LIPOSUCTION

When performed by an experienced, board-certified plastic surgeon or dermatologic surgeon, liposuction rarely has complications. But while lipo risks are low enough that it’s not considered dangerous, there are still potential side effects of liposuction.

The most common ones include:

• Hematoma, a temporary pooling of blood under the skin
• Seroma, a pocket of fluid under the skin that requires draining by your doctor
• Thrombophlebitis, when blood clots form in the deep veins
• Changes in skin color or sensation
• Scarring from thermal burning, either above or below the skin (usually only an issue with laser- and ultrasound-assisted lipo, if skin ports aren’t used)

Fat embolisms are a rare but more serious lipo risk. They occur when a piece of fat separates and becomes trapped in a blood vessel and can travel to the lungs, heart, or brain.

If you’re concerned about anything you experience as you recover, don’t hesitate to call your doctor.

Pros

• Liposuction can permanently remove pockets of stubborn body fat. 
• A plastic surgeon can remove larger volumes of excess fat in a single liposuction procedure than would be possible with nonsurgical procedures. (The ASPS recommends removal of no more than 5,000cc—or 4,000cc in Florida—in an outpatient clinic setting, notes Dr. George Marosan, a board-certified plastic surgeon in Bellevue, Washington.) 
• While liposuction leaves scars, they’re usually small and inconspicuous because the incisions for the cannula are so short. Some experienced liposuction surgeons hide their 1cm poke holes in areas such as the breast crease, belly button, arm pits, or top of the buttock cleft, Dr. Marosan tells us.
• A liposuction procedure allows your surgeon to reshape the body, especially in combination with fat transfer to add more fullness to other areas. “It can create an hourglass figure in females and a chiseled, muscular body in males,” Dr. Marosan says.
• In reviews from RealSelf members who say liposuction was Worth It, many say that their clothes fit better, they have more confidence, and they feel younger. Some also say that it kickstarted a healthier lifestyle, and that they’ve become more fit since the surgery—a frequently reported benefit of liposuction.

Cons

• Liposuction is plastic surgery, and it takes time to heal. You’ll have up to two weeks of downtime with swelling, bruising, numbness, and possible nerve pain. Some RealSelf members who had 360 lipo say they wish they’d taken three weeks off to completely recover.
• Once the body fat is removed, skin can sag if it doesn’t have enough elasticity to bounce back. Some patients need to follow lipo with a skin tightening procedure. 
• Complications and side effects of liposuction—asymmetry, dimpling, and other contour irregularities—can happen, especially if your surgeon is inexperienced. Of the RealSelf members who rated lipo "Not Worth It," several cited scarring, lumpiness, or disfigurement as the reason. “The surgeon has to know and respect the underlying muscle and bony anatomy to create a ‘non-operated’ look,” says Dr. Marosan.
• While liposuction permanently removes fat cells, remaining fat cells can expand or new ones can form if you gain weight.

We've touched on the many benefits of liposuction as an elective cosmetic procedure, the biggest one being that it can permanently and immediately remove unwanted fat from almost any area of the body—in larger volumes than nonsurgical treatments can.

The procedure also has health benefits and treats certain medical conditions, though it's not always the treatment method of choice.

• Lipomas: These benign (non-cancerous) fatty tumors are usually removed by surgical excision—essentially cutting them out. A 2017 study cites a high patient satisfaction rate for lipoma removal via liposuction, with no recurrences in the 12-month follow-up period. Still, it's possible that some of the mass will be left behind, increasing the risk that the lipoma will grow back.
• Gynecomastia: Treatment plans for enlarged male breast tissue can involve liposuction alone (if the patient only has excess fat) or a combination of lipo and surgical excision of glandular tissue, possibly paired with excess skin tightening with Renuvion or BodyTite or surgical skin removal.
• Lymphedema: For people with this chronic condition, a build-up of lymphatic fluid leads to swelling and inflammation, often in the arms or legs, which stimulates fat cell growth. This extra fat can be removed via liposuction surgery.
• Lipodystrophy syndromes: Patients with a rare metabolic disease that leads to both fat loss and unwanted fat deposits often opt for liposuction for areas such as the chin and the "buffalo hump" behind the neck.

