Liposuction

Liposuction targets pockets of fat that persist in a specific area despite a relatively stable weight. Commonly treated zones include the abdomen, flanks, thighs, hips, upper arms, back, and beneath the chin. Because it physically removes fat cells in one session, the change per treatment is usually larger than non-surgical alternatives such as fat freezing—which is a separate, non-invasive category with its own trade-offs.

What it removes is subcutaneous fat, the soft layer under the skin—not visceral fat around the organs, and not weight in any meaningful medical sense. It also does not tighten loose skin: how smooth the result looks depends heavily on how well your skin can retract over the new contour. Sagging, stretch marks, or poor elasticity may call for a different or combined procedure, which is exactly what a consultation should sort out.

Modern liposuction commonly uses the tumescent technique: before any fat is removed, the surgeon infiltrates the area with a large volume of dilute solution containing local anesthetic and a vessel-constricting agent, which numbs the tissue, reduces bleeding, and makes the fat easier to aspirate. Depending on the extent of treatment, the operation may be done under local anesthesia with sedation or under general anesthesia. Small incisions of a few millimeters are made, and the cannula is passed back and forth to break up and suction fat; some practices add energy-based assistance such as ultrasound or laser, whose suitability varies by case.