What is it?

Liposuction, also known as Lipoplasty, Liposculpture or simply Lipo, is a cosmetic surgery procedure designed to remove fat from parts of the body that do not respond to a dieting or exercise.

Liposuction is a common cosmetic surgery procedure amongst women who wish to reduce the fatty deposits around their stomach, bum, thighs and arms, with the amount of fat removed varying from person to person.

What should I expect?

Before your Lipoplasty, you will be instructed not to consume any anticoagulants two weeks before your surgery date, and smoking should be stopped months in advance, as both could cause complications during surgery. There are various Liposuction techniques, but in general fat is removed using cannula (tube) and an aspirator (suction device), which is inserted in the correct position via a small incision in the skin. Using a syringe or a vacuum pump, your plastic surgeon, bariatric surgeon or cosmetic doctor will then suck out the excess fat, after which the initial incision is stitched up. Depending on the extent and type of treatment used, Liposuction can take up to around 2 hours, and you will be asked to take roughly 1-2 weeks of work to recover. You will be asked to wear a supportive garment around the area where Liposuction took place, and if non-absorbable sutures are used, these should be removed after 5-10 days. Although results are instant, swelling around the Lipo area will prevent you from seeing the results for up to 6 months. Although Liposuction is a permanent procedure, Liposuction does not prevent you from gaining new weight, so a healthy diet and exercise should be integrated into your daily lifestyle to maintain your new weight. Are there any risks? As with any invasive surgical procedure, there are risks and consequences, and your good cosmetic surgeon should talk you through these before you decide

Liposuction is right for you?

Your cosmetic surgeon should talk you through the following risks: • Bruising and swelling • Scarring • Numbness • Pain • Unevenness • Limited Mobility a good cosmetic surgeon should talk you through how to resume normal activity post-surgery, as well as informing you of what limitations Liposuction can arise.

And finally... Liposuction should not be used as an alternative to healthy eating or exercise, so before you consider undergoing Liposuction, you should try changing to a healthier lifestyle. Liposuction also does not help with the reduction of cellulite, so again, it is worth consulting your doctor and considering changing your diet to reduce your level of cellulite.

There are also other non-surgical alternative to Liposuction which you should talk to your surgeon or doctor about before opting for Lipo, with non-surgical alternatives including dieting, exercise and shapewear. Although Liposuction can instantly help reduce the amount of fat in certain problem areas, it will not prevent fat from building up again post-op. It is important, in order to preserve the effects of Liposuction, to maintain a healthy lifestyle, so talk to your doctor or cosmetic surgeon about ways to optimise the results of Lipo surgery.