Ask Dr. Man - Liposuction

Who is a good candidate for liposuction?

Patients who are good candidates for liposuction have ideally limited areas of excess of fat. These people they tend to be otherwise in relative good physical shape, have a relatively normal weight to height ratio, and are concerned about some areas of localized excess of fat.

Patients who are likely to benefit from suction are enjoying good health, have the right expectations, and are aware of the limitations of this technique.

Liposuction with body jet (relatively one of the new techniques), coupled with laser liposuction (such as the 1444 nm by lutronic) , done on the ART (articulating, reclining, tilting) table offers significant improvement contour for most of our body areas.

Patients benefit by looking better, feeling better about their appearance, enjoying an improvement in clothing, as they will have now better body image. When combined with a program of good nutritional diet such as (ideal protein) and correct exercises, these patients will have a long term of success.

Let’s take an example of suction of the abdomen:

When considering excess abdominal fat, it is important to remember that the ideal abdominal shape is determined by the relationship of the upper, mid and lower abdomen and the love handles. It is important to evaluate whether or not posture abnormality exists. By pinching skin of the abdomen the amount of subcutaneous fat is noted. In some instances it appears as if the belly is fat but it is possible that that fat is not a subcutaneous but rather intra abdominal (omental fat), in which case losing weight first (with ideal protein) and then pursue with the suction later. The obvious common subcutaneous fat collection is where liposuction will make dramatic improvements.

Dr. Daniel Man is a board-certified plastic surgeon who has dedicated his life’s work to helping people look younger and improve their appearance through cosmetic surgery. He is a noted author, artist, inventor and educator. Dr. Man has been featured on major television networks, as well as national and local magazines and newspapers for his work as both a plastic surgeon and an artist. He has a successful private practice in Boca Raton, FL. For more information about Dr. Man, visit www.drman.com.

Ask Dr. Man- Liposuction

Dear Dr. Man, I’ve always been a healthy and in-shape person. I work out in the gym about 5 days a week and I eat right. I’ve also been blessed with good genetics. The problem is that I’ve always had this extra fat around my belly, which seem to get worse with age (I’m 39). Also, I have some extra jiggle around my thighs and my rear end. I want to be able to wear a bikini and feel proud. Is liposuction safe? Is it still a good procedure to consider for these kinds of problems? Signed, Karen



Dear Karen, What you are experiencing is quite common. In fact, that could explain why liposuction is the number one procedure of choice to remove belly fat. Liposuction is safe, requires little downtime, and can be performed on just about any area of the body. It is most commonly used to remove excess fat from the stomach, abdomen, inner and outer thighs, buttocks, back, neck, arms and knees. Scars are minimal; and risks may include swelling, infection and “dimpling” of the skin.



Liposuction is often performed under local anesthesia. Fat is removed by inserting a hollow tube, known as a cannula, through tiny ¼ inch incisions under the skin. The cannula is connected to a suction device that vacuums out the unwanted fat. After liposuction, patients wear a surgical garment for several days to weeks.



Women most often request liposuction to remove excess fatty deposits developed during pregnancy. Tummy pouches, loose belly skin, “love handles” around the waist, flabby arms, and bulges on the back and buttocks are also among the most common complaints. Ultrasound-assisted liposuction is very effective for these areas of “high” density fatty tissue.



Men most often request liposuction in order to remove bulging around the waist (a.k.a. spare tires) and calves, and to reduce the appearance of enlarged male breasts, a condition known as gynecomastia. Since “six pack abs” have become quite popular among men, we are seeing a procedure known as “ab etching” increase in popularity as well. This procedure removes fat between the muscles and ribs, so that the ab muscles appear more prominently. This gives the patient a much more defined, muscle-toned appearance.



Sometimes patients request another procedure, such as a tummy tuck, in conjunction with the liposuction. Which procedures you get depends on the amount of fat you need removed and what your desired results are. Larger volumes of excess fat or loose skin may require a surgical tummy tuck or other procedure, or a combination thereof.



Talk to a board-certified plastic surgeon to see if liposuction is right for you.

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Dr. Daniel Man is a board-certified plastic surgeon who has dedicated his life’s work to helping people look younger and improve their appearance through cosmetic surgery. He is a noted author, artist, inventor and educator. Dr. Man has been featured on major television networks, as well as national and local magazines and newspapers for his work as both a plastic surgeon and an artist. He has a successful private practice in Boca Raton, FL. For more information about Dr. Man, visit www.drman.com.