Aggressive lipo? How many cc's have to be removed from the abdomen to have it considered to be an aggressive treatment?

If you have a nice smooth result with a lot of fat removed, you should really be thanking your surgeon.  I can assure you that I see at least 5 people a week who do not have smooth results and want me to revise a previous surgery.

The hardest thing when teaching liposuction is teaching when enough is enough. I always tell the students :"its not what you take, its what you leave behind". It  is essential to leave a good layer of fat under the skin so that the skin redrapes evenly with a cushion of fat underneath it to support it. To answer your question though we would need to see you in consultation unfortunately 

Patients have become very aware of the dangers of aggressive liposuction:  unfixable irregularities, waviness, and discoloration.
What is aggressive liposuction?  In some patients 2500 is way too much.  In others, it is the perfect amount.
Doctors with a conservative attitude toward liposuction generally have fewer problems.  Also doctors who know when a lift will serve their patient and when not also give their patients more realistic expectations.
Also there are many advances in cannula design, radiofrequency treatments and anesthetic delivery that make liposuction safer and more predictable.

Hello,
Aggressive liposuction is less about total volume (that would be known as 'high volume liposuction'), and more about what was left behind. Without having seen you before and after surgery, and without high quality, non-selfie photos, nothing can be said about your surgery.  I can tell you that if your surgeon was an ABPS certified/ASAPS member surgeon with at least a decade of experience in specializing in body contouring procedures, you can likely trust what he said.  Best of luck!

There is no definition of aggressive liposuction.
In my opinion attempting to remove more than 75% of the fat in the single area is about when I would refer to as aggressive liposuction.
When that much fat is removed there may be some increased blood loss see in mixed with the fat and fluid that comes from the container.
Patients are often substantially more sore for several days after the treatment then when liposuction is done in a more gentle fashion.
Aggressive liposuction it takes about twice as long as gently performed liposuction.
Patient's weight or BMI are irrelevant to some degree, Fat distribution is by far more important when assessing a patient for liposuction. You 
It's a completely subjective term so you will not get a yes or no answer to your question.
In the end all that really matters is what your results are like and that the procedure was done safely.
Best,
Mats Hagstrom M.D.

Aggressive liposuction can mean excessive attempts at fat removal leaving dimples or can simply imply large volume.Stopping at 5000 ccs total volume (fat plus saline solution) is wise and reasonably safe.  Some choose to stop at 4000 cc total volume to avoid post operative fluid shifts, blood loss and risks of fatigue and dizziness.It sounds to me like your doctor made reasonable decisions keeping your safety in mind while being somewhat aggressive but not dangerous for a healthy patient.Enjoy your results and keep in mind that as surgeons we use our best judgment to combine achievement of patient goals with safe outcomes.Best wishes,
Jon A Perlman MD FACS 

Certified, Am Board of Plastic Surgery 

Member, Am. Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS) 

Member, Am. Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS)

Beverly Hills, Ca