Liposuction has become one of the most popular cosmetic procedures performed in the United States today. Essentially a form of “body sculpting” liposuction is used to literally suck out excess fat from areas where it has become unsightly. It is generally used on locations all over the lower body, especially the abdomen, buttocks and thighs, but can also be utilized to remove unsightly extra baggage on the neck and even the cheeks.

Liposuction is the answer for fat deposits that simply will not shift through diet and exercise alone, however hard a person has tried. Such deposits are often a result of genetic disposition and are as common in men as they are in women.

There are now several different techniques used by plastic surgeons but the basics of all of them are the same. During the liposuction procedure, which is performed under general anesthetic a long thin tube, known medically as a cannula, is inserted through a very small incision in the area to be treated and then after moving it around to break up the fat deposits a little the surgeon will quite literally vacuum the fat out of the body.

Not everybody is a good candidate for liposuction as any good plastic surgeon will admit. Regardless of sex the best liposuctions candidates are those who are otherwise of fairly normal weight who simply have those stubborn remaining fat deposits mentioned earlier. Liposuction is often used by those who have achieved considerable weight loss naturally through diet and exercise who need to complete their transformation by having a cosmetic procedure to help them get rid of those last few fatty areas.

Liposuction is a surgical procedure and like any other comes with risks but they are only the same as with any other operation.

The great appeal of liposuction is that it is quick, relatively painless (although the patient will feel swollen and a little sore for a few days immediately after their surgery) and permanent. A good surgeon uses the tiniest incision through which to insert the cannula used in liposuction so the scarring is minimal and inconspicuous as well.

Most people are delighted with the results they can achieve with liposuction but having a good outcome relies completely upon having a good surgeon. In the wrong hands liposuction can produce disastrous results, and occasionally even death. When selecting a surgeon to perform any liposuction procedure careful research into the training, background and experience of the liposuction surgeon you are considering is essential.