Led by Dr. Eric Payne, our board-certified and fellowship-trained plastic surgeon, the team at Texas Liposuction Specialty Clinic is one of the leading liposuction providers in the country. Liposuction is a safe and proven procedure designed to slim areas of excess fat around the face and body. It can contour and shape specific regions — such as the abdomen, upper arms, and hips, among other areas of localized fat — by reducing fat and improving your body proportions.
Through continuous hard work, ongoing training, and dedicated focus, our physicians have become super-specialists in body sculpting and body contouring. We specialize in the latest, cutting-edge liposuction techniques, offering patients the most sophisticated, technologically advanced, and minimally invasive liposuction procedures available in the world. At our Houston office, the Texas Liposuction Specialty Clinic provides a multitude of different liposuction technologies under one roof.
What is Liposuction?
Liposuction is a state-of-the-art cosmetic procedure that has allowed many patients to obtain their desired body contour by removing deposits of excess fat. This is accomplished by meticulously suctioning out fat cells with a thin, narrow surgical instrument called a cannula. As a result, men and women are able to sculpt stubborn regions and smooth exercise-resistant bulges of fat. At our specialty liposuction clinic, we handpick the technologies on a patient-by-patient basis, according to the specific needs of each situation. We also choose among the various liposuction and body contouring tools that enable us to achieve different plastic surgery goals.
By customizing liposuction surgery to each patient’s needs, we’re able to offer a truly tailored experience and optimize the final results to enhance your natural beauty.
What are the Benefits of Liposuction?
Liposuction techniques may be used to reduce localized fat deposits on the thighs, hips and buttocks, abdomen and waist, arms, back, and neck, among other areas. The procedure can be performed on both men and women and is considered less invasive when compared to other plastic surgeries. The potential benefits of liposuction include:
- Up to 80 percent of fat removal in a given area
- Relatively brief and smooth recovery period for good surgical candidates
- Long-lasting and near immediate results
- Ability to treat virtually any region of the body
Liposuction can either be performed alone or in conjunction with other plastic surgery procedures, such as breast reduction, facelift surgery, or a tummy tuck. In addition, liposuction is frequently performed as part of a Mommy Makeover for women who would like to shed exercise-resistant fat after having children.
Is Liposuction Right for Me?
Liposuction does not treat obesity, and patients who are good candidates for surgery will want to reach a reasonable weight before undergoing this procedure. This is purely a body sculpting surgery designed to reshape areas of the body for those who have reached a healthy weight; therefore, the procedure is not an effective method of weight loss. Liposuction also isn’t a substitute for exercise, so we recommend that patients live a healthy lifestyle and exercise to preserve their best results from the procedure. If you’re healthy and simply struggle to reduce stubborn pockets of fat, liposuction can help you achieve the toned look you are working towards.
Liposuction vs. Tummy Tuck
Liposuction and tummy tuck surgery can both vastly improve definition in the abdomen, allowing patients to regain a slimmer, smoother, or more contoured look in the midsection. As two of the most popular body contouring surgeries available, these procedures can often be conflated with one another despite the fact that each treatment achieves very distinctive results. Liposuction is solely designed to remove excess fat cells from localized areas of fat buildup around the body. Given the incisions utilized during liposuction are very small and the procedure does not remove excess skin, the best candidates for liposuction usually have little to no skin laxity in the areas of treatment. However, treatment with Renuvion® “J-Plasma” skin tightening — a minimally invasive procedure — can now be combined with liposuction to help improve skin laxity to some extent in patients with minimal excess skin.
On the other hand, a tummy tuck — known as “abdominoplasty” — can be highly effective in removing loose, hanging skin on the abdomen. In this way, a tummy tuck resculpts the abdominal area by smoothing the region, restoring tone, and generally improving your body contours. The procedure can also remove fat from the belly if necessary. While combining procedures is not uncommon, our liposuction specialists can help you determine the best surgical plan for your needs following a personal consultation.
What Areas of the Body Can Be Treated with Liposuction?
