Also called liposuction or liposculpture, it is the procedure of cosmetic surgery to remove fatty tissue from areas where it is in excess, thus shaping the body. It is not a weight loss method, although it does cause weight loss. By liposuction, fat cells are extracted from an area of the body and, because these cells cannot recover, the excess fat is no longer deposited in that area as long as a constant weight is maintained.

A person who is overeating will gain weight by depositing fat mainly in other areas. The best results are obtained in people with normal weight who have excess fat in some areas of the body. Good results are also obtained in people with a slight excess weight who, combining an adequate diet with exercise, can do one or more serial liposuction, obtaining in addition to an improvement in body shape and a lower body weight.

Aesthetic surgery begins by injecting a solution into the aspiration area that allows fat cells to be aspirated and reduces bleeding (in addition, it has an anesthetic role in low-volume liposuction that is not performed under general anesthesia). Then make small incisions (less than 1 cm, usually 2-3 for each area and as hidden as possible) through which special cannulas (metal tubes) are inserted into the fat with which the fat is sucked. Fat can be extracted from any area, but the best results are obtained in the abdomen and waist, thighs and knees, breasts (and in men with gynecomastia). The volume of fat that can be removed during an operation can reach a few liters (even 5-6 liters, with a weight loss of up to 7-10 kg). The duration of a liposuction is 1-4 hours.

After liposuction, it is mandatory to wear an elastic corset (belly, vest, panties, pants), compressive, for 1 to 3 weeks, including at night. They help to restore the skin to the new contour and to deflate the aspirated area. Postoperatively, the aspirated area is swollen, with bruises (bruises), the skin is numb and pains are present (similar to those of an accentuated muscle fever). The postoperative result is obtained about 75% after 1 month, and the final result is 3 months postoperatively.

Complications are rare: hemorrhage or hematoma (may require surgery to resolve), serum formation (it is easy to remove, the corset is worn preventively), infection and skin necrosis ("death" of the skin) occur extremely rarely. Poor healing of scars rarely occurs, only in people who have this tendency; small irregularities under the skin, palpable but not visible, disappear in a few months with the help of massage; "Folds" of the skin may occur in people with poor quality skin or who remove a lot of fat - will require surgical excision; asymmetries or contour irregularities in patients in whom a lot of fat is removed (requires a reintervention in local anesthesia for correction). Liposuction does not correct cellulite (it can cause a slight relief) and can accentuate stretch marks.