How Many Sets of Liposuction Incisions Do You Usually Make?

Over the years the number of  incision sites have decreased  without compromise of results. There is no absolute number of incisions that need to be made - just enough to give the best result which will vary from plastic surgeon to plastic surgeon. Incisions sites for liposuction are typically very small and made in stealth areas - that is hidden as much as possible. For example inside the belly button, umbilicus, to approach the upper and lower abdomen, just at the pubic hair line for the lower tummy and pubis area, in the groin crease for the inside of the thighs (medial thighs), at the gluteal, buttock, crease for the lower back, in the breast crease for the fat beneath your arm (lateral chest wall), in the crease below your chin for liposuction of the neck. I also like to place them at the edge of a tattoo or in an existing scar (for example C-Section or appendectomy, or mole removal scar) so that they are hidden, or use the open area from an additional surgery I may be doing. For example, during a tummy tuck incisions are made to do liposuction in the area of redundant skin to be removed so that there are no extra scars.

The smaller the canula, the smoother the results in liposuction. Small canulas have tiny incisions which are easily hidden and don't leave big scars. Docs who do lipo under local tumescent rather than the old method of traditional lipo under general anesthesia, tend to use the smaller canulas and have many tiny incisions so they can criss-cross the areas from 2-3 directions and really sculpt the areas since the patients are awake, comfortable and can stand up and turn in all positions to fine-tune the great results. We use only a needle to make the tiny holes through which the tiny canulas work. It is very difficult to find the little holes after a month or two. Sincerely,

David Hansen,MD

the number of incisions depends on the area that is being treated and the amount of fat that is being suctioned. it also depends on the surgical techniques of the surgeon