If You’re Considering Liposuction, Here Are 5 Facts You Should Know

It’s easy to get discouraged when you exercise and eat sensibly and yet still have stubborn fat pockets and skin rolls that just won’t go away. Especially now that it’s bathing suit season, you want to look fit, trim and toned more than ever. For my patients who feel the same way, I recommend liposuction, a highly satisfying, long-lasting technique to reduce even the most resistant fat deposits. The results? The curvy, tightened, confidence-building body you’ve been wanting, maybe for a long time.

In addition to liposuction, I also offer a wide range of other body sculpting procedures to help you achieve a more shapely body, which you can learn about here.

5 facts about liposuction

1. Liposuction is not a treatment for obesity

Though liposuction involves the extraction of fat, it is not meant for people who are obese. The best candidates for this procedure are those who are already within 30% of their ideal body weight. People should choose liposuction only after they have tried other means of losing weight, particularly diet and exercise.

2. Liposuction can lead to improved health

Many plastic surgeons, myself included, have seen their patients’ health improve dramatically after undergoing liposuction. Because they have a newfound confidence and self-esteem, liposuction patients tend to work even harder to maintain their “new” bodies and even improve upon the results.

3. Liposuction can be safe, no matter your age

Liposuction is typically not recommended for children (the youngest person to have the procedure has been a 12-year-old girl). The oldest person reported to have liposuction was 87, indicating that it’s never too late to take steps to get the body you’ve always wanted.

4. Liposuction technologies are advancing every day

Liposuction continues to be at the forefront of significant advancements in medical technology. Due to recent innovations, liposuction is now cheaper and less invasive than in the past. This means recovery time is faster and results are more natural-looking.

5. The most popular areas of the body for liposuction according to gender

The target areas for liposuction that women tend to focus on are: the abdomen, breasts, hips, outer thighs, back of the thighs, inner thighs, arms, buttocks, cheeks and neck. Men typically want to improve the appearance of their “love handles,” chest, chin, neck area and abdomen.

Choose from these 3 options

1. Tumescent (traditional) liposuction

With this technique, a small, hollow tube (cannula) is inserted through one or more tiny incisions near the area of fat to be suctioned. Fat is then suctioned out through this tube as a plastic surgeon moves it around under the skin to target specific fat deposits, vacuuming away the unwanted fat.

2. Laser-assisted liposuction (SmartLipo)

Using laser technology, SmartLipo uses a thin laser fiber to liquefy fat by producing a burst of energy as the laser enters the fatty tissue. Laser-assisted liposuction also stimulates collagen production in the skin, which may offer additional skin-tightening benefits.

3. Ultrasound-assisted liposuction

This technique uses ultrasound to liquefy the fat, which makes it easier to extract. This technique may be particularly helpful in reducing fat from the upper abdomen, sides and back.

Learn more about liposuction in this short video

To find out more about liposuction, watch my short video by clicking on the image below.

I often perform liposuction along with other plastic surgery procedures

Liposuction can successfully be combined with other body sculpting procedures such as a facelift, breast augmentation, tummy tuck or lower body lift to achieve a more balanced, in-proportion physique. If you're interested in decreasing fat throughout your entire body and trimming and tightening several areas, this will likely take multiple procedures.

What liposuction won’t do

Liposuction is not a treatment for obesity or a substitute for proper diet and exercise.
It is also not an effective treatment for cellulite—the dimpled skin that often appears on the thighs, hips and buttocks—or loose saggy skin.
Liposuction will not prevent you from gaining weight. To keep your new shape and new weight after liposuction, you must follow a proper diet and exercise plan.

When I am asked if liposuction is safe, my answer is yes

In over 20 years of performing liposuction in my plastic surgery practice, I have encountered very few complications in my patients as a result. In fact, what I have observed in both men and women who have had this procedure is that it has been a wonderful turning point in their lives, boosting their self-esteem and enabling them to feel confident about their bodies, sometimes for the first time.

I perform liposuction at the Surgical Specialty Center of Westchester

For almost every plastic surgery procedure I perform, including liposuction, I use the Surgical Specialty Center of Westchester. Located in Harrison, NY, the Surgical Specialty Center has four operating rooms and an 11-bed recovery room. Each operating room is fully equipped with state-of-the-art anesthesia (provided by a board-certified anesthesiologist), emergency equipment and everything else I and my surgical team need to provide the highest standard of care to each one of our patients. To learn more, watch this short video by clicking here or on the image below.

How much does liposuction cost?

Because everyone’s body is unique and the amount and location of fat to be removed with liposuction varies from person to person, the exact cost of this procedure is determined after I have met with the patient and together, we have decided how many areas of the body are good candidates for liposuction in order to achieve the best possible results.

Insurance coverage

Insurance companies consider liposuction to be elective cosmetic surgery and therefore is usually not covered by insurance, meaning that patients pay the entire cost themselves.

See the beautiful results for yourself

To see unretouched “before and after” photos of actual patients of mine who have had successful liposuction surgery, please visit the liposuction page in the Photo Gallery section of my website.

Considering liposuction?

If you are thinking about having liposuction, please contact me for a free consultation where you’ll hear about all your options and have the opportunity to ask as many as questions as you like. I have performed hundreds of liposuction procedures and am highly experienced in this specialized type of plastic surgery. Deciding to have liposuction is an important decision and I am dedicated to helping you achieve the beautiful body you’ve always wanted.

For more facts about liposuction, read these 3 blogs

So you can be fully informed before you decide to have liposuction, I’ve written several blogs explaining the procedure and its benefits. Here are the three most popular ones:

Learn more about the many body contouring procedures I offer

There are several body procedures available to you in my plastic surgery practice. To learn more, please visit these pages on my website:

Board certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery (ABPS), a member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) and the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS), and a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons (FACS), Samuel J. Beran, MD is a highly accomplished plastic surgeon with offices in Manhattan, Harrison and Mount Kisco, NY. With more than 20 years’ experience and a thorough command of the most advanced techniques and technologies, Dr. Beran consistently provides his patients with the highest level of plastic, cosmetic and reconstructive surgery of the breast, face, skin and body. Recently, Dr. Beran was named a “Top Doctor” by RealSelf for his dedication to responding to consumer questions and patient feedback. The “Top Doctor” designation is awarded to less than 10% of the RealSelf physician community.

Harrison & Valhalla: (914) 761-7070