Liposuction can be used as a stand-alone procedure or in conjunction with other surgical procedures such as breast lift, breast reduction, tummy tuck, facelift and fat grafting to enhance your body’s natural curves.

It is NOT an alternative to dieting, nor treatment for obesity. Consider it a ‘reshaping’ tool, not a weight-loss treatment.

Some of the many benefits of liposuction include:

The best candidates include healthy women of normal weight with good skin tone and elasticity with realistic expectations. Liposuction should not be considered as a substitute for weight loss, so patients should be physically healthy and seeking to merely refine and contour their figure.

Liposuction is not a treatment for cellulite, and in some cases can make cellulite more visible.

Your liposuction procedure is performed in a fully accredited hospital. Your anaesthetist will give you a general anaesthetic and you can expect the operation to take between 1-3 hours depending on how many areas are treated. Most patients are able to go home the same day of surgery with no drains required. The small incisions are covered with a dressing and you are placed in a compression garment.

Before your procedure, your surgeon will mark the areas to be suctioned. During the procedure, tiny incisions are hidden in natural body creases; it is through these incisions a special fluid called ‘Tumescent Solution’ is infiltrated into the fat. This fluid assists with the removal of fat cells and contains adrenaline to decrease postoperative bruising, as well as local anaesthetic which makes the area numb for post-operative comfort. The fat is suctioned out via the small incisions until the desired contour is achieved.

There are a variety of liposuction techniques available that are referred to by their brand name and often cause confusion to patients who contemplate having liposuction. The primary difference is the type of energy source used to suction the fat. Your surgeon will discuss the benefits of each and select the technique that is best suited to achieve your fat reduction and body shaping aesthetic goals.

You should be aware that the final result may take several months to show and healing may continue for up to a year. It is normal to experience temporary numbness (up to a year) in the liposuction areas.

Patients report minor post-operative pain, which is treated with oral medication. You will be given a prescription for pain management. Have someone fill the prescription, drive you home and take care of you as you recover during the first few days after your surgery.

You may return to work and begin light exercise as soon as one week after liposuction surgery. You are encouraged to resume normal exercise as soon as you are able as this helps with skin tightening. Most activities can be resumed fully at six weeks following your procedure.

You will have an appointment to see your surgeon within the first week after surgery to check that your wounds are healing as expected. Your surgeon will see you frequently over the first year to monitor your progress and will give you advice on scar management, wearing garments and resuming normal activities.