Medical Health Encyclopedia

Liposuction

Indications:

The following are some of the uses for liposuction:

• Cosmetic reasons are the most common, including "love handles", unsightly fat bulges, or an abnormal chin line.
• To improve sexual function by reducing abnormally placed fat deposits on the inner thighs, thus allowing easier access to the vagina.
• Body shaping for people who are bothered by fatty bulges or irregularities that cannot be eliminated by diet and/or exercise.

However, liposuction is generally NOT appropriate for these uses:

• Liposuction is not a substitute for exercise and diet, and it is not a cure for generalized obesity. However, it may be used in sequenced removal of fat from isolated areas at different points in time.
• It is not an effective treatment for cellulite (the uneven, dimpled appearance of skin over hips, thighs and buttocks).
• Certain areas should not have liposuction performed on them, such as the fat on the sides of the breasts. This is due to the fact that the breast is a common site for cancer.

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Many alternatives to liposuction may be considered, including abdominoplasty (tummy tuck), excision of lipomas (fatty tumor), reduction mammaplasty (breast size reduction), or a combination of plastic surgery approaches.

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