tissue/require “fixing” abnormalities caused by interventions such as a prior liposuction, other surgical procedure, or by Coolsculpting for example) additional fees may apply.  

• We accept several methods of payment, including cash, credit cards, and financing.   
• To apply for 12 month no interest financing we suggest www.advancecarecard.com.   
• We do not accept CareCredit due to their excessive fees.   
• You will make a 50% deposit upon booking your procedure date.   
• The final payment will be due 2 weeks prior to the procedure date.   

Most people at some time before elective procedures have fears and doubts regarding their motivation. A common concern is that they are being “too vain” and/or that others will “think less of them” if they find out what they had done. Most patients who have aesthetic procedures are no vainer than those who do not. They simply are willing and/or able to financially invest in themselves to achieve their goals, and have hopefully found a provider who they trust to do a good job. Looking after our appearance is not a fault. After all, would you leave your house with broken gutters or peeling paint? Why do less for your body? Remember though, you should only have LipoSculpting if it is for you. It is a big mistake to have procedures done for somebody else/to make someone else happy.  

• You can reschedule your procedure up to 2 weeks prior without any fees.   
• If you cancel or reschedule without 2 weeks notice, we will charge an administrative fee unless there is documentation of an unanticipated emergency.   
• Provided you cancel your procedure 2 or more weeks prior, we will refund your deposit within 30 days, minus a $250 administration fee.   
• There is an additional $100 per day fee charged within the 2 weeks window (up to $1400) for procedures cancelled or rescheduled with less than the required 2 weeks notice. The amount owed for fees would be deducted from your initial deposit.   

• In many cases we are setting aside an entire day for a larger area procedure (includes set up time, monitoring time and clean up time), so it is very important that you give us adequate notice if you decide not to proceed on your original date. In this way, we have sufficient time to offer others the open time. In case of true emergency we might waive some fees, but this will require documentation of the situation which prevented you from giving the expected notice.  

• Begin by thinking about what you will need in the house in the days after your procedure. Do your shopping ahead of time and plan to relax for a few days.   
• Make certain you have filled all your prescriptions and know how to take them.   

• For a few days before the procedure you may want to take extra vitamin C and Arnica Montana-many people feel this can reduce bruising and encourage healing.   
• Make certain you do not take any aspirin or aspirin containing medicine for two weeks prior. This can increase your risk of bleeding and may result in cancellation of the procedure.   
• Antihistamines, Advil and vitamin E may also increase bleeding so you should avoid them. There are many herbal remedies that may interfere with healing. Take a close look at the list we have provided and stop any herbal remedies two weeks before your procedure.   

• We will be reviewing your medication list during the consultation process and will make specific recommendations regarding this. We have a list of medications which can interact with the lidocaine anesthetic– this list will have been previously presented to your doctor along with the medical clearance form, for their input as well.  
• You may have a light breakfast on the day of your procedure.  

• For the first few days we recommend that you rest but do MOVE AROUND!  Ambulation is very important to keep the blood flowing well and reduce swelling.   
• The area which has been treated should be kept as flat as possible- for example, if you had your abdomen treated we will advise you not to sit in a “hunched over” position which might cinch the healing skin.   
• Use your compression garments and any other tools (lipofoam, abdominal binder) as directed.   
• Lymphatic Massage is extremely useful to speed healing and further enhance your result– At Renew MediSpa we frequently use our Venus Bliss radiofrequency device to deliver this excellent service. 
• Walking is an excellent exercise.   

• Eat healthy to support your immune system.   

• We do require blood work that has been done within 6 months of your procedure date. This can be provided by your primary care provider, or if needed a prescription for these tests can be given to you to take to a lab.  

• In most cases we will also ask that your Primary Care provider sign a Medical Release Form which we will have provided to you.  

• The use of tumescent lidocaine enables us to perform this procedure as an outpatient, here at the MediSpa. You will be in a private room of course, with a private bathroom.   

• Dr. Vuich will usually have two assistants. Our “Lipo Team” consists of Heather  Dozois, NP, JoAna Byam, RN, Victor Pena, RN, Johanna Dean, MA, or Renee Chase, MA and procedure tech Arielle Goley. Usually there will be 3 people in the room-Dr. Vuich, a Nurse, and a Medical Assistant. At times we may have a visiting/observing physician.   

