Liposuction  is a procedure that can help sculpt  the body by removing  unwanted  fat  from  specific  areas  like the abdomen,  hips, buttocks,  thighs, calf, upper  arms,  chin, cheeks,  and neck. It is suitable for both men and women.

The surgery :
Fat is removed through a small cannula (tube) inserted through one or more small incisions near the area to be suctioned. These incisions, which are about 4-6 mm long, are placed in such a way that they are hidden. The cannula is connected to a suction device to aspirate excess fat in a precise manner.
Sometimes the fat is reinjected in other areas to improve the contours. There are many refinements and variations in liposuction like tumescent technique, power assisted liposuction and ultra sound assisted liposuction. The need and benefits of these different techniques are discussed before surgery.

Best Candidates:
People  with an almost normal  weight and with firm  elastic  skin,  who have pockets of excess fat in certain  areas and who are otherwise  physically healthy, psychologically  stable  and realistic  in their  expectations. It may benefit marginally over weight individuals, in reducing weight and motivating them to further reduce weight. But it is not a sole procedure for weight reduction.

Technique and Variations:

The basic technique of liposuction as described above is performed in all patients. However the procedure has been refined and developed over the years.

Tumescent Fluid Injection:
It is a mixture of intravenous fluids, local anesthetic & a drug that contracts blood vessels. This is injected prior to aspiration of fat, to facilitate removal of a large volume of fat without blood loss. There are various types of liposuction machines and equipment like power assisted liposuction (PAL), ultra sound assisted liposuction, laser assisted lipoplasty, syringe suction etc. It should be cautioned, however that the man behind the machine and the technique are more important that the machine.

Anaesthesia :
The type of anesthesia depends upon the extent of liposuction.
Small volume liposuction, local anesthesia with sedation suffices. It can be done as a daycare procedure.
General anesthesia is required for large volume liposuction. A hospital stay of 1 or 2 days is required.

Before Surgery:
It is necessary to discuss in detail the following key issues:
Combining other aesthetic procedures Complete medical history Desire to further lose weight and to undergo other aesthetic procedures like abdominoplasty and brachioplasty( liposuction of arms )

After Surgery :

The following minor inconveniences may be experienced:

• Pain, swelling, bruising, loss of sensation in that area, numbness. A pressure garment must be worn for about 3-4 weeks.

Duration of Results:  By liposuction the surgeon removes fat tissue which has a number of fat cells. The fat cell mass that was removed does not regenerate, so the results are permanent. However the remaining cells can contribute to increase in weight if not maintained by diet and exercise.

Cost: It varies considerably due to multiple factors like indication (for sculpting the body, weight reduction), type of equipment used, expertise,
anesthesia, associated health problems and place of surgery (infrastructure). A comprehensive liposuction involving multiple areas on the trunk and the thighs in a reasonably good hospital should cost around a lakh of rupees.