The perfect body seems to be the holy grail of the 21st century. Statistics produced by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons liposuction was the third most popular surgical cosmetic procedure in 2006. What are the specifics of this popular procedure and what makes it so popular?

Many people seek to alter their appearance by removing some of the fat from their bodies. The presence of heavy deposits of fat in the midsection and thighs is very unappealing and for some hard to get rid of even with the best exercise and nutrition plan. Surprisingly the right candidate for liposuction is not someone significantly overweight or obese but someone who is relatively normal in body size and have deposits of fat in only certain areas. People with medical conditions like diabetes and heart disease are not generally not good candidates for liposuction mainly due to the risks involved in undergoing any surgery.

Liposuction is a great surgical procedure for removing deposits of fat in areas all over the body. These include the abs, the hips, the buttocks, thighs, arms, chin, and neck. Different techniques of liposuction can be used to treat specific areas of the body. In certain cases, the procedure can be performed at the surgeon's office facility , but it can also be performed in hospitals and special outpatient centers. When the liposuction procedure is small it is usually an outpatient procedure. For larger size procedures, an overnight stay in a hospital bed may be required. The procedure is generally performed under local anesthesia, numbing the area that the surgery is focusing on. For larger liposuction procedures, general anesthesia may be used to sedate the patient. This is an area that requires a lot of questions on your part since general anesthesia has been associated with a small amount of liposuction deaths.

The Liposuction Procedure Itself

The procedure itself generally begins with a small incision being made on the area where the liposuction is being performed. A tube is inserted into the incision and a vacuum-like machine works to suck the fat from the appropriate layer. This is the basic method by which liposuction has been performed for years. This basic form dates back to about 1974 so of course there have been innovations to help both the physician and the patient.

Fluid Injection: Injection of a type of fluid that works as an anesthetic and helps to contract blood vessels. This helps the fat to break away more easily and reduces the amount of blood loss during the surgery.

Ultrasound-Assisted Lipoplasty: Use of ultra-sonic energy to liquefy the fat present in the area, allowing it to be much easier to remove.

Recovery can take anywhere from 4 to 6 weeks before you can see the final results. You will have to where tight clothes and possible a compression garment for a given period of time.

Liposuction will most likely continue to be one of the top five surgical cosmetic procedures. An aging population and an unfortunate obesity problem in the United States almost guarantee it.