The fat cells that are removed with liposuction are permanently removed. However the fat cells that remain can increase in size if weight gain occurs and this can result in a return of the fat deposit. That is why liposuction is best in those patients who have a stable weight.

Usually not. In fact it is more usual to have areas of numbness because the nerve fibres that supply the skin are inevitably traumatised by the operation and take sometime to recover.

Patients who have stable weight and well defined deposits of fat with excellent skin quality are the best candidates. Patients without these 3 characteristics may still be candidates for liposuction but this would need to individually be assessed by Dr Stradwick. An example would be patients with excess skin and fat. It would be unlikely that excellent results could be achieved with liposuction alone. In such cases Dr Stradwick would usually recommend removal of the excess skin as well in the form of a tummy tuck, arm lift or thigh lift.

Superficial liposuction is a special liposuction technique where the fat immediately beneath the skin is removed. This produces marked skin tightening in addition to fat removal but is only suitable in patients with excellent skin quality and then only in certain locations. When used correctly this is a very powerful shaping tool but when used inappropriately skin irregularities can occur. Make sure your surgeon has appropriate experience with this technique before proceeding.

Liposuction just involves removal of fat whereas liposculpture involves a more global approach to contouring where areas of fat deficiency and excess are treated simultaneously by fat suction and fat grafting.