Liposuction is very versatile and can treat virtually any region of the body affected by isolated fat. The abdomen, hips, and a “double chin” are among the most common treatment areas, but liposuction can also address:
Types of Liposuction Surgery
Smart Lipo
Smart Lipo is a laser-assisted form of liposuction designed to improve the fat reduction process by melting fat cells prior to removal. This breaks down the targeted fat and makes it easier to remove, improving discomfort and bruising after surgery. On top of offering a more efficient process of fat removal, Smart Lipo also provides skin tightening benefits to help you achieve a smooth, tight contour.
Lipo 360
Lipo 360 refers to liposuction of the entire midsection, including the back and obliques. This technique contours the front and back of the torso circumferentially, helping ensure even and symmetrical enhancement. Lipo 360 can not only provide you with a slimmer torso, but it can also give you the highly sought-after “hourglass” shape to your figure.
High-Definition Liposuction
High-definition liposuction, often shortened to “HD liposuction” or “Hi-Def liposuction,” is designed to remove fat while providing greater definition to the muscles and natural contours of the body. With Hi-Def liposuction, fat can be removed from beneath the muscles to more effectively sculpt the areas you’d like to improve. Plus, HD liposuction includes a skin tightening component using state-of-the-art VASER technology, which uses Vibration Amplification of Sound Energy at Resonance to achieve skin tightening simultaneous to fat removal.
Male Liposuction
Enjoying a smoother, sleeker, and more defined look is not an ideal exclusive to women. Men with stubborn pockets of fat in the upper arms, abdomen, mid-back, waistline, or chest can achieve their goals with liposuction, which is personalized to accentuate the masculine contours of the body. Male liposuction can be an excellent way to gain a more defined, sculpted, and athletic physique.
Liposuction Revision
When the results you received from another plastic surgeon aren’t exactly what you envisioned, it can be disappointing to say the least. Liposuction revision is a secondary procedure that can improve upon your initial results by reshaping the area and correcting asymmetries, as well as contour irregularities. If you’re dissatisfied with the initial outcome of your liposuction, Dr. Payne can speak with you about developing a treatment plan to address your concerns and ultimately enhance your confidence.
Liposuction by Body Area
Unlike other cosmetic surgeries, liposuction can be performed on virtually any region of the body. If you’re considering liposuction, but you’re unsure of how body sculpting will affect a given area, select a region and discover what you can expect with fat removal to the abdomen, arms, thighs, buttocks, or the wide range of other potential treatment areas.
FUPA
FUPA liposuction is performed to slim and shape the area between the navel (belly button) and the pubis. Fat accumulation in this region is very common and casually referred to as a “FUPA” — Fatty Upper Pubic Area. Unfortunately, the FUPA can be resistant to toning efforts, as well as dieting and exercise. For this reason, liposuction is seen as a highly effective and predictable method to improve your abdominal profile and ensure a slimmer, smoother, and more attractive contour.
Awake Liposuction
Awake liposuction can be a very simple and effective procedure for individuals who have a less invasive treatment plan. This technique can be ideal for patients who are nervous about “going under” anesthesia during surgery. Rather than using general anesthesia, which is usually only necessary when treating large regions, awake liposuction injects a local anesthetic (tumescent solution) into the planned treatment areas through tiny incisions. This causes the blood vessels to constrict, reducing blood loss and making it easier to dislodge fat during surgery. Awake liposuction is considered a safe, low-risk method of removing excess fat without the disorienting aftereffects of anesthesia.
How is the Liposuction Procedure Performed?
The surgery is performed under general anesthesia and Dr. Payne will perform liposuction using small incisions in the area(s) of concern with a suction cannula. Liposuction breaks down and removes the fat from the treated areas. During this process, Dr. Payne will use his artistic talents as a cosmetic surgeon to contour your body into the sleek silhouette you desire. Your improved body contour will be apparent once the swelling and bruising subsides.
What Can I Expect During the Liposuction Recovery Period?
