Liposuction is a surgical procedure in which the fat is removed from beneath the skin using a hollow metal tube. The tube is able to isolate and remove excess fatty tissue.  This procedure is also known as “lipoplasty”, or “suction-assisted lipectomy”, and is typically used to remove excess fat in areas where the overlying skin has good tone and traditional methods of weight-loss are ineffective.

Typical areas of the body in which liposuction is used include the upper arms, neck, buttocks, hips, thighs, flanks, and abdomen.  Weight gain in these areas can be due to a number of factors, such as aging, pregnancy, or heredity.  In some cases liposuction is done in conjunction with other body shaping procedures such as face lifts, breast reductions, or tummy tucks.

Before looking to have liposuction make sure you choose an experienced surgeon.  Some complications that can arise from liposuction are incomplete liposuction, excessive liposuction resulting in a disfigured appearance, depressions in the skin, and scarring.

Liposuction is usually an outpatient procedure, and is typically performed using general anesthesia, although in some instances moderate sedation and local anesthesia can be used.  It may take up to several hours to one day for you to be able to return home, depending on the amount of fat removed.  Your incisions will be compressed and wrapped in gauze dressings as you are recovering.  It is recommended that patients who have had liposuction do not take part in any strenuous activity for up to one week.  Some bruising or swelling may occur, but that should subside within 10-14 days.