Liposuction is a plastic surgery procedure that removes fat from any number of different areas of the body. Liposuction is most commonly performed on the hips, thighs, and abdomen. The procedure can also be done on the knees, buttocks, and chin. Patients who wish to have liposuction usually have moderate to severe excess fat and skin on certain areas of their body. Liposuction is most commonly performed on older, middle-aged women. While age is not a major concern for patients, results have shown that the younger the patient, the better the results. This is because the skin is more elastic in younger patients and can take shape more readily after surgery.

The actual liposuction procedure begins with a small incision made near the area that is to be operated on. A vacuum is then used to remove the fat layer or layers beneath the skin. Liposuction is a very popular form of plastic surgery as expressed by the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery. Research shows that the average cost for a liposuction procedure is $2,500. The popularity of the procedure is reflected in the fact that hundreds of millions are spent annually on liposuction.

Technological Improvements

Liposuction procedures have benefited from many new and improved technologies in the past 10 years. The most beneficial technological improvement was the ultrasound-assisted lipoplasty, or UAL. This new liposuction technique allows the surgeon to give the patient a more precise overall procedure as well as a quicker recovery. The UAL is a more scientific and detailed procedure. During a UAL procedure, a probe which is placed inside the incision is used to essentially explode the walls of the fat cells. This explosion of the cells makes it easier to vacuum out the fat. The UAL procedure has been very useful in recent liposuction surgeries on the upper back or enlarged male breast region. The reason why these specific regions of the body have benefited from the UAL technique is because they are more fibrous areas and the UAL technique is very efficient at breaking down the fat in those areas. The UAL technique allows the surgeon to be very precise and is the most efficient form of liposuction.