What are the risks associated with liposuction surgery?

Liposuction can cause rippling, wrinkling of skin, sensory change and numbness, and skin discoloration. These are likely the most common ones. If done poorly, there can be uneven fat, funny body shape (made by treating one area, and not addressing all the major pockets of fat), and other issues. Liposuction is not like any other surgery we do. It should be done by a board certified plastic surgeon (we can advise you on whether a tummy tuck, mini tummy tuck, or liposuction is your best choice, and we have deep surgical training as general surgeons and plastic surgeons). It should be done in an accredited operating room. (Ask how the operating room is certified). It should be done with a board certified anesthesia doctor. There are many horror stories about liposuction. All surgeries have risk, even in the most qualified of hands. You should try to minimize it as much as possible. Safe doctor. Safe OR. Safe anesthesia.

Who is not a good candidate for liposuction?

Liposuction is NOT the answer for everyone. Liposuction relies on skin tone to shrink wrap down to the new size. Particularly for moms (I know you are a mom, as you are on this site), you need to look at your belly carefully to figure out what the issue is. Liposuction IS great for arms, thighs, love handles, backs. Liposuction MAY be great for your belly. IF YOUR BELLY SKIN IS LOOSE WITH THE FAT IN, IT WILL GET LOOSER AFTER THE FAT IS OUT. I just saw a woman who had smart lipo for her belly. She went to a guy who "worked in LA on stars, " had a fancy office and nice website. Her doctor was NOT a plastic surgeon, so he can only do lipo. She had fat. He could remove it, so he liposuctioned her. She came to me 8 months out from her liposuction procedure for a second opinion. Her doctor had promised her the smart lipo (laser liposuction) would tighten her skin as it removed the fat. It didn't. Her abdominal skin is rippled."Can you help me? " Ah. I cannot fix this now with a tummy tuck, as her skin will not stretch. I love liposuction. For the right women, it is superior to tummy tuck, because it is a much easier recovery and small tiny scars. BUT you can't expect it to do things it can't. If your issue is loose skin and / or loose muscles, those will not be fixed by liposuction.