Liposuction is considered a good option for the following conditions

• Individuals who are physically healthy, psychologically healthy and have realistic expectations from the procedure
• Individuals who seek improvement rather than perfection
• Individuals who have normal weight with firm, elastic skin and pockets of excess fat in certain areas.

• Individuals with medical problems such as diabetes, significant heart or lung disease, poor blood circulation
• Individuals who have recently had surgery near the area to be contoured.

Though complications occur in very rare cases, they may include

• Waving skin because of excess fat removal.
• Fatal Infections
• Embolism occurring when fat is loosened and enters the blood through blood vessels ruptured during liposuction and gathers in the lungs, or travels to the brain causing shortness of breath or difficulty breathing. It may result in permanent disability or fatal consequences.
• Visceral Perforations or puncture wounds in the organs that may be fatal and require surgery to repair them
• Pooling of serum, the straw coloured liquid from the blood, in areas where tissue has been removed.
• Permanent or temporary nerve compression and changes in sensation at the site of the liposuction either in the form of an increased sensitivity in the area, or the loss of any feeling in the area.
• Swelling or oedema persisting for weeks or months after liposuction
• The skin above the liposuction site may become necrotic or die causing the skin to change colour and fall off. They may also become infected with bacteria or microorganisms.
• During ultrasound assisted liposuction, the ultrasound probe may become very hot and cause burns.
• Removal of fat tissue which contains a lot of liquid, and injection of large amounts of fluids during liposuction may result in a fluid imbalance resulting in serious conditions such as heart problems, excess fluid collecting in the lungs, or kidney problems.
• Toxicity from anaesthesia in the tumescent and super-wet techniques

• During the initial consultation, a thorough discussion on the expectations as well as the medical history of the patient is understood
• The doctor does a proper a physical examination to evaluate the overall weight, skin and muscle tone, and the pattern of distribution of fat deposits of the patient.
• Photographs are taken for further comparison after procedure.
• The doctor discusses and advises on options of anaesthesia, surgery, type of facilities and cost with the patient.
• The doctor provides guidelines on eating and drinking, smoking, taking or avoiding certain vitamins and medications
• The patient must arrange for transportation and assistance to leave for home after the surgery.

• The patient is given either a local, regional or general anaesthesia before the surgery. If local anaesthesia is to be given, the patient is given a sedative to relax through an intravenous line after which the local anaesthesia is injected to numb the area.
• A tiny incision is made through which a small tube called a cannula is inserted to vacuum the fat layer deep beneath the skin. 
• The cannula is pushed and soon after pulled through the fat layer thereby breaking the fat cells and suctioning them out, a vacuum pump or a large syringe aiding the suction process. 
• The process is repeated with further incisions, depending upon the extent of area to be treated and finally the incisions are sutured.
• To facilitate faster fat removal the general procedure has been refined through the techniques such as Tumescent liposuction, The super-wet technique and Ultrasound-assisted liposuction.

The procedure takes around 1-2 hours to complete.

The procedure is usually done as an outpatient procedure but if a large volume of fat is to be removed, or if the liposuction is being performed in conjunction with other procedures, an overnight stay may be required.

• The patient will experience some fluid drainage from the incisions.  A small drainage tube may be inserted beneath the skin for a couple of days to prevent fluid build-up.
• The patient may be fitted with a snug elastic garment to wear over the treated area for a few weeks to control swelling and to help the skin better fit its new contours
• Antibiotics are prescribed to prevent infection.
• The patient may have small scars in the areas where the cannulas were inserted, that may gradually fade away.
• The patient may experience some pain, burning, swelling, bleeding and temporary numbness.  Medications are prescribed by the surgeon to control pain
• The patient may continue to feel stiff and sore for a few days.

• The patient must start walking around as soon as possible to reduce swelling and to help prevent blood clots from forming in your legs.
• Bruising and swelling disappears within three weeks though some swelling may remain for six months or more.
• The stitches are removed or dissolve in 7-10 days.
• The patient can return to work in 1-2 weeks.
• The patient must avoid strenuous activity for a month.
• The patient must go for the scheduled follow ups with the surgeon to monitor the progress
• The patient must immediately notify the doctor in case of any abnormal symptoms such as heavy bleeding or a sudden increase in pain
• The patient must continue to wear the compression garment till advised otherwise by the surgeon
• Improvement will become more apparent after about four to six weeks, when most of the swelling has subsided.
• After about three months, any persistent mild swelling disappears and the final contour will be visible.
• By eating a healthy diet and getting regular exercise, the patient can help to maintain the new shape