Liposuction

No matter how old you are, or whether you are male or female, you may feel there are areas of fat on a particular part of your body which are resistant of all forms of diet or exercise. This fat can create curves or fullness which cannot be easily disguised and which can lead to lack of confidence and low self-esteem. Liposuction is an effective way of treating these areas of fat.

We must point out that liposuction is not a cure for obesity, and it works best in patients with a healthy body mass index where no dieting is required. The operation is usually carried out to remove excess fat from the outer thighs, inner thighs, lower abdomen, upper abdomen, flanks, male chest, inner knees or ankles. Liposuction is usually carried out under general anaesthetic and involves making a small number of little cuts in which to access the area to be treated. Once the excess fat has been removed it will not return. The treatment requires the patient's skin to have natural elasticity to take up the slack created when the excess fat is removed. This natural elasticity does tend to diminish later on in life.

The operation may be a day case but usually involves an overnight stay in hospital. After the surgery, a fitted pressure garment is worn for a minimum of six weeks, although a longer period tends to lead to improved healing. The operation requires anything from a few days to a couple of weeks off work.