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Liposuction - The 10 Things You Need to Know

Liposuction, sometimes called "lipo" by patients, straighten and reshapes specific areas of the body by removing excess fat accumulated and improving your body contours and body shape. Liposuction may reshape the areas such as thighs, hips, buttocks, abdomen, waist, upper arms, cheeks, chin, and neck. It can be performed alone or together with other plastic surgery procedures, such as a facelift, breast reduction, or tummy tuck. 


Liposuction is already a very popular plastic surgery procedure, with 250.000 patients turning to it yearly in the USA alone.  Men are getting in on the action as well, as liposuction is a safe and simple solution to stubborn fat deposits. Let’s get down to the 10 facts you need to know about liposuction! You can also visit “How much does Liposuction Cost?” for more information.

1. Where Does All the Fat Go After Liposuction Surgery?

This is not a question many patients think about, but the answer to this question is quite interesting. Many myths exist about where the fatty tissue goes after a liposuction procedure, but unlike all the stories running around the internet and TV, the truth is much simpler – the fat is disposed of as regular medical waste. With all the progress in the medical world, new uses for this tissue popped up. The fatty substance itself can be used as a source of stem cells, and it might even be used to grow bones or small blood vessels! Science at its finest! Here is a complete list of liposuction clinics.

2. The First Liposuction in The World

Mademoiselle Geoffre, a French ballet dancer, was the first-ever liposuction patient. Since the procedure took place nearly 100 years ago, things did not go very well for Mademoiselle Geoffre. The procedure first took place in 1920, and Mademoiselle Geoffre lost her legs and ultimately her life, despite her doctor’s best intentions.

3. How Much Fat Can Be Removed Through Liposuction?

The maximum amount of safe oil can be approximately 6 to 8 pounds (3 to 4 liters), with no complications. As the volume of fat extracted in a single day increases, the risk of serious complications increases accordingly. If a patient needs more than 6 to 8 kilograms of fat removal, it is safest to divide liposuction into separate surgical procedures, each separated by 3 to 4 weeks.

4. Men Are Choosing Liposuction Too

Broad shoulders, a flat abdominal area, and a narrow hip-thigh zone define the ideal male body shape. As men grow older, fat areas accumulate around the abdomen, on the flanks ("love handles”), in the chest area, the jaw, and the neck. Men consider liposuction to get rid of these fatty areas, which they cannot melt through diet and exercise.  This is why liposuction is not a female-only choice! In certain countries, the number of liposuctions done on men and women is almost equal. This procedure is very popular among Asian men.

READ: Attractive Choices of Plastic Surgery for Men

5. Liposuction Prices Vary According to Country and Operation Details

Switzerland, the USA, and Germany have some of the highest prices for liposuction, but destinations such as Spain, Turkey, Romania, and Poland have more affordable prices. The average cost of liposuction is $3,374, according to 2017 statistics from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. However, liposuction costs may vary widely according to some factors such as the surgeon's reputation and experience, the type of procedure used, and the geographic office location. The average fee referenced above does not include anesthesia, operating room facilities, or other expenses. To give another example for clarifying the importance of the country factors, the average cost of liposuction in Turkey is € 1,800.

6. Which Parts of the Body Are Suitable for Liposuction Surgery?

Some of the most popular liposuction target areas are the abdomen, outer thighs, cheeks, neck, buttocks, arms, inner thighs, legs, hips, and breasts. Men usually have liposuction in the chest, neck, and abdomen areas. The so-called “love handles” are also a popular choice for liposuction for men.

7. What Is the Minimum Age For Liposuction?

The youngest ever patient for liposuction was a girl named Brooke Bates – she was just 12 years old when she had her liposuction. She needed liposuction after losing 15 kg in weight over a short period of time – today Brooke lives a healthy and happy life. The oldest patient for liposuction was 87 years old! It means that it’s never too late to start looking shaped and gorgeous.

8. Your New Body Will Slowly Reveal Itself After Liposuction

Liposuction before and after photos look good, but the results of this procedure are not instant. You will have to wait for a few months, and during the recovery period, you should follow all the instructions given by your surgeon carefully. After the procedure is done, you should remain on the same diet as not to put on extra weight.

9. Lasers Are Sometimes Used with Liposuction

This technique is called liposuction with laser or ultrasound. The laser’s role in this procedure is to liquefy the fat as much as possible in order to make it easier to remove – swelling and bruising are reduced this way and the recovery period is shortened. Sound waves are used to liquefy the fat, and these waves can either go through the skin or the cannula. The laser technology also allows the surgeon to increase the areas where he can apply the liposuction procedure in just one setting. A particular type of liposuction procedure called Vaser liposuction is also used as an ultrasound technology to break down fat cells by sending ultrasonic frequency waves.

10. Liposuction Is Not A Solution For Obesity

Liposuction is not a weight loss treatment – this procedure is not recommended for people that want to lose weight quickly, only for people that are within 30% of their ideal body weight. Sometimes fatty tissue does not respond to exercise or diet, this is where the liposuction procedure becomes useful.

Learn more about Liposuction in Turkey by comparing costs and reviewing the clinics and doctors.

This content is edited by Flymedi Team in 2023.

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