A fit and well proportioned body is often considered a symbol of health and vitality. Despite good health and reasonable level of fitness, some individuals still have excess deposits of localised or generalised fat. These areas may be due to heredity or family traits and resistant to exercise and dieting. The technical advances over the last two decades have enabled removal of such fat by a technique called as liposuction. Liposuction removes fat cells permanently and slims and reshapes specific areas of the body, removing excess fat deposits, improving your body contours and proportions and ultimately your self image.

It is essentially suction of lipid or fat below the skin through small incisions and using a cannula and a suction device.

SAL - Suction assisted Lipoplasty is the traditional method where saline is used in a tumescent or super wet technique for infiltration prior to suctioning. Adrenaline is frequently added to reduce bleeding.

PAL- Power assisted Liposuction. An electrically or pneumatically oscillating cannula helps in liposcution

UAL- ultrasound-assisted Liposuction where ultrasonic energy is used to liquefy excess fat prior to suctioning.

These techniques may be used to reduce localised fat deposits of the cheeks, chin, neck, upper arms, breast and chest area, back, abdomen and waist,hips and buttocks, thighs, Inner calves and ankles.

Liposuction can be performed alone or in combination with other aesthetic surgery procedures such as facelift, breast reduction or tummy tuck.

Liposuction is not a treatment for obesity or a substitute for proper diet and exercise. It is not an effective treatment for cellulite. Liposuction can however permanently reshape body contours where excess fat deposits create areas that are disproportionatley large in an otherwise balanced figure.

Adults of any age within 30% of their ideal weight and with firm elastic skin and good muscle tone. Good candidates are healthy individuals without life threatening illness or medical conditions that impair healing, non-smokers and individuals with positive outlook and specific goals in mind for body contouring. Special considerations may be given to those with high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease and previous surgery to the treatment areas.

A consultation with your Aesthetic surgeon is the first step to learn how liposuction can improve body contours. It should fully educate you about liposuction, yours goals and evaluation of your individual case, the options available in surgical liposuction, the likely outcomes of liposuction, risks and potential complications. You should honestly share your expectation, fully disclose your health history, current medications, allergies and the use of drugs and smoking.

liposuction can be performed under local anaesthesia or a general anaesthesia. A saline, anesthetic and adrenaline mixture is infiltrated first to assist the liposuction and reduce the bleeding. Small skin incisions are made for insertion of liposuction cannulas. Either a syringe suction device or machine suction is used to evacuate the fat. Only the fat underneath the skin can be removed in this way. Some of the fat removed can also used for fat grafting in depressed areas. Once the required amount of fat is removed, the incision sites are closed with single stitches.

You will be asked to wear a tight compression garment continuously for 6-8 weeks. This helps the skin to adhere to underlying structures and the skin to retract. Temporary drains to remove excess fluid may be removed. Dressings and stitches will be removed 7 days after surgery. Once the wounds have healed you will be encouraged to have the suctioned area massaged. This helps to reduce the post operative swelling quickly.

Liposuction is a relatively safe procedure in well trained hands. Possible risks include uneven contours, rippling, loose skin, skin or nerve damage, irregular pigmentation, infection, and blood clots. All surgery carries risks associated with anaesthesia.

Initial healing will include swelling numbness soreness, bruising and discomfort. These are common conditions. A combination of Paracetamol and Ibuprofen can take care of most of the discomfort. In general, a return to light normal activity is possible as soon as you feel ready and is encouraged to prevent blood clots and other complications. Most patients can return to light work in 2 days. There will be considerable bruising initially after surgery and would need at least 2 - 3 weeks to reduce. There will also be post operative swelling, called edema, which may take several months to go. As it does, your new contours and enhanced self-image should continue to develop.

Successful liposuction is measured in inches rather than in pounds. As we do not form new fat cells after puberty, once the fat cells are removed they are gone forever. The fulfillment you feel from the initial results of liposuction should continue so long as you maintain your weight and practice a healthy lifestyle that includes eating well and regular physical activity.