Surgery Plastic Surgery Tummy Tuck (Abdominoplasty) What to Know If You're Considering Liposuction By Natalie Kita Medically reviewed by Medically reviewed by Maria M. LoTempio, MD on January 26, 2020 facebook twitter linkedin Maria M. LoTempio, MD, is double board-certified in plastic and reconstructive surgery and otolaryngology. She is an associate clinical professor at New York Eye and Ear Infirmary of Mount Sinai. Learn about our Medical Review Board Maria M. LoTempio, MD on January 26, 2020 Print Liposuction is a cosmetic surgical procedure in which fat is suctioned from specific areas of the body. The goal is to reshape and redefine body contours that are not responding to diet and exercise. It shouldn't be considered weight loss surgery—though you may lose some. It is also called suction-assisted lipectomy or lipoplasty. Image Source / Getty Images Common Misconceptions About Liposuction Who Is a Good Candidate Liposuction is of the most benefit to patients who are at or near their ideal weight (within 30%), but still, have disproportionate localized deposits of fat that exercise and dieting are not reducing. The best candidates for liposuction are non-smokers who are generally in good health and who have a positive outlook and realistic expectations about the procedure's outcome. An ideal liposuction candidate will also have good skin elasticity and muscle tone. In fact, if a patient has already lost a significant amount of weight and has a lot of loose hanging skin, liposuction may only worsen those problems. What Liposuction Cannot Do Liposuction can’t take off that extra 50 pounds you’ve put on over the last 10 years. Generally, the amount of fat removed during a typical liposuction surgery ranges from one to 10 pounds. While larger amounts of fat can be removed, large volume liposuction is associated with increased safety risks, skin rippling, and contour irregularities. Liposuction will usually not reduce the appearance of cellulite. However, there are some newer treatments that show promise in this regard, such as SmartLipo, acoustic wave therapy, and the Rejuveskin procedure, any of which may be able to be performed as an adjunct to traditional liposuction. Risks and Complications As with any surgical procedure, there are risks and possible complications. For liposuction, these include: Excessive bleeding or hematomaNecrosis (tissue death)Fat clots (when fat goes into the bloodstream and lodges in blood vessels)Anesthesia risksPersistent swelling or painAsymmetryChanges in skin sensationDeep vein thrombosisCardiac and pulmonary complicationsDamage to nerves, blood vessels, muscles and organsUnfavorable scarring, skin discoloration, contour irregularities, sagging of the skin, or other unsatisfactory aesthetic resultsNeed for additional surgery Call your surgeon immediately if chest pain, shortness of breath, unusual heartbeats, or excessive bleeding occur after the surgery. What You Can Expect After Liposuction Costs The total cost of liposuction varies widely depending on the size and number of areas being treated, as well as the specific techniques used. According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, the average cost of the surgeon/physician fee for liposuction was $3,518 in 2018, but costs can widely vary. The cost discrepancies have to do with the complexity of the procedure, your geographical area, and your surgeon’s skills, qualifications, and reputation. Besides the surgeon’s fee, anesthesia, facility and lab fees, medications, and compression garments are often added to the cost of the procedure. Some surgeons may even offer substantial discounts if multiple areas are done in the same surgery. Complementary Procedures Since many women look to liposuction as a way to balance out the proportions of the body, it is often done in conjunction with a breast augmentation or breast lift. Furthermore, for patients who also have loose skin in addition to excess fat in some areas, a tummy tuck or body lift procedure may be performed to enhance the patient’s overall result. For some, a breast reduction (via traditional techniques or via liposuction) may be chosen as well. Prior to Your Procedure Your surgeon will examine you and order pre-op lab tests to confirm your health status. This examination will include a full health history and most likely a detailed weight history. Your surgeon may also require that you adjust, cease, or begin taking certain medications—avoiding aspirin, many anti-inflammatory drugs, and herbal supplements—for two weeks prior to surgery. Learn the Certain Herbal Supplements That Can Make Surgery Dangerous What to Expect On the day of your