Q. Tell us about yourself and your practice.
A. My name is James Knoetgen, MD, and I am a board certified plastic surgeon. I\'m a member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) and the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS). I received my plastic surgery training at the Mayo Clinic and I worked at Mayo Clinic as a staff plastic surgeon for seven years before moving to California. I specialize in cosmetic surgery of the breast and body. I am now part of the Beautologie Plastic Surgery group located in Bakersfield, CA.
Q. Please explain the primary procedures performed by your practice.
A. The procedures I most commonly perform are breast augmentation, breast lift (mastopexy), breast reduction, tummy tuck, and liposuction.
Q. Do you have multiple office locations within your community?
A. We have offices in Bakersfield and Malibu, CA.
Q. Are you certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery?
A. Yes, I am certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery, as well as the American Board of Surgery.
Q. Do you have hospital privileges to perform this surgery?
A. Yes, I do.
Q. What is liposuction?
A. Liposuction is a surgical procedure for removing fat from under the skin. It is a great way to treat fatty areas. Many parts of the body can be treated with liposuction. Areas that I frequently liposuction are the "saddle bags" on the outer thighs, the waist, and the abdomen (belly). Another area I frequently liposuction is the breast. I do many breast reductions using only liposuction, which can alleviate upper back and neck pain in women with large breasts, but it doesn\'t leave standard breast reduction scars. And many other areas of the body can be treated with liposuction, such as the arms, thighs, knees, face, neck, ankles, etc. I perform a lot of liposuction at our outpatient surgery center.
Q. Who is a good candidate for liposuction?
A. The best candidates for liposuction are healthy people who are close to or at their ideal body weight but still have troublsome areas of extra fat.
Q. What are the risks associated with liposuction surgery?
A. When liposuction is performed properly on a good candidate (somebody who is not too overweight) the risks are minimal and are usually limited to contour irregularities, dimpling, residual fat and loose skin.
Q. What technique will the surgeon use to perform the liposuction?
A. I use traditional liposuction techniques as well as ultrasonic liposuction, depending on the areas to be liposuctioned and the patient.
Q. How long is the recovery period?
A. The patients go home after surgery and they usually take a few days off work. I then advise them not to exercise for a few weeks after surgery while their body heals.
Q. Are the results of liposuction permanent?
A. Once fat is removed, it never returns. However, it is still possible for a patient to gain weight after liposuction if they do not eat well, take care of themselves, and exercise.
Q. How much does liposuction surgery cost?
A. The price varies depending on the patient, the areas liposuctioned, etc, and usually costs a few thousand dollars.
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