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Who considers Liposuction?

Women and men who aren't getting results through diet and exercise. The best candidates are normal-weight people with firm, elastic skin who have pockets of excess fat in certain areas.

What is Liposuction?

Liposuction, also known as lipoplasty or suction lipectomy, is a procedure that sculpts the body by removing unwanted fat from specific areas, such as the abdomen, hips, buttocks, thighs, knees, upper arms, chin and neck. While liposuction can improve contour related to fatty deposits, it does not improve muscle or skin tone. Expectations and goals should be addressed during your consultation. Sometimes abdominoplasty or another procedure may be more effective in achieving your goals.

It is important to have realistic expectations about what the procedure can achieve.

How is the procedure performed?

• Several very small incisions are made in inconspicuous locations.
• A numbing solution is instilled for comfort and to make liposuction safer on the skin and tissues.
• A hollow cannula attached to a suction machine is used to remove fat from the specific areas of concern.
• General anesthesia is used and surgery is most often performed in the office operating suite. The surgery takes 2 to 4 hours and patients return home the same day.
• Liposuction can be performed at the same time as breast or other surgery.

What is normal recovery?

Patients wear compressive garments to minimize swelling, improve comfort and optimize skin retraction. Prescription medications are used during this time to relieve minor surgical pain. Patients are generally back to work in less than a week. More vigorous activity can be resumed in 2 to 3 weeks.

What are the expected results?

An improvement in proportions and contour is the usual result following liposuction. Most patients find that clothing fits better and that there is improved self-esteem and self-confidence.

The re-contoured body can still gain weight but usually in more normal proportions.

Are there potential complications?

Liposuction is a very common surgery and most patients are exceptionally happy with the appearance and change in proportions and in how clothing fits. However, no surgery is without potential risks. The majority of these are minor and can be reviewed on the link below.

Copy adapted from the joint ASPS and PSEF website.