What is Liposuction?

Liposuction, also referred to as “lipo”, is a highly effective body contouring procedure designed to permanently remove stubborn fat deposits from targeted areas that do not respond to diet and exercise.¹  Many individuals struggle with localized fat in areas such as the abdomen, thighs, flanks, arms, and under the chin despite maintaining a healthy lifestyle. If you are looking for a solution to sculpt and refine your body’s natural contours, liposuction can provide long-lasting results.

During this surgical procedure, localized deposits of fat cells are removed using a thin wand (known as a surgical “cannula”) and a vacuum to improve body contour. Common areas amenable to liposuction have amusing nicknames in popular culture: the hips, thighs (“saddle bags”), abdomen (“pooch”), flanks (“muffin-top” or “love handles”), buttocks (“banana roll”), arms (“bat wings”), and neck (“turkey waddle”).² Accumulation of in these areas is called “lipodystrophy” in the medical literature.

Liposuction is a simple and effective procedure to contour the body with less downtime than other more invasive surgeries. Liposuction can be performed on multiple areas of the body at one time and can also be added as a complimentary procedure to breast surgery, tummy tuck surgery, body contouring, or facial surgery.

Who is a Good Candidate for Liposuction?

Ideal liposuction candidates are healthy individuals who maintain a stable weight and have good skin elasticity.³ Both men and women with pockets of fat that persist despite regular exercise and a balanced diet may benefit from this procedure.

Liposuction is most effective for those who have reached their optimal body shape but struggle with isolated fat deposits that are resistant to weight loss. It’s important to note that liposuction is not a substitute for weight loss.⁴ For the best results, patients should be at or near their goal weight, and those planning significant weight loss or pregnancy may want to postpone the procedure until their body has stabilized.

Patients who are on GLP-1 medications such as Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro, Gardiance and others for weight loss or diabetes should have completed their weight loss journey before having liposuction and should plan to be off these medications prior to planning surgery. GLP-1 medications must be stopped a full month before any surgery under general anesthesia to avoid complications. Learn more about how to stay safe when taking diabetic or weight loss medications including semaglutides in this blog post.

Please see our Preparing for Surgery section to learn more about optimizing your results from liposuction by becoming the best possible candidate for surgery.

Watch as Dr. Horton weighs in on the stigma surrounding Plastic Surgery for men in this ASPS Roundtable discussion.

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What Are the Different Types of Liposuction?

Standard Liposuction (SAL)

The traditional liposuction technique, also called suction-assisted lipectomy (SAL), is the most common approach for fat removal. Before surgery, targeted fat deposits are marked while standing to ensure precise contouring. The procedure includes injecting tumescent liposuction, where a specialized solution containing normal saline (sterile saltwater), epinephrine (adrenaline), and lidocaine is first injected to minimize bruising, enhance safety, and improve post-surgical comfort. 

For optimal results and patient safety, liposuction of large areas is typically performed under general anesthesia as an outpatient procedure in a fully equipped operating room. While some smaller cases can be done in-office, larger-volume fat removal (over 5 liters or 10 pounds) may require an overnight stay for monitoring.

Ultrasonic Liposuction (UAL)

Ultrasonic liposuction is a multi-step process that uses ultrasound energy to first break down stubborn fat before removal with standard liposuction. Also known as ultrasound-assisted lipectomy (UAL) or “Vaser” liposuction, this method is particularly effective for areas with dense or fibrous fat, such as gynecomastia (male breast tissue) or lipodystrophy related to certain medications. By softening fat before extraction, UAL can improve contouring in challenging treatment areas.

Power-Assisted Liposuction (PAL)

Another machine that is occasionally used has a vibrating wand that purports to decrease surgeon fatigue and help the cannula travel through dense areas. Known as “power-assisted liposuction” (PAL), this technique is not commonly performed in our practice.

Other Brand Name Procedures

New machines and technologies emerge on the market every year. Many of these have brand names that are heavily promoted in the media and on large billboards to the general public – and are usually NOT performed by Board-Certified Plastic Surgeons. While these procedures often have familiar brand name recognition, there is no guarantee that they are appropriate for every patient in every situation, and are not offered in our office.

In our practice, we only offer procedures and treatments that are FDA-approved, clinically proven, and recommended by our professional societies, which are limited to Board-Certified Plastic Surgeons. For safety and to find the very best fit of procedure to match your specific body contouring goals, a formal in-person consultation, including a complete history and full physical examination, is essential.

What to Expect During the Liposuction Procedure

Please see our Preparing for Surgery section to learn about what happens in the operating room on the day of surgery.

During liposuction, small (2-3 millimeter) incisions are hidden in natural body creases whenever possible, such as the groin, belly button, armpit, or buttock crease. Through these incisions, a special fluid mixture called “tumescent solution” is infiltrated into the fat. Tumescent solution contains normal saline (sterile salt water), which helps to “plump up” the fat cells for removal, adrenaline (epinephrine), which acts as a “vasoconstrictor” to decrease bruising and prevent bleeding, and a local anesthetic (lidocaine) which makes the area numb for many hours up to a few days after surgery and promotes postoperative comfort.

Next, a blunt-ended, thin-diameter wand known as a “cannula” is introduced through the tiny incisions to gently suction out excess fat using a strong vacuum. Fat cells are removed permanently! The treated areas are “feathered out” at their edges to blend naturally with the surrounding areas. At the end of the procedure, dissolving sutures are placed, and a compression garment is applied. Surgery can take an hour and a half up to several hours if multiple areas are treated.

Sources

¹ Mayo Clinic. Liposuction. https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/liposuction/about/pac-20384586. Accessed March 14, 2025.
² Cleveland Clinic. Liposuction. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/11009-liposuction. Accessed March 14, 2025.
³ American Society of Plastic Surgeons. Liposuction Candidates. https://www.plasticsurgery.org/cosmetic-procedures/liposuction/candidates. Accessed March 17, 2025.
⁴ American Society of Plastic Surgeons. Liposuction. https://www.plasticsurgery.org/cosmetic-procedures/liposuction. Accessed March 14, 2025.