Liposuction
This information is of a general nature only and is for public information and education. Your individual problem needs to be assessed by your family doctor who will advise you on appropriate further steps.
Liposuction, a process in which fat is sucked out from various parts of the body, has many uses. Ideally, liposuction is used for the removal of fat deposits beneath the skin where the skin tone is good. A good example of this is the fat in the upper and outer part of the thighs ("saddle bags") in women. Over the years, there have been changes made which have expanded the uses of these techniques.
Liposuction is almost always done with a tumescent technique, where a large amount of specially prepared fluid is injected into the area to be treated. This serves as an anaesthetic and also helps reduce bleeding.
The suction is done with a specially designed machine which is capable of very high suction pressures. Alternatively, suction with hand held syringes can be done. Ultrasonic liposuction is available but there is not yet enough evidence to show that it is safe in the long term. While the original technique was used mainly on skin with good tone, the use the newer technique of simultaneous superficial and deep liposuction, permits even skin with poor tone to be treated with liposuction as the superficial suction causes considerable skin retraction. The thighs and the gluteal areas are the most common areas treated in women, whereas the waist is very commonly treated in men.
