What Is Liposuction?
In liposuction, a defined deposit of fat is aspirated with a cannula and removed from the body. It is performed for cosmetic reasons to improve the shape and contour of the body and remove stubborn fat deposits.
Is Liposuction Right For Me?
A free consultation with your dermatologist can help you determine if liposuction will help you achieve your cosmetic goals. Call us at 973-763-7546 for a free liposuction consultation.
Who should get liposuction?
Liposuction is best performed for the reduction of focal fatty deposits in otherwise healthy people who are able to maintain a regimen of diet and exercise after the procedure to maintain the results. It should not be used to achieve general weight loss. Patient expectations must be realistic, and their motivations sound. Commonly treated areas are the upper and lower abdomen, flanks (love handles), inner and outer thighs, knees, arms, neck, ankles, calves, and back. Liposuction has also in some cases been used to achieve breast reduction, especially in men.
Is Liposuction Performed With Local or General Anesthesia?
There are a number of approaches to performing liposuction. A common technique is termed tumescent liposuction. It is performed under strictly local anesthesia on an outpatient basis and has an excellent safety profile when performed by experienced practitioners. In tumescent liposuction, a mixture of saline solution and dilute lidocaine and epinephrine (0.1% lidocaine with 1:1,000,000 epinephrine) is first infused into the area to be aspirated, resulting in both local anesthesia and vasoconstriction, which reduces blood loss.
After the area is numbed with the tumescent fluid, the fat is aspirated with a cannula. In other cases, intravenous sedation is used to keep the patient comfortable during the procedure, and in some cases the procedure is done with total intravenous anesthesia. In these cases an anesthesiologist is present to administer these medications. When IV sedation or general anesthesia is used, the technique is referred to as modified tumescent anesthesia.
How Is Liposuction Performed?
If removal of a lipoma is desired it can usually be safely removed as an in-office procedure under local anesthesia. During the procedure your dermatologist will prepare the area and will inject local anesthesia, such as lidocaine, and then carefully dissect the tumor and remove it. This can sometimes be accomplished through a relatively small incision. It is important to remove the entire capsule to prevent recurrence. Once the lipoma is removed, the skin is sutured. The sutures are usually removed in 1 to 2 weeks, depending on the location.
First your dermatologist will meet with you in the office and take a complete medical history, discuss your cosmetic goals, and photograph the proposed treatment site. When it is time for the procedure, the area to be treated and the sites for cannula insertion will be marked. The field is prepared in a sterile fashion and then the insertion sites are infiltrated with local anesthetic using standard injection technique. An entry is created, typically with a small blade or a small punch instrument, and a small tunnel created with a hemostat or other instrument. A blunt cannula is then inserted and the tumescent mixture infused, typically with a pump. The liposuction cannula is then inserted and the fat aspirated, either with machine suction (suction-assisted liposuction) or a syringe. Following the procedure the insertion site may be either sutured or left open to assist with drainage. Compression garments are worn for several days to several weeks postoperatively, depending on the site and the surgeon’s preference. Normal activities can be resumed within a few days.
Is Liposuction Performed In A Hospital?
At SOMA Skin & Laser, liposuction is performed at an accredited outpatient surgery center. An overnight stay is not required. Smaller liposuction cases are sometimes performed in a medical office.
How Much Does Liposuction Cost?
The price of liposuction depends on the body area treated, size of the patient, and time and effort required. It is also divided into surgeon fees, and facilities and anesthesia fees. The table below is a rough guide to pricing. You will be given a price quotation after your consultation.
| Body Area | Surgeon’s Fees |
| Abdomen, upper and lower | $3,000-$7,000 |
| Abdomen, lower only | $2,500-$6,500 |
| Arms | $2,000-$5,000 |
| Back, female | $2,000-$4,000 |
| Breasts, female | $3,000-$7,000 |
| Breasts, male | $3,000-$7,000 |
| Buttocks | $2,000-$4,500 |
| Chin, cheeks, jowls, neck | $2,500-$4,500 |
| Flanks, male | $2,500-$5,000 |
| Anterior Thighs & Knees | $2,500-$5,000 |
| Inner Thighs & Knees | $3,000-$6,000 |
| Outer Thighs | $2,500-$5,000 |
Facilities and anesthesia fees can be $2,000 to $4,000 depending on the duration of the surgery. Post-Operative garments can cost $50-$200. Pre-operative lab tests can cost several hundred dollars.
But only an in-person consultation and personalized price quotation can give you the price for your liposuction procedure. Schedule your free consultation by calling 973-763-7546.
What Are The Potential Complications From Liposuction?
Liposuction has an excellent safety record, but complications can occur. Adverse effects have been associated in particular with large volume liposuction (greater than 5L of fat aspirated) and the combination of liposuction with other surgical procedures in the same surgery. Other reported adverse events, occurring in a small percentage of cases, include: toxic shock syndrome, infection, contour irregularity, hematoma, seroma, unacceptable scarring, sensory nerve damage, contact dermatitis, and of course suboptimal cosmetic results. Your dermatologist will review with you all of the risks of the liposuction procedure when an informed consent is reviewed.
What Is Laser-Assisted Liposuction?
Recently, a number of laser devices have been introduced to “improve” on standard liposuction. In most cases, a clear advantage to laser-assisted liposuction has not been demonstrated, despite the marketing hype. We do not at this time use laser-assisted liposuction, such as SmartLipo.