Liposuction is the most common aesthetic operation in the world. Today attention is drawn not to the amount of fat removed but to the general improvement of the body silhouette. This more advanced surgical procedure is called liposculpturing and its goal is to sculpt a more attractive body contour. Liposculpturing is a challenging procedure as it is essential to do it right the first time as further correction can be tricky and sometimes even impossible.

Liposuction of smaller areas is done in local anesthesia and is a relatively easy procedure.

Liposuction removes the stubborn areas of fat that will not go away even with diet and exercise on a regular basis. As the fat cells in the adult do not multiply, once fat is removed it cannot be restored. Even if the patient gains weight after the operation, there won’t be any localized fatty deposits or bulges that existed prior to liposuction.

Local Fat Deposits

Big part of the fat deposits is localized in different areas of the body, for example, under the chin, on the thighs, hips, inside of the knees and in the stomach area.

Often the local fat deposits are hereditary and not necessarily caused by obesity. They won't go away with dieting and an otherwise slim young patient can be suffering from a double chin. With age the skin loses its elasticity and becomes loose making the appearance of the local fat deposits even less attractive.

Before the liposuction	After the liposuction

Methods of Liposuction

At our hospital we use various methods of liposuction, mostly the Superwet or the Tumescent technique and Liposculpturing.

Usually we use the Superwet- or the Tumescent -techniques that cause very minimal bleeding that is crucial for the patient's safety. The liposuction earlier performed with so-called dry technique caused considerable blood loss of up to 30% of the amount of the removed fat. Fat sculpturing is performed with a small cannula suctioning away the unwanted fatty deposits at different layers. In some cases a so-called oscillo-cannula is used to speed up the procedure.

At our unit we also use the most recent advancement in this field, the oscilating liposuction. At the Nordström Hospital for Plastic Surgery we have a long-term cooperation with the inventor of the Superficial Liposculpturing professor Marco Gasparotti and with the pioneer of the Ultrasound Liposuction professor Michele Zocchi.

Before the liposuction	After the liposuction

How much fat can be removed?

In one operation 4-5 l of fat can be safely removed. Larger amounts of fat can be removed in several operations. Performing liposuction in several sessions helps to avoid metabolic disturbances and hence the related operative risks.

Before the liposuction	After the liposuction

Operation

Liposuction is usually performed in local anesthesia. If the liposuction is performed on a big area, it is done in general anesthesia.

During the operation one or several tiny incisions are made in the skin and a cannula is inserted through them to infuse large volumes of saline solution, local anesthesia, and adrenaline into the treated area to cause swelling. Fat sculpturing is performed with a small cannula suctioning away the unwanted fatty deposits at different layers. The tiny incisions are usually closed with one stitch that does not need to be removed.