The most common areas treated by Liposuction for fat reduction are the abdomen (tummy), sides, hips, thighs, arms, under chin and lower back.  The male breast is another area that is well treated by a modified technique of Liposuction.

Liposuction is a relatively safe surgery and there are no long term serious side effects.
Improvements in Liposuction technique over the last five decades and use of smaller cannulae have resulted in vastly improved results with increased safety.

Swelling, soreness, bruising, numbness are to be expected in the initial few weeks. Serious complications like loss of skin, deep vein thrombosis, fluid overload and organ damage are extremely rare when safety measures are properly instituted. The chance of having an adverse outcome is more in medically compromised patients like people with uncontrolled diabetes, high blood pressure and in heavy smokers. Long duration of surgery and very large volumes of Liposuction also increase the chance of some of the complications.

Fluid collections or seroma can occur in the initial few weeks after surgery in less than 5% cases, and this can be treated well by aspirating the collected fluid.

Medications are required only for 5-7 days after the surgery. Pain medications and anti biotics are usually prescribed.

The most popular and safest method of Liposuction is Tumescent Liposuction, where a large amount of specially formulated fluid is injected into the fat cells before they are suctioned out. The fluid contains local anesthetic to numb the areas and adrenaline to minimize the blood loss. Power Liposuction utilizes a power driven cannulae to reduce the effort in taking out the fat. Power Liposuction is ideal for male breast reduction and in cases of redo Liposuction.

Ultrasonic Liposuction uses ultrasound energy to break and emulsify the fat cells before aspiration. Ultrasonic Liposuction has the theoretical advantage of having less blood loss and more retraction of the skin during healing. The number of complications including skin loss and fluid accumulations are significantly higher with Ultrasonic Liposuction, although few surgeons have reported comparably low complication rates.

Laser Liposuction also works in similar fashion as ultrasonic Liposuction and carries almost similar risks.

The skin is a very elastic and dynamic structure which has the ability to adjust to change in form.
Following fat reduction in an area, the overlying skin shrinks over few weeks to few months. This is particularly so in younger individuals. The elasticity of skin is considerably less in cases of massive weight loss and over the tummy of women who have delivered children. In such cases, the shrinkage or adaptation of the skin may not be enough and additional procedures like body lift or tummy tuck may be required.

Liposuction is meant for fine contouring of the body and involves technical finesse and artistry. The current trend of judging a Liposuction only by the amount of fat removed is unfair to the surgeon’s skill, judgment and above all to your own safety.

Up to twenty liters of fat have been removed safely in rare instances; amounts of 10-15 liters (mega liposuction) are increasing in frequency in India. Larger volumes of Liposuction should be performed only in a hospital setting with monitoring facilities. Large volume Liposuctions are performed under general anesthesia and following strict safety protocols. The safety of large volume Liposuctions is well established when performed under expert care.

Liposuction is the most common cosmetic surgery performed in India.  With increasing affluence and growing popularity of fast foods, weight gain is becoming a public health problem in India, especially in metro cities.

The track record of Liposuction in India has been excellent in centers having experienced and ethical surgeons. India is witnessing an explosion in the number of people traveling from other countries for quality surgery at affordable prices.