Liposuction

Liposuction is a minimally invasive and highly effective surgical technique used to permanently remove adipose tissue. Plastic surgeons typically perform liposuction in areas where fat tends to accumulate, such as the abdomen, thighs, hips, arms, under the chin, and buttocks.

Our highly experienced, board-certified plastic surgeons have performed thousands of cosmetic and reconstructive procedures. We invite you to book a consultation to discuss your goals and treatment options.

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Liposuction offers numerous benefits:

  • Improved body contour: Liposuction can help reshape and contour your body by removing stubborn pockets of fat that don’t respond to diet and exercise.

  • Boosted Self-Confidence: Removing excess fat from the abdomen, thighs, hips, and arms helps patients feel more confident in their skin.

  • Minimal Scarring: Liposuction incisions are small and hidden in natural creases, resulting in minimal scarring compared to other surgical fat removal procedures.

  • Enduring Results: Liposuction results are typically long-lasting, as long as the patient maintains a healthy lifestyle after the procedure.

Liposuction is an extremely effective way to remove stubborn fat from the body. Fat cells removed via liposuction will not regrow in those areas again. It’s important to note that while liposuction can provide many benefits, it can not substitute weight loss or a healthy lifestyle. It’s essential to maintain a healthy diet and exercise regularly to sustain the results of the procedure. Optimal results are usually seen in patients who are near their goal weight. Here’s what you can expect before, during, and after your treatment.

Before Your Liposuction Treatment

Before undergoing liposuction, it’s important to select a qualified, board-certified plastic surgeon. Remember to ask your surgeon to see before and after photos, and thoroughly review the costs, risks, procedure, and benefits associated with liposuction with them.

On the day of the procedure, you will meet with your surgeon in pre-op to discuss the surgical plan one last time and address any questions you may have. You will sign some final paperwork and we’ll run a few diagnostic tests, including weighing you before we get started. You will be given anesthesia to ensure that you are comfortable throughout the surgery. In some cases, a local anesthetic or nerve block is warranted, while other procedures require general anesthesia or IV sedation. We then mark the areas of the body where the incisions will be made and prepare our equipment. We perform liposuction as an outpatient procedure in our accredited ambulatory surgery center in Flagstaff, Arizona.

During Your Procedure

The procedure involves making small incisions in the targeted area, and then using a small tube called a cannula to suction out the unwanted fat cells. Liposuction incisions are typically less than half an inch in length and are strategically placed in natural creases or skin folds to conceal their appearance. A diluted tumescent solution is injected into the targeted areas. This anesthetic solution helps the surgeon safely remove fat cells while reducing bruising, bleeding, and soreness. Next, the cannula is moved back and forth to dislodge targeted fat tissue and loosen up the adipose tissue. Finally, the fat cells are suctioned through the tube along with the solution and they’re gone forever.

After Liposuction

The procedure can take anywhere from one to three hours, depending on the extent of the surgery and the amount of fat being removed. Once the procedure is complete, the surgeon will close the incisions with sutures and place a compression garment over the treated area to help reduce swelling and promote healing. After the surgery, patients will typically be monitored for a short period of time before being released to be driven home.

You may feel some soreness, light bruising, and swelling after liposuction. Remember to take it easy while you recover and listen to your body. Patients usually feel ready to return to work within a few days and can resume most regular activities within two weeks of the procedure. We advise patients to avoid strenuous exercise, such as heavy weight lifting, for six weeks to promote proper healing.

Medical Review: This procedural information has been medically reviewed by plastic and reconstructive surgeon, Brian A. Cripe, M.D.

Liposuction Before and After Photos

For privacy, we reserve the majority of before and after photos for viewing during in-office consultations. The cases presented are representative and shared with permission.

Liposuction Before and AfterLiposuction Before and After
Liposuction Before and AfterLiposuction Before and After

Liposuction FAQs

Every plastic surgery practice offers different pricing, based on their location and fee structures. The national average procedural fee for liposuction is around $3,600, plus the cost of anesthesia, surgical facility costs, and medications. This varies greatly based on where liposuction is performed. Getting liposuction on the chin, for example, requires less surgical time and anesthesia requirements than other body contouring procedures.

The best candidates for liposuction are individuals who are close to their ideal weight but have localized areas of stubborn excess fat that are resistant to diet and exercise. As with many cosmetic procedures, good candidates are typically non-smokers, generally in good health, and have realistic expectations for what can be achieved through plastic surgery. BMI is also a consideration. If a patient gains weight after the procedure, they won’t accumulate fat in the treated areas, but rather in other areas of the body.

  • Incision Aftercare: Please keep your liposuction incision areas clean and be gentle with them. You can shower after 48 hours but don’t use hot water. 
  • Compression: We’ll give you a special compressive garment that applies gentle pressure that reduces swelling, and promotes healing to yield the best results.
  • Medications: In some cases, we’ll give you a pain medication script to help you feel more comfortable while healing. Many patients take over-the-counter medications, such as Tylenol or Advil for their pain.
  • Exercise: We recommend walking and moving around soon after the procedure, but please don’t push yourself. By six weeks after surgery, most patients feel ready to resume all of their pre-operative activities, including high-intensity exercise and weight lifting.

Your safety is our top priority. This answer varies based on the patient, but in general, the maximum amount of fat that we would remove during liposuction would be five liters. Repeated procedures may be warranted in certain situations.

At our practice, we offer interest-free financing options through Care Credit and PatientFi.

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Book Your Liposuction Appointment

Our experienced, board-certified plastic surgeons would love to bring you in for a consultation to discuss your goals and treatment options. Fill out this form to receive a call-back shortly, or give us a call at 928-774-2300.