• Even minimally invasive/non-surgical procedures produce some scar/mark, as we need to pass instruments through the skin. These entry point marks take time to soften and fade. You will not see the final appearance for up to a year after the procedure. They may be red and raised and sometimes otherwise discolored initially. We do our best to place them in ‘crease lines’ of the body, or as inconspicuously as possible.   

• If you have a history of complicated scarring such as keloid scars you should likely not have this procedure performed.   
• Once your entry points are no longer draining, you can use silicone scar sheets or gels if you wish, which are easily available at retail pharmacies and online.  

• This depends on the number of areas treated but is anywhere from 2 to 6 hours (including preparation and recovery time).   

• Your driver should be readily available on your procedure day. You are not permitted to drive yourself home due to the medications we will have administered to make you comfortable.   

• Bruising, swelling and soreness are expected (thus not complications)- this lasts about two weeks but can continue for a month or more.   

• Remember that the human body is asymmetrical and that even after a procedure both sides of the body will still not look identical.  
• All invasive procedures require incisions and thus will leave marks. In most patients these heal well, but in a small number of people a scar may develop which may be thick and/or persistently discolored.   
• At the time of the procedure the small nerves that supply feeling to the skin are disturbed. This may cause changes in sensation including numbness and pain. Sensation usually returns gradually to the region.  
• Although uncommon, bleeding and infection are risks and can be serious.   
• You will have pain and discomfort after this procedure. Usually the pain only lasts for a few days to weeks, and rarely can be permanent. We do not prescribe narcotics. You will be encouraged to use Tylenol and we may prescribe Tramadol which is a non narcotic pain reliever. Most people do just fine with Tylenol.  

• About one percent of all “operations” lead to major complications. The consent form will be provided to you during your consultation, so that you can use it to help make your decision. Be sure that all of your questions have been answered to your satisfaction prior to signing the form.   

• You will be prescribed an antibiotic which you must take to completion. This helps to avoid infection.   
• You may be prescribed other medications, such as Tramadol (non narcotic pain reliever), Medrol (prednisone, reduces inflammation) and/or Lasix (furosemide, a diuretic-for fluid retention if needed). If you think you may be allergic to any of the medicines, stop taking them and call the MediSpa immediately or present to your local urgent care/ER if it feels emergent.   

• Remember that all medicines have side effects. One of the most common is gastrointestinal upset. This means you can have an upset stomach or diarrhea. If this becomes severe please contact us.   
• Many patients are surprised that they can obtain good pain relief with simple over the counter medicines like Tylenol.   
• Do not take aspirin for a few days after the procedure because this can increase the risks of bleeding.   

• Be patient. For the first twenty-four hours take it easy, but be active (walking around to encourage blood flow)-do not lie in bed and have everything brought to you. Get up yourself and walk around regularly throughout the day.  
• After the first day or two you will start to feel more comfortable, but you are still not ready to begin vigorous activity.   
• Drink plenty of fluids and eat a balanced nourishing diet. Additional vitamin C for about six weeks is a great idea to help promote healing. Do not take extra vitamin E at this point because it can increase bleeding.   
• You should not drive yourself for about 2 days after the procedure.   
• We encourage you to begin gentle short walks by the next day. A serious complication of any invasive procedure is the development of blood clots in the legs as a result of inactivity. The risk of this is reduced by early movement.   

• At the 2 week point most will feel ready to resume more vigorous exercise- but take it slower than usual and build up the intensity gradually. You should not do any heavy lifting or vigorous jogging for at least 3 weeks. Sometimes there are exceptions to these rules. So if you have any special needs please ask us.   
• Listen to your body!  

• We do recommend that you have someone with you for the first 24 to 48 hrs if possible, or at least very near by and checking on you.   

• Pay very close attention to the directions we give you about removing your garments (to shower, for example). If you do not do this correctly, your blood pressure can drop suddenly and you may pass out and seriously injure yourself!  

• Bruising and swelling is expected and may last for one to two weeks after your procedure, rarely longer.   
• Some patients may experience a few areas of under skin “lumpiness” that may require self massage or lymphatic massage, and might persist for longer than few weeks, and in rare cases a month or more.   

