Liposuction, also known as lipoplasty, refers to cosmetic surgery procedures in which the body is re-contoured by removing fat stored directly under the skin (of which there is a higher percentage in women than in men). It is often included as a type of surgery for weight loss, but is mainly indicated for cosmetic and body-shaping purposes.
The individual’s body is first injected with a wetting solution, which softens tissues and enables greater quantities of fat and tissue to be removed. Fat is then aspirated from the body through a needle before the incisions are closed. Liposuction can only remove deposits of fat from under the skin and cannot remove fat build-up in arteries or organs. Examples include liposuction of excess fat from the abdomen (tummy) or thighs.
For more information, see Plastic Surgery: An Introduction and Weight Loss.
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