Stay connected with Atlanta’s top Dermatologists and Plastic Surgeons with exclusive offers, promotions, and updates about special events through our text alerts.

Home » Plastic Surgery » Body » Liposuction

Lovely little liposuction.

Fat finds its way into all sorts of body parts, resulting in everything from love handles to double chins. Fortunately for you, we are expert at liposuction, which can get rid of your unwanted and stubborn fat once and for all.

Liposuction is a popular cosmetic surgery procedure for both men and women. It is not a method of weight loss; it is a body contouring procedure designed to remove stubborn pockets of subcutaneous fat that are resistant to diet and exercise. Subcutaneous fat lies just under the skin; it acts as a buffer to support the skin and is an energy storage material. Only the subcutaneous fat is removed by the procedure.

Visceral fat is the fat that is packed around the organs. Visceral fat is not accessible by liposuction and can only be reduced by diet and exercise or after bariatric weight loss surgery. Visceral fat is highly associated with diabetes, hypertension, and cancer.


Areas Treated by Liposuction

Some of the most common areas to receive the treatment are:

  • Chest
  • Cheeks and chin
  • Arms, neck, and back
  • Abdomen and waist
  • Thighs, hips, and buttocks
  • Inner knee
  • Calves and ankles

Liposuction Candidates

Candidates for liposuction:

  • Are in good health,
  • Have tried diet and exercise,
  • Have distinct areas of localized fat,
  • Have realistic expectations, and
  • Realize that liposuction is not a treatment for obesity.

About the Procedure

Liposuction surgery takes anywhere between one to four hours, depending upon the extent of the surgery. It is performed under general anesthesia, local anesthetic, or IV sedation. During the surgery, a series of small incisions are made. A thin tube, or cannula, is inserted through these incisions. The cannula is attached to a syringe or surgical vacuum to dislodge and suction any excess fat.

  • Tumescent (traditional) liposuction: a common technique that involves injecting a tumescent solution to allow for more precise fat removal and minimize bruising and discomfort.
  • Ultrasound-assisted liposuction: uses ultrasound energy to liquefy the excess fat before removing it from the body.
  • Power-assisted liposuction: similar to the tumescent technique but uses a vibrating cannula designed to gently break up the fat cells so that they may be suctioned out with minimal disruption to the surrounding tissues.
  • Laser-assisted liposuction: utilizes the thermal power of a small laser beam to heat and liquefy the targeted fat cells before suctioning them out of the body.

Liposuction surgery leaves patients with only minimal scarring and the newly enhanced contours of your body will be noticeable once the fluid retention and post-operative swelling has subsided. Although the fat cells that have been aspirated, or suctioned out, during the liposuction procedure will not repopulate, your results will be compromised if you do not maintain a healthy lifestyle; untreated areas of the body could gain weight, ultimately causing an irregular contour.

Each patient is unique; therefore, results of treatment may vary.


Request your consultation with one of our Plastic Surgeons in Sandy Springs or Hiram to learn more.

MetroDerm Center for Plastic Surgery logo

Procedures & Treatments