Home » Beauty » Cosmetic Treatments » Liposuction In a relatively short time, liposuction has come from nowhere to be one of the most popular forms of cosmetic surgery! But is it right for you? Yes, if deposits of fat (like thigh saddlebags) won't shift no matter how much you exercise or diet. But no, if you think it will be a quick-fix way to remove fat that you can't be bothered to try to control yourself.

You should also consider the condition of your skin when thinking about liposuction. It will be most successful on someone with young, elastic skin that can shrink back after the fat has been removed older skin could be left looking baggy and in this case, smaller amounts of fat are removed.

There is considerable debate over whether it is advisable to remove large numbers of fat cells from the body and many surgeons prefer small, localised removal to deal with specific problems.

However, there is always pressure from patients who are looking for the fastest, easiest way to remove as much fat as possible. A reputable surgeon will only remove as much as is safe and effective.

We are born with a set number of fat tissue cells, the number and distribution depending on our ancestors. Liposuction removes some of these cells and they won't grow back. The most successful liposuction removes the fat cells from localised areas rather than large areas. This is done so, for instance, to correct an unsightly bulge. However, that doesn't mean you won't get fatter after liposuction. If you put on weight afterwards, you will enlarge the fat cells you are left with. The result will be an increase in weight. But one benefit is that you won't have an unsightly bulge again – the size increase will be more even.

It is best to have the surgery with your body in as good a condition as possible - which means losing as much weight as you can naturally, and cutting out unhealthy pursuits like smoking. The surgeon inserts a tube into the body and literally sucks out the fat from areas such as the outer thighs, inner knees, waist, breasts and under the chin. If large areas of fat are being treated, you will have a general anaesthetic and will feel uncomfortably sore afterwards. Soreness will last for up to a week and more general soreness will persist for around two weeks after this. You may have to wear pressure garments as this helps skin to contract but you could still see a certain amount of swelling due to the operation itself for some months.