The surgical procedure done with intent to create more shapely body contours by removing excess fats from some regions such as the abdomen, hips, thighs, legs, knee area, upper parts of the arms, chin, cheeks or neck is called ‘liposuction’. Liposuction is not a surgery substitute for any diet or exercise. This surgery is for the treatment of local fat accumulations in the regions, which are unresponsive to diets and exercises. For example, accumulated fats in the abdominal area are permanently eliminated by means of liposuction. Storage of excess fats that cannot be eliminated despite long-term diets can be treated with liposuction. Thus, a thinner-looking abdominal region that is more harmonious with the other regions of the body can be obtained. The expectations need to be reasonable for being able to be satisfied with the results obtained from liposuction. Normal-weight people with adequate skin elasticity, who have fat accumulation in some parts of their bodies, are the most appropriate candidates for this surgery. Age does not pose an obstacle to liposuction.
Today there are various centers that mushroomed everywhere, which mislead patients with only commercial concerns, by using unscientific methods claimed to eliminate melt and eliminate and treat cellulites with various chemicals injected into the body or applied externally. These are procedures devoid of any scientific support, performed by incompetent people. If these procedures were scientific in some ways, or if these could be proven to be useful, plastic surgeons would prefer these simple procedures to a surgery such as liposuction, which is technically quite difficult and requires experience.
Surgery can be done under local or general anesthesia, by considering the size or diversity of the surgical site. If it is to be done in conjunction with some other procedures such as abdominoplasty (tummy tuck) or face lift, general anesthesia is necessary. In order to protect the new shape an elastic corset should be worn for couple of weeks after surgery. The patient can return to work a couple of days after the surgery. The resultant swelling and bruising will disappear within three to four weeks. It will take about three months for the new body shape to become completely apparent.