Liposuction (also called lipectomy or lipoplasty) is a type of cosmetic surgery that removes fat from under the skin.

The procedure is not a weight-loss method and does not remove fat from other parts of the body, such as visceral fat around the organs.

Liposuction changes the shape of certain areas of the body by removing fat from those areas. It is most commonly used for the thighs, buttocks, abdomen, arms, neck and under the chin, but also for the back, inner knee, chest, cheek, calves and ankles.

Some people have liposuction at the same time as other cosmetic surgery procedures such as a facelift, a breast augmentation or an abdominoplasty (tummy tuck).

Liposuction might be right for you if you have realistic expectations about the procedure, have tried to change your body shape with a healthy diet and regular exercise, and are in good health at the time of the procedure.

While people — especially women — often feel pressured to have a certain look and body shape, liposuction might not be the solution.

The best candidates for liposuction are people of normal weight who have firm, elastic skin but pockets of excess fat in certain areas.

You should speak to your doctor before undergoing liposuction since they are best placed to help you manage your overall health.

You should also be aware that:

• liposuction is probably not right for you if you are looking for a way to lose weight
• Medicare does not cover the cost of liposuction, and often health insurance doesn’t either

There is a lot to consider before deciding to have any form of cosmetic surgery. You can ask your doctor questions about surgery in general, and there are other questions you should ask about liposuction, such as:

• What type of liposuction do you recommend for me and why?
• How much bruising, swelling or pain would you expect me to experience? What should I do about this?
• After surgery, how long before I can return to my normal activities?
• Will I have stitches, bandages or dressings? How long will they be in place? Will I need to have the stitches taken out?
• Will I have scars? What will they look like?
• How many of your patients have complications? What will it mean for me if this happens?
• How frequently do people need to re-do liposuction because of problems?
• If I need further surgery due to complications or if I am not satisfied with the result, will there be extra costs?
• Would I need to make any changes to my medications before surgery?

To prepare for a liposuction procedure, you should make sure you have as much information about the procedure as possible and know what results you can realistically expect.

You should reach your optimal weight and be as healthy and fit as you can to recover from the surgery. If you smoke, you should quit smoking.

Discuss with your doctor if you need to make any changes to your medication before the surgery.

Before having the liposuction procedure, you will have either a local or a general anaesthetic.

The procedure involves making very small cuts in the skin and then different techniques are used to remove fat from under the skin in that area.

The fat can be turned into liquid or shaved off before being suctioned out.

After liposuction, you may wake up from the anaesthetic to find there is a thin tube draining fluid from the site of the surgery. This tube is called a canula and it is inserted through the skin to continue to dislodge and remove fat.

Whether you have this will depend on how much surgery you have had and which part of the body was involved.

You will need a few days’ rest at home after liposuction. There will be dressings on the wounds and you may have to wear an elastic bandage or a compression garment for a while. You should expect to have pain for several days and your doctor will prescribe some form of pain relief medicine.

Some people may need a short hospital stay after a liposuction procedure.

After surgery there will be some swelling. Once this has settled down, you will be able to see the results. Changes can take place for up to 6 months following surgery.

Usually, liposuction does not need to be repeated. There may be excess skin after the surgery and an additional procedure may be needed to remove this if necessary. Usually, however, the skin will contract and tighten after the procedure.

Liposuction can sometimes have unexpected or unwanted results. Reasonably common ones include:

• uneven skin with ripples or dimples
• baggy skin
• numbness or reduced sensation in the skin
• scarring (when you have invasive surgery there will always be scarring. All surgeons aim to achieve minimal scarring. Where possible, scars will be along natural creases and skin lines.
• changes to skin colour
• slow healing
• bruising
• bleeding
• swelling
• pockets of fluid under the skin

Serious complications, which are less common, include:

• blood clots in the legs, which can travel to the lungs and cause serious illness
• excessive fluid loss, which can lead to shock
• burns to the skin or deeper tissue due to the ultrasound used to liquefy fat
• infection in the fatty tissues, which can be hard to treat

Some people may want more cosmetic surgery to remove or tighten any loose skin that may remain after the fatty tissue has been removed.