Liposuction
Reduce stubborn, localized fat that does not respond to diet and exercise with a personalized body-contouring plan designed around your anatomy, goals, and skin quality.
When Diet and Exercise Aren’t Enough
Liposuction is offered for patients who have stubborn, localized fat deposits that remain despite healthy eating and regular exercise.
The procedure is designed to remove fat from specific areas of the body and improve contour and proportion rather than serve as a method of overall weight loss.
During consultation, Dr. Slack evaluates the areas you want to improve, your skin quality, and your overall goals to determine whether liposuction is an appropriate option.
What Areas Can Liposuction Target?
Liposuction can be used on multiple areas of the face and body where localized fat deposits are resistant to diet and exercise.
Abdomen
Love Handles
Thighs
Hips
Buttocks
Arms
Neck
Chin
Cheeks
Male Breasts
Back Rolls
Ideal Candidates for Liposuction
A healthy individual may be a good candidate when one or more areas contain fat deposits that are out of proportion with the rest of the body and do not improve with diet and exercise.
The best candidates also tend to have relatively good skin elasticity and minimal excess skin in the treatment area.
Liposuction Removes Fat — Not Skin
Liposuction removes fatty tissue beneath the skin, but it does not remove loose or hanging skin.
If an area has significant excess skin, liposuction alone may not provide the result you want. In those cases, a surgical procedure that removes skin may be more appropriate.
Dr. Slack evaluates this during your physical examination and explains the full range of options available.
Localized subcutaneous fat deposits can be reduced and contoured with liposuction.
Liposuction does not remove excess skin. Surgical skin removal may be necessary when laxity is significant.
Can Liposuction Be Combined With Other Procedures?
Liposuction may be incorporated into other surgical plans when additional contouring can improve the overall result.
Facelift
Liposuction may be used selectively to improve contour in areas such as the neck or beneath the chin.
Learn More →Tummy Tuck
Liposuction and abdominoplasty may be combined or staged depending on the area being treated and surgical plan.
Learn More →Breast Reduction
Liposuction may help refine fatty tissue along the breast or lateral chest when appropriate.
Learn More →How to Prepare for Liposuction
Dr. Slack and his staff provide complete preoperative instructions based on your health, treatment area, and surgical plan.
Smoking can negatively affect healing after surgery, so patients who smoke should discuss cessation with Dr. Slack well before the procedure.
How Is Liposuction Performed?
The technique is straightforward in concept: small incisions allow a thin cannula to remove unwanted fat and reshape the treatment area.
Anesthesia
General anesthesia or local anesthesia with sedation may be used depending on the extent of treatment.
Small Incision
A small incision is placed in an unobtrusive location whenever possible.
Cannula Placement
A thin hollow cannula is inserted beneath the skin into the fatty tissue.
Fat Removal
Fat is removed through the cannula using suction and collected through a connected tube.
Treating Larger or Circumferential Areas
When larger areas are treated, multiple small incisions may be used so the fat can be removed evenly and safely.
In selected areas, liposuction may be performed circumferentially, allowing Dr. Slack to thin and contour an entire region rather than treating only one side.
The incisions may leave small scars, but these generally fade with time and often become barely visible.
Contour, Not Simply Volume Removal
The objective is not simply to remove as much fat as possible. The treatment area must be shaped carefully so it blends naturally with the surrounding body.
What to Expect After Liposuction
Soreness and swelling are normal during the first several days after treatment.
The visible result becomes clearer as swelling subsides and continues to improve over the following weeks and months.
Return Home
Most patients can go home the same day as the procedure.
Rest & Early Healing
Rest and avoid strenuous activity while soreness and swelling begin to improve.
Compression
A compression garment may be recommended temporarily to support the treated area.
Continued Improvement
As swelling resolves, the final contour becomes progressively more apparent.
Will I Need a Drain?
Most liposuction procedures do not require extensive postoperative drainage.
In some larger cases, however, one or more small incisions may be temporarily left open with a drain to allow fluid and residual fat to leave the treatment area.
Dr. Slack will explain whether this is likely to be necessary based on the extent of your procedure.
The number of treatment areas, amount of fat removed, anesthesia, and your overall health all influence recovery.
Are Liposuction Results Permanent?
The fat cells removed during liposuction are permanently removed from the treated area.
The overall contour can still change over time, however, because remaining fat cells can enlarge and the body continues to change with age, pregnancy, lifestyle, and weight fluctuation.
Maintaining a stable weight and healthy lifestyle helps preserve the result.
What Are the Risks of Liposuction?
Complications are relatively uncommon, but every surgical procedure carries potential risks that Dr. Slack discusses with patients before surgery.
Hematoma
Blood can accumulate beneath the skin.
Infection
Infection is a possible complication of any surgery.
Sensation Changes
Temporary or persistent changes in sensation can occur.
Scarring
Small scars remain where the cannula incisions are placed.
Allergic Reaction
Reactions to medications or materials used during surgery are possible.
Liposuction Frequently Asked Questions
Answers to common questions about treatment areas, recovery, skin laxity, results, and safety.
Is liposuction a weight-loss procedure?
No. Liposuction is intended to reduce localized fat deposits and improve body contour. It is not a treatment for obesity or a substitute for weight management.
What areas can be treated with liposuction?
Common treatment areas include the abdomen, flanks, hips, thighs, arms, back, neck, and beneath the chin. The appropriate areas depend on your anatomy, health, and goals.
Does liposuction tighten loose skin?
Liposuction removes fat but does not remove excess skin. Patients with significant skin laxity may benefit more from a skin-removal procedure or a combined treatment plan.
How long does it take to recover from liposuction?
Recovery depends on the number and size of treatment areas, the amount of fat removed, and your overall health. Soreness and swelling are common early on, and contour improvements become clearer over weeks to months.
Will I need to wear a compression garment?
A compression garment may be recommended for a period after surgery to support the treated area and help manage swelling. Dr. Slack will provide instructions specific to your procedure.
Are liposuction results permanent?
The fat cells removed during liposuction are permanently removed. However, remaining fat cells can enlarge with weight gain, and aging or other body changes may alter your contour over time.
Will liposuction leave scars?
Liposuction requires small incisions, so small scars are expected. These generally become less noticeable with time, although scars cannot be eliminated completely.
Can liposuction be combined with other surgery?
Sometimes. Liposuction may be combined with or staged around procedures such as a tummy tuck, facelift, or breast surgery when appropriate. Dr. Slack will discuss the safest approach for your treatment plan.
What are the risks of liposuction?
Risks include bleeding or hematoma, infection, changes in sensation, scarring, contour irregularities, fluid-related complications, and anesthesia-related risks. Your individual risks and options should be reviewed during consultation.
Find Out Whether Liposuction Is Right for You
Your consultation with Dr. Slack is the opportunity to discuss the areas that concern you, what you hope to achieve, and whether liposuction is the right treatment for your anatomy.
He will also explain alternatives when loose skin, skin elasticity, or other factors make a different procedure more appropriate.
Ready to Discuss Your Body-Contouring Goals?
Meet personally with Dr. Slack in Allen, Texas to determine whether liposuction or another body-contouring procedure may be appropriate for you.
Allen, Texas · Serving Plano, McKinney, Frisco & North Dallas