Liposuction is the most common plastic surgery procedure worldwide. It aims to remove fat from areas such as the abdomen, thighs, knees, arms, face, etc. It is performed as liposculpture in order to improve body proportions.
At a glance
Liposuction is the most common plastic surgery procedure worldwide. It aims to remove fat from areas such as the abdomen, thighs, knees, arms, face, etc. It is performed as liposculpture in order to improve body proportions.
Severity
Light
Type of Anaesthetic
Local / General
Clinic Stay
Same Day Discharge
Stitch removal
No
Recovery
10 - 12 weeks
Liposuction cost
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Liposuction is a technique that has been developed and evolved over the past 40 years and has become very popular because it corrects local fat excesses without leaving marks or large scars. The evolution of this body procedure in recent years has been rapid, as new technologies have been introduced that allow greater precision in the surgeon’s maneuvers, safety, and reduced tissue trauma. For this reason, we now refer to liposculpture.
This means that the goal of the procedure is not only to remove localized “fat pockets,” but to create new body proportions that are maintained even with weight loss or gain.
Is liposuction a weight loss method?
Liposuction is not in any case a technique through which an obese person will lose weight, nor does it constitute a weight loss method. In some cases of extensive liposuction, there may indeed be a significant difference on the scale; however, any surgical procedure toward that direction must necessarily be accompanied by the patient’s willingness to change their lifestyle and get rid of the excess weight.
Liposuction is a very important tool that can greatly assist in a person’s effort to make a significant and major change in their body shape.
Show off your silhouette.
Liposuction emphasizes the lines of the body, respecting your naturalness and uniqueness.
In which cases is liposuction indicated?
In the past, liposuction was a way to remove areas of localized fat, such as “love handles, belly fat, and small overall bulges.” Today, modern methods offer a more holistic approach. This means that we extend the correction areas in order to create shape—curves in women and more angular definition in men.
For example, liposuction of the abdomen should definitely be accompanied by liposuction on the flanks, because it is a continuation of the abdomen and needs to be treated as a whole.
In general, the main indications for fat removal are the following:
- Reduction of localized fat in specific body zones/areas
- Liposculture for improved body contour and shape
- Treatment of lipedema
- Complementary to other procedures, such as tummy tuck, breast procedures and facial surgeries
Imagine the change in your body
With FaceTouchUp, you can see for free how your body will look after liposuction just by uploading a photo. Explore the before-and-after, easily and quickly, before making any decision.
Liposuction techniques
The modern approach distinguishes two liposuction techniques: high definition and high performance liposuction.
High definition liposuction is used in relatively lean individuals to better highlight muscle definition. This is made possible thanks to thin cannulas for assisted liposuction, sometimes combined with an energy-based method such as Vaser or Laser.
The results are similar regardless of the technique used, as long as the equipment allows high-definition liposculpting, which in some cases is combined with fat grafting in targeted areas for even better body contour enhancement.
High definition liposuction has a very specific target audience and cannot be applied to everyone.
The most common areas are the following:
- Abdomen, flanks, thighs
- Calves, ankle, knees
- Submental area (double chin), arms, chest
The incisions that must be made for liposuction are very small, 4-6 mm long, and are usually placed in folds of the body so that they disappear completely.
High Definition Liposuction
High definition liposuction is the one with which we seek to highlight the muscle lines in relatively thin people. This is possible thanks to thin cannulas of assisted liposuction that are sometimes combined with some form of energy, such as Vaser or Laser. The results are similar regardless of which technique we follow. In some cases, this technique is combined with the addition of fat in targeted areas for even better shape. High definition liposuction has a very specific audience and cannot be applied to just anyone.
High-performance liposuction
The most common technique is the so-called high performance liposuction, that is, high-performance liposuction. With modern techniques we can remove large amounts of body fat safely and sculpt the body very effectively. The average fat removal in these cases is 3-5 liters and can reach up to 7-8 liters in some cases. It is an operation that can literally completely change a person’s body type and life. The areas where we apply high-performance liposuction are mainly in the abdomen, chest and legs.
