Liposuction is the most common plastic surgery procedure performed in Canada and the United States. During the procedure, a needle called a cannula is used to remove fat through suction creating tunnels through the fat tissue beneath the skin. When the body heals thereafter, the tunnels collapse and the result is a better-contoured body.

The full effect of a liposuction procedure is often not seen for up to a year as the tunnels from the cannula heal. Thousands of men and women choose to have liposuction every year on many parts of the body. The most common areas to have the procedure performed on are: Inner/Outer Thighs, Arms, Waist, Hips, Chin/Jaw Line, Neck, Buttocks, Back, and Abdomen.

Liposuction is performed in a variety of ways. The most conventional techniques are: Tumescent, Wet, Super Wet, Ultrasonic Assisted (UAL), and Power Assisted (PAL) – all which provide the patient with the results they seek. We will explain each technique individually below.

Tumescent liposuction is performed by first injecting a diluted solution of combined lidocaine, epinephrine, and saline into the fat. Lidocaine acts as a local anesthetic, while the epinephrine causes the vessels in the fat to tighten. The total solution causes the fat tissue to swell and become very firm. Since the capillaries are constricted from the epinephrine, the lidocaine takes a longer amount of time to be absorbed by the body. This means that the patient does not need to go under general anesthetic for the procedure. As a result, there is usually no need for an IV as a result of fluid loss, and the amount of blood lost is minimal as opposed to other forms of liposuction.

The wet liposuction technique requires the use of general anesthesia and injecting the area with a dilute solution of local anesthesia in order to reduce the amount of bleeding. The wet technique is hardly ever used nowadays because of the need for blood transfusions after the procedure. Of the tissue removed, blood covers about 15% to 20% of all the tissue removed from the body.

The super wet technique also requires general anesthesia and the injection of dilute local anesthesia. With this technique, blood still comprises about 8% of the total tissue removed.
The difference between the tumescent liposuction technique and the wet and super wet liposuction techniques is the amount of solution injected into the subcutaneous fat, which is the fat beneath the skin. The super wet technique only uses about half of the solution the tumescent technique while the wet technique uses very little lidocaine solution at all, which is why general anesthesia is needed.

UAL (Ultrasonic Assisted Liposuction) involves the process of using a metal probe or paddle to deliver ultrasonic energy to the fat, liquefying it. This makes the fat easier to remove and leaves other tissues like nerves and blood vessels intact.

PAL, or Power Assisted Liposuction, uses a power supply to create a spinning or an in-and-out movement in the cannula. This technique is used to perform the procedure quicker.

Lastly, you must always remember that liposuction is not an alternative to weight loss and should only be considered after all other options have been exhausted. The ideal candidate to consider liposuction is either slightly overweight, has a very elastic skin, or has specific areas of excess fat. Most importantly, the candidate should also be physically and psychologically healthy and must have realistic expectations.

In order to schedule an initial consultation with a liposuction surgeon in your area to find out if liposuction is right for you, please select the city of your choice from the top menu bar or the links at the bottom of this page.. Your plastic surgeon will discuss with you which liposuction technique is the best approach to achieving the results you want.