You will be in compression garments and can expect swelling for the first couple of weeks after surgery. Recovery time is about 2-3 weeks, but most patients will see full results within 2-3 months.
How Long Will Liposuction Results Last?
The fat cells removed during liposuction are gone for a lifetime; therefore, patients can expect their body contours to remain stable as long as they maintain a healthy weight. Unfortunately, factors like weight gain, pregnancy, bariatric surgery, or major weight loss can reduce the integrity of liposuction results. A few tips to help prolong the outcome of liposuction include:
- Undergoing surgery only after there are no future plans for pregnancy or significant weight loss
- Living a healthy lifestyle to help circumvent weight gain
- Not smoking to minimize skin inelasticity
While the removed fat cells will never “regrow” or regenerate, additional weight can still cause your remaining fat cells to enlarge or shrink. Therefore, excess fat can still be redistributed to other parts of the body. Committing to an active lifestyle is the most effective way to maximize the outcome of liposuction and help preserve your newer, slimmer contours.
Will I Have Noticeable Liposuction Scars?
Liposuction usually requires incisions that are no more than one quarter-inch long, so the procedure produces very minimal noticeable scarring (if any) when compared to other body contouring procedures. In addition, our experienced liposuction specialists make sure to camouflage incisions within natural lines and folds of the body whenever possible — this can further minimize the visibility of liposuction scars. Rest assured that our team will show you where your incisions will be placed after confirming the details of your treatment plan, giving you realistic expectations of how your scars are likely to appear. Our before-and-after photos of the beautiful results achieved with liposuction can also help provide a better understanding of the potential outcomes. Wearing sun protection once your incisions are fully healed and use of high-quality skin brightening or scar lightening creams can also help residual evidence of surgery fade over time.
How Much Does Liposuction Cost?
Every person is different, so price varies based on what area is being treated and how much fat is to be removed. Typically, the surgery will cost around $4,000 to $8,000, which includes anesthesia and other fees. The quality of the surgeon is also a factor in cost, and selecting a board-certified plastic surgeon is always the best option.
Will Liposuction Remove Cellulite?
Unfortunately, liposuction isn’t the “cure” for cellulite. Even though liposuction does not treat cellulite, it can decrease fat in your areas of concern and therefore help smooth areas that are prone to cellulite.
Additional Liposuction FAQs
How much weight can you lose with liposuction?
Liposuction is not a weight loss procedure. The procedure is targeted more towards body sculpting and reshaping areas affected by excess fat buildup, so the actual amount of weight lost during liposuction is not prioritized. Traditionally, many plastic surgeons adhered to a limit of only removing 5 liters of fat maximum (approximately 11 pounds) per procedure. The American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) more recently suggested that doctors should make this determination based on an individual’s unique needs and the details of their personal surgical plan. In any case, liposuction is not designed to treat obesity or any weight-related health conditions.
What's the difference between internal fat and external fat?
Internal fat is often referred to as “visceral fat” or “hidden fat,” as it’s located between the abdominal organs and cannot be removed using liposuction. This internal fat can only be reduced through dieting, exercise, and living a healthy lifestyle. On the other hand, external “surface” fat — known as “subcutaneous fatty tissue” — typically accumulates in isolated body areas and may be resistant to dieting and exercise. This type of fat can certainly be slimmed with liposuction techniques.
Does liposuction for men and women differ?
Each patient receives personalized liposuction techniques according to their goals and anatomical needs; therefore the best liposuction procedure for every person is determined on a case-by-case basis, regardless of their gender. That said, there are certain anatomical distinctions and beauty ideals that differ between men and women, which may influence your procedure. For example, a female patient may want to slim her waistline while accentuating her curves, while a male liposuction patient may desire more sharp, flat, and masculine contours. Obtaining a natural-looking result is ultimately the goal of any cosmetic surgery, and our physicians will walk you through the best approach during your consultation.
Contact Texas Liposuction Specialty Clinic in Houston today to schedule a consultation for your liposuction with Dr. Payne.