Liposuction, which has been in use for more than a decade, is also known in the medical arena as lipoplasty or liposculture or “lipo” for short. Lipo surgically removes excess fat from deposits beneath the skin in many areas of the body.

Liposuction is quickly becoming one of the most popular forms of cosmetic surgery because it targets the areas of fat most people want removed. It is commonly used to reduce fat in the abdomen, hips, buttocks, thighs, chin, neck, back, chest and arms. It is also used on the knees, ankles and calves. Lipo can improve body posture and image, ultimately leading to a happier, healthier you.

Surgeons who perform liposuction use a hollow stainless steel tube called a cannula. The cannula is connected to a vacuum. It is inserted into an incision in the skin. Fat deposits are then gently sucked out of the body.

Doctors consider liposuction a mild surgical procedure that can be achieved nearly pain-free by using local or general anesthesia. A heavy IV sedation is also used in some cases. Recent advances have done a lot to ease pain and promote recovery. Doctors can now precisely target fat areas, which helps to reduce recovery times.

Liposuction is not risk free. It is important that your surgeon be board certified for the technique being used. You’ll want to look at the doctor’s experience and safety record. Complications can occur due to a poor judgment on the part of the doctor. The better educated you are on the procedure, the greater your chances of spotting a problem before it occurs. You should be concerned about disfiguring skin irregularities that can occur if the surgeon tries to take too much fat in one procedure. The use of a large cannula can also affect the outcome of your procedure.

Large cannulas remove fat quickly; however, they are more likely to lead to skin irregularities then small cannulas. Small cannulas are less than three millimeters in diameter. There is a strong chance your procedure will require a large cannula if you need a large amount of fat removed.

Surgeons use small cannulas during the tumescent procedure. The American Medical Association says this technique when used with local anesthesia is the safest. Under this method, a diluted local anesthesia lasts for hours, reducing the need for narcotic pain relief. Doctors say there have been no reported deaths under this procedure. In addition, even if it’s used with general anesthesia, the tumescent procedure is safe if only a small amount of fat is removed.

Another surgical method uses a modified version of the tumescent procedure. This modified version combines local anesthesia with general anesthesia or IV sedation, which requires an anesthesiologist to be on hand to handle the administration.

You’ll want to make sure you don’t have any other surgical procedures on the same day as your liposuction. You’ll also want to avoid long-term exposure to anesthesia because it can be dangerous. Taking away a large amount of fat can also lead to serious complications.

Liposuction recovery times are shorter today. You can return to a normal lifestyle within four hours after surgery with most procedures. A little bit of local anesthetic remains in your system, and it is later absorbed into the blood stream.

Your surgeon will promote drainage by leaving your incisions open instead of closing them with sutures. Your surgeon can also make tiny holes in your skin to force drainage. He or she may also encourage you to spandex clothes to promote more drainage. Your surgeon can also drain the surgical area by using absorptive pads placed over your incisions.

The Ethical Cosmetic Surgery Association is the primary source for finding qualified doctors to perform liposuction. See our Ethical Cosmetic Surgeon Directory.

Does Liposuction Hurt?
“It didn’t hurt at all,” says 25-year-old Jenn Rogers. Rogers is the mother of three-year-old twins. She decided to have lipo to get her pre-baby abdomen back. She says, “I tried so hard through exercise and diet to do it. But nothing else I tried would work.”

Liposuction Reduces Signs of Aging
“I had my first liposuction in 1992. It was before anyone even knew about it. I wanted to reduce the signs of aging in my face,” says retired school teacher, 69-year-old Rebecca Long. The grandmother of three has had three additional procedures since then. She laughs, “People now confuse my daughter with being my sister. I don’t know if that’s good for her or bad!”