Liposuction

Liposuction, also called lipoplasty or suction-assisted lipectomy, is a popular procedure used to remove excess deposits of fat from areas of the body that prove resistant to dieting and exercise. This form of body contouring can flatten your abdomen, remove saddlebags from your thighs, reshape your hips or totally remove a double chin.

Good candidates for liposuction include men and women who are at a relatively normal weight but are bothered by stubborn fat deposits in specific areas of the body. These localized pockets of fat can cause the body to appear disproportionate or make a person feel uncomfortable wearing form-fitting or revealing clothing. Sometimes these fat deposits are hereditary in nature and liposuction is the only way to remove them.

Liposuction is performed by inserting a narrow tube or cannula through a tiny incision in the skin. This tube is pushed and pulled through the fat layer located between the skin and underlying muscle, breaking it up so that it can be suctioned out of the body through the tube.

Several liposuction techniques can improve the outcome by making the fat easier to remove through various means. These procedures include the tumescent technique, the super-wet technique, and ultrasound-assisted lipoplasty (UAL).

For additional information on Liposuction, visit the American Society of Plastic Surgeons for this procedure.