Liposuction, also known as suction assisted lipectomy, liposculpture, and fat suction, is a technique used to sculpt the body by removing unwanted fat deposits from specific areas of the body. These regions can include:

• chin
• neck
• cheek
• upper arms
• breast region
• abdomen
• "love handles"
• buttocks
• hips
• thighs
• knees
• calves

Although no type of liposuction is a substitute for dieting and exercise, liposuction can remove stubborn areas of fat that do not respond to traditional weight loss methods.

The best candidates for liposuction are of relatively normal weight with firm elastic skin, but have pockets of excess fat in certain areas. You should be physically healthy, psychologically stable, and realistic in your expectations. Most important, having firm, elastic skin will result in a better final contour. Your age is not a major consideration. However, older patients may have diminished skin elasticity and may not achieve the same results as a younger patient with tighter skin. Hanging skin will not reshape to your body's new contours and may require an additional procedure to surgically remove the excess skin. Surgery that removes excess skin will leave visible scars.

Liposuction At A Glance:

Procedure: Improve body shape by removing exercise-resistant fat deposits with a tube and vacuum device. Can be performed using the tumescent technique, in which targeted fat cells are infused with saline containing solution with a local anesthetic before liposuction to reduce post-operative bruising and swelling. Common locations for liposuction include chin, cheeks, neck, upper arms, above breasts, abdomen, buttocks, hips, thighs, knees, calves, ankles.

For larger volumes of fat or for fibrous body areas, ultrasound-assisted lipoplasty (UAL) may be used. UAL is a new technique in which a ultrasound probe is inserted beneath the skin to "liquify" the fat before it is suctioned.