Liposuction has evolved over 40 years to become one of the most popular plastic surgery trends today. The humble idea of removing subcutaneous fat with a blunt cannula attached to a suction generating device has seen many refinements over the years. The procedure has seen tremendous success in patients who strive to maintain body weight through a good diet, exercise, and a healthy lifestyle.

Liposuction is one of the most researched procedures. New techniques are emerging for this procedure, but with very little evidence about safety and efficacy. Some of the most common techniques in these popular plastic surgery trends are:

Ultrasound Assisted Liposuction (UAL)
UAL and its current variant VASER have shown benefits in treating fibrotic areas. It limits blood loss. However, larger incisions are required and it involves a longer learning curve. There are concerns about burns with the UAL technique. The cost involved is high.

Tumescent Liposuction
This technique involves injecting the medicated solution into the areas before the fat is removed. The solution used may be more than three times the amount of fat removed. The solution is generally a mixture of local anesthetic (lidocaine), a drug that contracts the blood vessels (epinephrine), and an intravenous (IV) salt solution. This technique involves a longer operative time.

“Super-wet” Liposuction
This technique is similar to tumescent liposuction but the solution used for injecting into the areas subject to fat removal is just about the same quantity as the fat removed. However, general anesthesia may be required for sedation. This technique takes lesser operative time.

Laser-Assisted Liposuction
This technique liquefies fat cells using laser energy. The liquefied fat is vacuumed out or drained out using a tube. The main advantage of the LAL technique is that the skin does not sag after the procedure.

Radio Frequency Assisted Liposuction
This is a more recent technique that is emerging as a promising plastic surgery. The advantage of this technique is that it produces controlled thermal injury at the subdermal surface to enhance coetaneous contraction as it heals. This technique is used in the combination of suction-assisted liposuction.

Body Parts That Could be Subjected to Liposuction
The following parts of the body are subjected to popular plastic surgery trends like liposuction:

• Stomach
  The bulge around the upper and lower abdomen can be frustrating and maybe a cause for embarrassment especially when one wants to wear tight-fitting clothes. High waist circumference is a risk factor of many diseases too. It could take a lot of time, diet changes and exercise to reduce abdominal fat. Hence, most people desire to remove fat from the stomach with the help of liposuction.
• Hips
  Fat around the hips is very tough to get rid of even with a very strict diet and exercise regimen. When jeans or body fitting clothes are worn, this area bulges out awfully. Hence, the hip is also an apt area for liposuction.
• Breasts
  Oversized and heavy breasts may cause discomfort, especially for athletes and active people. Heavy breasts may also cause neck and back pain. Sometimes they attract skin infections too. Some men have fat in the chest area, which could be due to hormone imbalances or certain medications. Liposuction can get rid of the fat, which causes heavy breasts.
• Buttocks
  Some people may not desire heavy buttocks. Liposuction of the buttocks can remove excess fat while maintaining the shape.
• Arms
  Excess fat from the arms and armpits can be removed with liposuction.
• Neck
  Liposuction can aid in removing double chin and tone the jawline.
• Thighs
  Thighs can store a lot of fat, which can make people uncomfortable in certain clothes. Liposuction may help to get rid of the excess fat in both the inner and the outer thigh.
• Back
  Back fat or “bra fat” can be extremely ugly in attire like a bikini. Liposuction can help remove this fat and make people more confident.