• Average Cost:
• $8,907

• Range:
• $3,500 - $22,000

Your liposuction cost will depend on factors like your surgeon’s level of experience and surgery center location, what kind of anesthesia you have, and how many lipo treatment areas are involved. 

“Most people price liposuction based on the number of areas being treated—and in general, the per-area cost will come down with additional areas,” says Toronto plastic surgeon Dr. Mathew A. Plant. “Usually, the first area is more expensive, because this price includes the costs of the operating room, equipment, and anesthetic," he explains. "Once you’re into additional areas, those costs have mostly been covered, and you’re simply adding time, which allows for a price drop.” 

Liposuction is considered elective cosmetic surgery, so insurance doesn't cover it.

You can finance your treatment with CareCredit.

See our complete guide to liposuction costs

As you're choosing your surgeon, look for liposuction photos that show patients who had similar body types to your own, with your desired results. The best outcomes have proportional, natural-looking contours, with no visible lumps or scars. 

The liposuction pictures in our gallery have been shared by the surgeon who performed the procedure, with the patient's consent.

Good candidates are healthy nonsmokers who meet these liposuction requirements:

• a BMI (body mass index) of 30 or below, or within 30% of your ideal weight
• good skin tone and elasticity
• age 18 or older

“If a patient has good skin elasticity, they’re going to have a really good result,” says New York plastic surgeon Dr. John Mesa. “But if the patient has bad elasticity, like a woman who’s had multiple pregnancies and the skin on her belly is too stretched, the skin isn’t going to shrink once the fat is removed—and you’ll be left with sagging.”

To check the elasticity of your skin, conduct a “pinch test.” If the skin springs back after pinching it with your thumb and forefinger, it likely has enough elasticity to provide a good result following liposuction fat removal.

Lipoplasty isn't recommended for people with underlying medical conditions, including heart disease, blood flow, diabetes, or a weak immune system. During your initial consultation, be up-front with your surgeon about your complete medical history, including past procedures, allergies, and any medications or supplements you’re currently taking.

Related: 5 Things Anyone Thinking of Getting Liposuction Needs to Know

RealSelf Tip: If you’re looking for a cellulite treatment, liposuction isn’t your best bet. It's true that excess fat can make cellulite look worse, but it's not the underlying cause: cellulite dimples appear when the fibrous tissue bands connecting fascia to skin stiffen, tugging the skin down. The most effective cellulite treatments, like Avéli, sever or loosen these bands to smooth out the skin.

Lipo surgery is an outpatient procedure. It usually takes just an hour or two, depending on how many areas of the body you’re getting done. For a very small area, the procedure takes around 30 minutes, while a 360 lipo procedure can take three to four hours. 

Most plastic surgeons offer traditional liposuction, but new lipo technologies are making fat easier to remove with less trauma to the surrounding tissue, reducing recovery time.

During an initial consultation, your surgeon should help you decide which type of liposuction is right for you. Regardless of the particular energy incorporated, traditional tumescent liposuction—filling the treatment area with wetting solution and then suctioning out fat—is foundational to all of these high-tech iterations.

Here’s how it works:

• First, you’ll be given either local anesthesia, intravenous sedation, or general anesthesia, depending on the extent of your procedure.
• For tumescent liposuction, the traditional liposuction technique, your doctor will make one or more small incisions (one-quarter inch or less) in the targeted area and inject a large quantity of a mixture of saline (salt water), local anesthesia (lidocaine), and epinephrine into your tissue. The fluid causes the fat to become swollen, firm, and easier to remove. It also constricts your blood vessels, which reduces bruising, blood loss, and recovery time. 
• The surgeon then inserts the cannula through the same incision and passes it back and forth under the skin to break up the fat before suctioning it out.