procedure, have someone drive you to the facility. There, your surgeon will take pre-op photos and mark targeted areas on your body while you are standing. You're prepped for surgery. IV fluid lines will often be put in place to help regulate fluid levels during surgery. In addition, you will be placed on monitors to keep track of heart rate, blood pressure, and blood oxygen levels during the procedure. Anesthesia is administered for your comfort during the procedure. Sometimes, a general anesthetic is used so that you will be asleep for the procedure. However, liposuction may also be performed using a combination of local anesthesia and intravenous sedation. Your surgeon will recommend the best choice for you. Incisions are made. These very small incisions (about 1/8- to 1/2-inch each) are made by your surgeon in natural body creases whenever possible so that will be well hidden. Often, when treating larger areas, there are multiple incisions made for each treated area. Fat is prepared for suctioning. There are a variety of techniques available to today’s plastic surgery patients. The fat is suctioned by small hollow metal tubes, called cannulas, that are inserted through the incisions. The cannulas are moved in a controlled back and forth motion to loosen and suction the fat, which is drained through the tubes into waiting receptacles. Incisions are closed with surgical sutures. In some cases, small tubes will be placed at incision sites to help drain excess fluid. Recovery and Downtime Once the procedure is finished, you will be taken to a recovery area where you will likely be given a compression garment to wear to control swelling in the treated areas and help your skin conform to your new body shape. You will likely go home after a few hours unless your surgeon determines that you need to stay in the facility overnight. When you do go home, arrange for someone to drive you there and stay with you for at least 24 hours. Most patients can return to non-strenuous work, such as a desk job, after just 2 to 3 days. Strenuous work or exercise should not be resumed for at least 2 to 3 weeks, depending on the extent of your procedure and which areas have been treated. As with all surgery, it is important to understand that these guidelines can vary widely based on a patient’s health, the techniques used, and other variables surrounding the surgery. Regardless, it is important to take care not to subject the incision sites to excessive force, abrasion, or motion during the healing period. Report any severe pain to your doctor. Post-Surgery Tips on How to Manage Pain During Liposuction Recovery Seeing Your Results Post-op swelling and bruising can be significant with liposuction, so results can not be fully judged for a period of at least one to three months after surgery. While most bruising will fade within two to four weeks, some residual swelling may take as long as six months to resolve fully. Today’s liposuction normally involves the use of very small incisions, which usually fade over time to be virtually undetectable. The intended result of liposuction surgery is a more refined contour and better-balanced body proportions. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Sign up for our Health Tip of the Day newsletter, and receive daily tips that will help you live your healthiest life. Sign Up You're in! Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. What are your concerns? Other Inaccurate Hard to Understand Submit Article Sources Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Grazer FM, de Jong RH. Fatal outcomes from liposuction: census survey of cosmetic surgeons. Plast Reconstr Surg. 2000;105(1):436-446; discussion 447-448. doi:10.1097/00006534-200001000-00070 Stephan PJ, Kenkel JM. Updates and advances in liposuction. Aesthet Surg J. 2010;30(1):83-97; quiz 98-100. doi:10.1177/1090820X10362728 Benatti FB, Lira FS, Oyama LM, do Nascimento CM da PO, Lancha AH Jr. Strategies for reducing body fat mass: effects of liposuction and exercise on cardiovascular risk factors and adiposity. Diabetes Metab Syndr Obes. 2011;4:141-154. doi:10.2147/DMSO.S12143 Khanna A, Filobbos G. Avoiding unfavourable outcomes in liposuction. Indian J Plast Surg. 2013;46(2):393-400. doi:10.4103/0970-0358.118618 American Society of Plastic Surgeons. 2018 Plastic Surgery Statistics. Published 2018. Additional Reading Dhami LD. Liposuction. Indian J Plast Surg. 2008;41(Suppl):S27-S40. Stephan PJ, Dauwe P, Kenkel J. Liposuction: a comprehensive review of techniques and safety. In: Peter RJ, Neligan PC, eds. Plastic Surgery, Volume 2: Aesthetic Surgery. 4th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2018.