• You may start to see some results quickly, but you will not see the final benefits of your procedure for a number of months. Your “final result” photos can be done at 6 to 8 months. Remember that the skin retraction (tightening) is a GRADUAL process which requires sufficient time to complete.  

• Your satisfaction with the results is very important to us. Most patients are happy with the outcome and serious complications are unusual. You are more likely to be happy if you have realistic expectations of what this procedure can do for you.  

• With respect to body contouring procedures, no provider can give a specific guarantee about the outcome-exactly how it will look, exactly if it will match your “dream result”. If we think your “dream result”- your expectation- in unrealistic, we will recommend against the procedure.   
• We will do our best to achieve your goals, but some of the result is riding on your body’s tissue response. We cannot say for any one individual, for example, exactly how much tightening of the skin will occur. Skin tightening does require your cells to respond to the “therapeutic injury” and the energy with new collagen, and people do vary in terms of how responsive their cells/immune systems are. That body response is not something we can control or predict. You can enhance it though through healthy diet and exercise, vitamins, other supplements, avoiding smoking, etc…   
• Your procedure fee covers only what is performed on that day, not any future procedures or corrective work done by Dr. Vuich or any other providers.   

• This depends on your job. After any procedure it is necessary to take it easy for 2 or 3 days.   
• During the first week you will begin to feel more like yourself and may be able to perform light duties. Desk work is fine- be sure to get up and move around often.   
• If your abdomen has been treated it is important not to sit “hunched over” to avoid creating sa surface irregularity/crease.   

• You should not do any heavy lifting or climbing heights for 3 weeks.   

• Yes- you will be measured for this and an initial compression garment will be provided to you.   
• In most cases we want you to wear this “Step 1” garment for 2 weeks.   

• After that we may ask you to wear a step 2 garment such as “Spanx” or similar for another 2 weeks.   
• Any garment provided after or in addition to the initial one will be at your own cost.   

• After body LipoSculpting we will place absorbent pads under your garment(s).   

• You will be instructed to not remove this garment for 48 hours- which is when you will take your first shower.   
• We will show you how and where to place additional padding in that first 48 hrs, if it is needed. We will supply you with this just in case.   

• We do not stitch the small incisions we use during the procedure- this allows residual anesthetic fluid to drain out which minimizes swelling, bruising, and unwanted collection of fluids under the skin (seroma).   

• It may be necessary to change some padding- we will review this with you in detail.   
• It is EXPECTED that this drainage will be “blood tinged”. If you see this it does not mean that you are bleeding. 

• You can shower 48 hours after the procedure, but do not massage the areas of the incisions. Re-apply the garment and padding after you shower, as instructed.   
• Do not take a bath or go swimming (pools, lakes, ponds, hot tubs etc…) for 3 weeks.  

• u may sleep in any comfortable position. Try to avoid direct pressure on the treated areas.  

• No. Be VERY CAREFUL if applying Ice or Heat to the treated skin. The sensation is not normal, and it is therefore easier to unknowingly cause a burn due to leaving ice or heat in place too long.  
• Do NOT sleep with a heating pad on!  

• You can resume sexual activity as soon as you feel comfortable. For two weeks avoid pressure at the procedure zones and do not massage the area.  

• Yes. Smoking delays healing and can cause your skin scar more. Stop smoking at least 2 weeks prior and do not resume- what a good reason to quit altogether!  

• This depends a great deal on the individual patient and the type of skin. Unless you gain weight the results will be stable.   
• If you gain weight, you will gain it in whatever fat cells are remaining- at the procedure site(s) and at other sites of the body as well of course.   
• Your skin will still lose collagen with age- that we cannot stop.  

• For most patients this is not needed. As time passes you may find that you need to modify or update something, which was done 5 to 10 years ago. This is usually not a problem.  

• Serious emergencies are rare after this procedure. In the event of emergency, go to the nearest emergency room or dial 911. They will begin treatment and contact us for you.   
• The quickest way to reach the doctor is by calling 603-894-0070 during operating hours, or 603-401-3065 after hours for urgent matters only.  
• The MediSpa is open Monday through Saturday.