They may use one of these advanced technologies:

	Power-Assisted Liposuction (PAL) surgical	Laser Liposuction nonsurgical	Vaser Liposuction surgical	Tickle Lipo surgical	BodyTite surgical
Worth It Rating	77%	89%	92%	89%	83%
Average Cost	Not yet available	$6613	$9906	Not yet available	$7162
Downtime	Varies by procedure	3–5 days of downtime	Up to 2 weeks of downtime	Up to three days of downtime	Up to 1 week of downtime
Anesthesia	IV sedation or general anesthesia	Local or general anesthesia	Local or general anesthesia	Local anesthesia	Local or general anesthesia

• Power-assisted liposuction (PAL) incorporates a vibrating cannula to break down clumps of fat, fibrous fat.
• Laser-assisted liposuction (LAL) procedures like SmartLipo and AirSculpt use low-energy laser waves to liquefy fat. 
• Tickle Lipo, also known as Nutational Infrasonic Liposculpture (NIL), vibrates to distract from pain as it loosens and suctions out fat, using a smaller cannula than traditional lipo.
• Radiofrequency-assisted lipolysis (RFAL) procedures like BodyTite uses radiofrequency energy to liquify fat and subtly tighten loose skin; it’s routinely followed by liposuction to remove melted excess fat. 
• Ultrasound-assisted liposuction (UAL) uses sound waves to break up clumps of fat cells and fibrous fat. VASER liposuction, a type of UAL, evenly disperses the ultrasonic energy with a grooved cannula and probe. 

Dr. Marosan, like many of his peers, prefers VASER liposuction in most situations. Without excessively heating the tissues, ultrasound energy breaks up the fat and frees it from the surrounding tissue, making fat easier to remove, with less swelling, pain, downtime, or potential for loose skin than traditional lipo. 

“Fat comes out more easily with VASER—especially in men, where it’s more fibrous,” he says.  “The VASER allows me to sculpt the body, revealing the underlying muscle and bony anatomy. This is an advanced technique that goes way beyond liposuction fat removal only.”

Dr. Marosan also points out another advantage of VASER lipo: While fat that’s liquified by laser lipo isn’t usable, fat broken up by VASER is still viable for transfer to the breasts, butt, or anywhere you want more fullness. 

Related: High-Tech to High-Def—How Popular Tools and Techniques Are Reshaping Liposuction

RealSelf Tip: Some providers offer a treatment called Strawberry laser lipo, which is not actually liposuction: it uses “laser paddles” to deliver low-energy light beneath the skin and disturb fat cells, which shrink when they release water and free fatty acids. Learn more about Strawberry laser lipo.

A lipo procedure should not hurt, thanks to the anesthesia. Liposuction recovery, however, can be painful. Expect to feel sore, especially during the first few days post-op. You’ll be swollen and bruised, and you'll need time to recover before you head back to work.

Talk with your provider about pain medication options, both prescription and over-the-counter, to help keep you comfortable while you heal.

Liposuction recovery takes 1 to 2 weeks, depending on the extent of your procedure. For a minor procedure like chin lipo, you may only need a few days, while a full 360 lipo procedure could come with 2 weeks or more of downtime. 

Here’s what to expect during that time:

• You’ll have some swelling, bruising, and inflammation as well as some numbness and nerve pain. The treated area might also feel firm as a result of swelling. All this should improve within six weeks. 
• Your doctor will prescribe pain medication, though you may find you need only an over-the-counter pain reliever.
• Some people see lumpy areas after the swelling starts to go down. This should improve after a few weeks, but wearing a compression garment can help prevent lumps. 
• Most people can return to all of their regular activities, including exercise, within 3–4 weeks.

Related: What's Normal and What's Not at Every Stage of Liposuction Recovery

Most doctors on RealSelf say that a good compression garment is essential to minimize swelling and bruising, help the skin smoothly adhere to the underlying tissue, and speed up healing. However, some providers don’t think it’s necessary. 

Doctors who recommend compression garments often have patients wear them 24/7 (with a break for showering) for at least two weeks, gradually reducing the number of hours they need to be worn over a period of three or more weeks. As a bonus, doctors say compression helps ease discomfort. 

Some liposuction surgeons recommend lymphatic massage starting at day one and continuing for four weeks post-op to help drain fluid and bring down swelling.

“I don’t suggest self-massage, because you can counteract the surgery,” says Dr. Mesa. “But going to a massage therapist who specializes in post-surgical massage does make the healing process faster and prevent irregularities.”

You should notice an improved body contour immediately, but your initial results will be disguised by swelling. This should improve dramatically within six weeks and continue to go down over the next six months. 