The equipment used during liposuction – Microaire (PAL)
As for the equipment that each doctor chooses to achieve the excellent results of liposuction, in my opinion this is of secondary importance. Personally, I prefer the so-called Microaire pulsed liposuction (PAL), due to its speed, high precision manipulations and atraumatic nature.
Before the fat is removed, a solution containing a local anesthetic is injected along with drugs that limit blood loss. The fat is then removed based on the preoperative planning, following some basic principles to avoid sagging and other problems.
After a liposuction
Liposuction can be performed under local anesthesia, either under local and sedation or under general anesthesia. The factor that determines our choice is the extent of the areas to be worked on and the total removal that is necessary. This is because there is a maximum amount of local anesthetic (xylocaine) that can be administered per patient, which we cannot exceed; this amount can only cover a specific area in terms of analgesia. The combination of local anesthesia with general anesthesia is usually preferable when it comes to extensive liposuctions, both in terms of practicality and safety.
The hospital stay is from a few hours to twenty-four hours. Postoperatively, we use special pressure bandages or a simple corset or the use of simple stockings for varicose veins, for the duration of the first postoperative month.
Will there be scars after the surgery?
Thanks to the new techniques and technologies of minimally invasive liposuction, in small-scale liposuction procedures bruising is minimal or even nonexistent.
Postoperative swelling subsides very quickly and pain after the procedure is almost zero. When a large volume is removed or multiple areas are treated, there may be pain for 4–5 days, swelling and bruising that take 10–15 days to subside, and a general feeling of fatigue for a few weeks. In even larger liposuction procedures, where the total removed volume can exceed 7–8 liters, hospitalization for 1–2 days is often required and recovery may take longer.
*We use the Bodyjet technique to offer you safe liposuction, without general anesthesia and without pain.
The right approach and experience will bring the desired result.
Liposuction is an extremely safe technique provided that it is treated by the surgeon as a surgical procedure and not underestimated or presented to clients as a simple visit to an aesthetician. It therefore requires the same respect and seriousness as any other medical act.
Proper training and the experience of the plastic surgeon are of course essential. We mention this because in the past there have been many cases performed by dermatologists, general surgeons, or doctors without any specialty, with poor outcomes. Statistics show that when the procedure is performed correctly by an experienced surgeon, the results are excellent and complications are almost nonexistent.
You don't change your body, you just show it off.
We intervene with precision so that your body acquires the symmetry and contour it deserves.
Liposuction results
Liposuction is based on the observation that fat cells in the human body have a proliferation rate of almost zero. So, if we remove a number of fat cells, they are gone forever. That is, with liposuction we have a permanent result in terms of body proportions. New proportions are created that will be maintained in the future regardless of whether we gain or lose weight. With liposculpture and high performance liposuction, we achieve an impressive correction of body proportions and the muscles of the body are naturally emphasized. A classic example is liposuction of the legs and calves, especially when it comes to lipedema, where we can shape the ankle and calf that previously had a one-piece image, or in the case of liposculpture of the abdomen and sides of the torso, where the waist is very well shaped and the abdomen is narrowed overall, achieving a much more athletic and youthful image. When high definition liposculpture is performed, such as on the abdomen, the muscles are emphasized even more and the rectus abdominis are much more pronounced. In any case, liposuction is a very safe and very common procedure, which can offer excellent results that cannot be easily achieved with exercise and diet. As long as there is cooperation from the patients after the operation and they change their lifestyle to some extent, the results can go from excellent to top-notch.
"I had heard about the impressive results offered by the Bodyjet technique. When I learned that the Papaioannou Clinic uses this technique, I immediately booked my appointment. It was the best choice I could have made!"
What type of anesthesia is needed for liposuction?
What is the best liposuction technique?
I've heard that liposuction is dangerous. Should I really be afraid?
Is there a bloodless liposuction technique?
What is the cost of liposuction?
Dr. Prodromos Papaioannou
He completed his plastic surgery residency in Germany, at the Pirmasens Hospital, the Asklepios Wandsbek Hospital in Hamburg, the University Hospital in Magdeburg and the Braunschweig Clinic. He worked as a specialist-deputy director at the Braunschweig Clinic (specializing in breast reconstruction after cancer and cosmetic surgery). He also participated in scientific research and completed his doctoral thesis (Dr. Med.) at the Magdeburg Clinic.