Liposuction may be termed in a variety of ways to describe the procedure designed to remove localised fat in one or more areas of the body, including abdominal liposuction (stomach liposuction), face liposuction (chin liposuction and cheek liposuction), neck liposuction, as well as liposuction of the thighs and arms.

Most people who choose liposuction are women, but male liposuction has become more and more popular in recent years

This plastic surgery procedure is typically performed under general anaesthetic, but in some cases, local anaesthetic. The decision for which type of anaesthetic to use involves both you and your doctor and takes into account how much time the surgery takes. Time in surgery varies, depending on the size of the area being treated, but it is usually less than an hour. However, many people choose to treat multiple areas, which will increase the total time. General anaesthesia is also preferred for people who wish to avoid the possibility of anxiety or discomfort that they may associate with the procedure.

With more recently developed techniques such as tumescent liposuction, local anaesthetics provide both a numbing effect and a means to help remove fat. Also, a local anaesthetic may be better when removing small areas of fat in one region that doesn't require much time in surgery.

Fat deposits adhere to the underside of the skin and can be removed if they can be dislodged. First, you would receive a local anaesthetic in the area to be treated, as well as any additional anaesthetics that you and your doctor decide upon. Your surgeon would make an incision and insert a cannula (a long, hollow needle) under the skin, scraping it along the underside skin surface to loosen the fat deposits. The fat deposits are then sucked into the vacuum through a tube connected to the cannula.

Under the mainstream liposuction category are three tried-and-true options for the permanent removal of localised fat:

Tumescent Liposuction, otherwise known as Micro-Liposuction: In tumescent liposuction, your surgeon would first inject a large amount of anaesthetic solution into the tissue, causing it to swell and become firmer. Currently this technique is considered the safest and most effective.

Ultrasound-Assisted Liposuction, also called Ultrasonic Liposuction: In ultrasound-assisted liposuction, ultrasonic wave energy ruptures the fat cells so they are liquefied before removal. It may be a good option in places where the tissue is firm or especially fibrous, or when large amounts of fat are to be removed. This method takes significantly longer to complete than tumescent liposuction.

Superwet Technique: The superwet technique is similar to the tumescent technique, but the amount of fluid is equal to the amount of fat to be removed.

The location of the liposuction treatment plays an important role in determining the size of the cannula and the number of incisions. The most common liposuction cannulas are 3 mm, but they can range from 1.5 mm to 6 mm. For smaller cannulas, more incisions are needed, but the incisions are smaller and leave less scarring. Larger cannulas with larger incisions achieve results over a larger area through possibly only one incision. In either case, your surgeon works to minimize scarring as much as possible.

The skin will be swollen and sore, and this can last for several days. In some cases the incisions are left open temporarily so that fluids and residual fatty deposits can empty through an inserted drain. An antibiotic may be prescribed to reduce the possibility of infection.

Often the treatment area is wrapped with elastic bandages, or support hosiery or a girdle is prescribed, to compress tissue and help control swelling and bruising. Your surgeon may want you to wear the bandage or garment for several days.

Liposuction final results may not be fully evident for up to six months. Liposuction can be repeated for a given area of the body a number of times, as long as the area has completely healed from the previous treatment. But this is not usually necessary, because with traditional liposuction the fat removal is permanent.

Liposuction is the most popular treatment among all of the surgical cosmetic procedures in the United States (according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons). This is partly because about 65% of all American adults are overweight.
Liposuction removes fat deposits under the skin through a long, hollow needle called a cannula. The cannula is inserted through incisions, then scraped along the underside of the skin, dislodging the deposits while a strong vacuum removes them through the cannula

Fat deposits accumulate under everyone's skin. The best candidates for liposuction may have bulging and flabby areas of the body from these fat deposits, especially the abdomen, arms, thighs, and neck. Even in people who eat a healthy diet and stay physically fit, these fat deposits can persist. They can result from genetic factors, body chemistry, and other causes.

The ideal candidates for liposuction are physically fit, exercise regularly, and are not more than 20 pounds overweight. People with very localized, exercise-resistant fatty deposits may obtain the best results. Be aware that the flabby appearance of the area being treated may not disappear completely. Crash diets before or immediately after this plastic surgery procedure are not recommended.

You are also an ideal candidate if you have made a good effort to eliminate the fatty deposits through extensive exercise and diet. You may have spent an inordinate amount of time on exercise programs or with excessive diets just to reduce or eliminate one final, persistent bulge. Some bulges are simply exercise-resistant, and liposuction may provide a solution.

Liposuction is not designed for weight loss. People who are very overweight or who have large areas of fat deposits are not good candidates. It is best to lose weight first and reduce the fatty area through diet or exercise before considering liposuction. If you are obese and cannot lose weight on your own, then you and your doctor may want to consider a gastric bypass.

If you lose considerable weight and have excess skin after the weight loss, then an abdominoplasty (tummy tuck) may be performed to remove excess tissue and tighten muscles; liposuction can be performed at the same time to remove excess fatty deposits. In some cases, people who have undergone bariatric surgery such as gastric bypass are left with a remaining apron of fat that may be better handled with a panniculectomy procedure than with liposuction.

Remember that liposuction should be used in conjunction with a good diet and exercise, not as a substitute for them. Liposuction, like other cosmetic surgery techniques, is a means to enhance body shape. But it cannot completely change your shape. You should have realistic expectations — liposuction may improve the appearance of the treated area, but may have no impact on other areas of your life.

The area of the body to have liposuction performed affects the cost. The most common areas are the abdomen and thighs. Also, many patients decide to have several areas done at the same time. The type of equipment used makes a difference. Recent advances include devices such as laser and ultrasound energy to aid in fat removal. Using new technology will increase cost.

Liposuction for men is more extensive, and therefore more expensive than for women because the texture of the fat is typically more fibrous and harder to remove than in women.