If you think you’ll need more liposuction to get the result you want, wait at least six months for the swelling to subside, then evaluate the situation with your surgeon. Just keep in mind that you’ll continue healing and seeing better results for up to a year.

Related: Plastic Surgeons Say the Best Liposuction Outcomes Have These 4 Things in Common

Some people choose to have liposuction revision—a second procedure—due to irregularities in the results of the original procedure. These might include asymmetry, dimpling, or bumps, to name a few common reasons for revision lipo. 

According to Dr. Mesa,  a revision is often needed when the initial surgeon was inexperienced, but it can also just be the result of the way a person heals. Often these revisions are more difficult than the initial surgery and might not just be a spot liposuction surgery, but a complete redo of the operation, with scar release as well as fat grafting, notes Dr. Marosan.

Related: Liposuction Gone Wrong: 6 Signs of Bad Work and How to Fix Them

Liposuction does permanently remove fat cells. That said, your results will last as long as you maintain a stable weight.

If you gain weight, the remaining fat cells will grow larger, possibly diminishing your results or creating contour irregularities. In cases of significant weight gain, new fat cells can even develop in the treated areas, though the area will still look better than if you didn’t have liposuction.

A healthy diet and regular exercise are key, as soon as you feel well enough to start moving again. As Beverly Hills, California, plastic surgeon Dr. Brent Moelleken notes, “By nature, surgery causes soreness, and patients are usually restricted from full workouts for a period of time after surgery. This explains the weight gains often noticed immediately afterward.” 

It’s important to get back into the habit of regular exercise as soon as you’re able. “Some patients gain a false sense of confidence after liposuction,” Dr. Moelleken says. To maintain and enhance the benefits of liposuction, “patients should plan on being more active and healthier about their eating habits after surgery than they were before.”

Liposuction suctions out unwanted fat cells, while tummy tuck surgery (abdominoplasty) removes excess skin and fat and repairs the muscle separation or fascial laxity. 

These procedures can be very complementary, especially if you don't have good enough skin elasticity for liposuction alone.

Learn more about the difference between a tummy tuck and liposuction.

CoolSculpting destroys small pockets of fat by freezing the fat cells. After one treatment session, patients gradually lose about 25% of the fat cells in the treatment area. It takes about a month to start seeing results, with improvements for up to 20 weeks. At that point, many people opt for a second treatment to get the results they were after. 

Lipo has some distinct advantages over nonsurgical alternatives like this one:

• It’s better for removing large amounts of fat, whereas CoolSculpting can work well for smaller bulges.
• Liposuction results may be seen immediately (and improve as swelling subsides), while CoolSculpting results take months to develop. 

CoolSculpting doesn't come with the same potential risks as lipo surgery, but it still carries risks and side effects. “Lately, we’ve had more reports of paradoxical adipose hyperplasia (PAH) [or fat overgrowth] after Coolsculpting, which requires liposuction to correct,” Dr. Marosan points out.

One other thing to keep in mind if you're considering a nonsurgical option: Dr. Marosan cautions that “patients who undergo nonsurgical fat reduction and then opt for liposuction surgery are more difficult to treat, due to the extensive internal scarring. In my practice, over 50% of my body sculpting patients had previous nonsurgical or surgical fat reduction, with suboptimal or poor results.”

Bellini, Elisa, et al. “A Journey through Liposuction and Liposculture: Review.” Annals of Medicine and Surgery (2012), Elsevier, 6 Nov. 2017.

“Cosmetic (Aesthetic) Surgery National Data Bank Statistics.” The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, 2018.

Cárdenas-Camarena, Lazaro, et al. “Strategies for Reducing Fatal Complications in Liposuction.” PRS Global Open, U.S. National Library of Medicine, 5 Oct. 2017.

“Does Liposuction Get Rid of That Forever? More like a Year, Study Suggests.” ScienceDaily, University of Colorado Denver, 29 May 2011.

Hernandez, Teri L, et al. “Fat Redistribution Following Suction Lipectomy: Defense of Body Fat and Patterns of Restoration.” Obesity (Silver Spring, Md.), U.S. National Library of Medicine, July 2011.

ISAPS INTERNATIONAL SURVEY ON AESTHETIC/COSMETIC PROCEDURES. International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, 2021.