What are the risks associated with liposuction surgery?

The same risks that are associated with any surgery: infection, bleeding, blood clots in the legs (DVTs),heart attack, death. The most common cosmetic complication however is that of contour irregularity. This means that the skin may not be perfectly smooth after surgery and there may be a small area(s) of indentations or depressions in the skin. This happens in about 10% of all liposuction cases.

Who is not a good candidate for liposuction?

A patient who is significantly overweight or obese is not a good candidate for liposuction. Patients who have loose skin or stretch marks are also poor candidates for liposuction. Older patients with decreased skin elasticity are not good candidates for this procedure.

What technique will the surgeon use to perform the liposuction?

There are several techniques. The tumescent technique involves infiltrating the skin with large amounts of fluid (mixed with numbing medication and a medication to reduce bleeding) then suctioning out some of the fluid with the fat. Another common technique is called the superwet technique which removes about the same amount of fat compared to the fluid that is infiltrated.

Who is a good candidate for liposuction?

A patient that is close to their ideal body weight is a good candidate for liposuction. Ideally it is a person who is in otherwise good physical health, who exercises regularly and maintains a proper diet but has a few "problem " areas that will not improve with diet and exercise alone. Liposuction is not intended for patients who are overweight or obese. Liposuction is a body contouring procedure, it is not a weight reduction procedure.

What is liposuction?

Liposuction is a procedure which involves the surgical removal of unwanted fat from problem areas. This is performed using a metal cannula which is inserted under the skin through a small incision (1cm). The cannula is connected to a suction source through plastic tubing and the fat (and some fluid) is literally suctioned out of the body. The skin then takes several months to contract and shrink to reveal the improved contour and shape.