Liposuction is a surgical technique that improves the body’s contour by removing excess fat from fatty deposits located between the skin and muscle. Localized accumulations of fat, which are often hereditary and frequently impossible to eliminate by exercise or dieting, can now be removed permanently by liposuction surgery, never to plague you again.

Liposuction involves the use of a small stainless steel tube called a cannula. Connected at one end to a specialized suction pump, the cannula is inserted through tiny skin incisions. The removal of fat is accomplished as the suction cannula creates tiny tunnels through the fatty layers.


The most frequently treated areas in women are the abdomen, hips, thighs, knees, calves, ankles, and beneath the chin. In men, who comprise about 25% to 30% of patients who undergo liposuction, the most commonly treated areas include the “love handles”, abdomen, breasts and the neck and chin area.


Fat cells that are removed by liposuction do not grow back. As long as the patient does not gain an excessive amount of weight, the new more pleasing silhouette is permanent.

New advanced tumescent technique has made liposuction simpler and faster. The Tumescent Technique of liposuction was developed in 1985. The Tumescent technique involves the use of large volumes of a dilute solution of lidocaine (a local anesthetic) in combination with the vasoconstrictive drug, epinephrine, which shrinks blood vessels.

Local anesthesia used in the Tumescent technique for liposuction is so effective that patients no longer need intravenous sedatives, narcotic analgesics, or general anesthesia. This technique is now considered the safest form of liposuction for removing very large amounts of fat because there is virtually no blood loss. Not only has the Tumescent technique proven to be safer than the standard technique using general anesthesia, but it also has proven to be less painful, has minimal post operative recovery time, and produces optimal cosmetic results.

With the Tumescent technique, infiltrating the local anesthesia is associated with minimal discomfort. Once the area has been completely numbed, surgery in that area is essentially painless. In addition, because the numbness remains in the treated area for more than 12 hours, there is no pain immediately after surgery


As with any surgical procedure, liposuction is associated with certain common side effects such as bruising, swelling, and temporary numbness. Although irregularities of the skin are possible following liposuction, this side effect is minimized by the Tumescent technique. Because of the slow resolution of post liposuction swelling, the ultimate results following liposuction usually require 12 to 16 weeks to become fully apparent. Nevertheless, patients can usually see dramatic improvements within two to four weeks after surgery


Infections are extremely rare, regardless of whether or not the anesthetic technique is that of general anesthesia or local anesthesia. Lidocaine, the local anesthetic that is used for the Tumescent technique, kills bacteria. With the Tumescent technique the areas that are being treated surgically are those same areas that will receive the local anesthetic that kills bacteria.


Because of the significant decrease in swelling, inflammation and pain after surgery, patients are able to return to normal physical activities very soon after the procedure. There is no limitation of physical activity other than what common sense would dictate. Some patients are able to return to jogging, golf, or light aerobic exercise within a day or two after surgery. Some patients do find the soreness after surgery to be more significant than others, but on the average, most patients are surprised at how quickly they are able to return to normal activity.



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