Liposuction

Liposuction removes excess fat from beneath the skin using a small cannula and suction. It is used to contour areas with stubborn fat that has not responded to diet and exercise. Imagen’s techniques include SmartLipo laser-assisted liposuction and VASER liposuction.

Liposuction removes fat from specific areas. Liposculpture describes the attention to shape, proportion, and contour during that process. Hi-Def liposuction involves more detailed work to reveal natural muscle definition. Your physician will explain which approach fits your anatomy and goals.

Lipo 360 can be performed with traditional liposuction. The “Lipo 360” is a description of the areas being treated, while traditional liposuction is a description of the methods used to perform the liposuction.

Liposuction removes fat through small cannulas connected to a suction system. At Imagen, treatment is performed using local anesthesia and oral medication for comfort. Your physician will explain the techniques included in your personalized plan.

Laser-assisted liposuction uses laser energy as part of the fat-removal process. At Imagen, SmartLipo is one component of our approach to contouring. Your results and recovery depend on the areas treated, your anatomy, and your individual healing.

Liposuction is commonly used to effectively treat:

• Abdomen
• Love handles
• Back
• Upper Arms
• Neck, Double Chin, Jawline
• Inner or Outer Thighs
• Knees
• Calves, “Cankles”
• Banana Roll
• Gynecomastia, “Man Boobs”

Liposuction is best suited to stubborn pockets of fat and realistic body-contouring goals. Your physician considers your overall health, skin quality, weight, and treatment area. There is no single BMI cutoff for every area: arm or neck treatment may be appropriate when Lipo 360 is less likely to meet your goals. If you are more than approximately 30 pounds from a healthy target weight, we may recommend weight loss first. Diabetes or a complex medical history may make a hospital setting more appropriate. Contact us early if you take a GLP-1 medication so we can plan treatment timing with you and your prescribing clinician.

Liposuction is about inches rather than pounds. It removes stubborn pockets of fat to reshape specific areas; it is not a weight-loss treatment. The change you see depends on your anatomy, the areas treated, and your goals. If weight loss is the appropriate first step, we can discuss Imagen’s medically guided weight-loss plans.

Liposuction removes fat, and Renuvion can help reduce skin laxity, but neither removes excess skin or repairs diastasis recti. If you have overhanging skin, we recommend considering a tummy tuck. During consultation, we review photographs of patients with similar starting points and discuss a range of possible results to help you decide which approach fits your expectations. Large hernias require evaluation before liposuction can be considered.

To begin your liposuction journey all of our patients come in for a consultation with one of our providers. During this consultation, we go over medical history, areas of concern, desired outcomes, and realistic expectations for the amount of fat reduction. If you are deemed a good candidate for liposuction, the cosmetic surgeon will determine the best type of liposuction to help you reach your goals. We will go over the procedure in detail, including the risks, and answer all of your questions. You will then meet with our office manager, who will go over the pricing in the detail and help you with financing if you need it.

If you’re out of town, we typically recommend that you start with a virtual consultation

When you’re ready to schedule, just let us know! We will have you stop in to the office to receive pre-op instructions one to two weeks before your surgery and pick up your prescriptions. We will answer any last-minute questions and help you arrange hotel and transportation if need be.

The day of your procedure, you will need someone to drive you to and from the clinic. We will do some paperwork, collect your vitals and measurements and take your “before” photos. You will be given some oral medications to help you rest and relax during the procedure. Once your medications have kicked in, we will take you back to our state of the art OR and begin the procedure.

Most liposuction procedures require only local or regional anesthesia — anesthesia limited to a specific area of your body. Here at Imagen, we start with a small incision to administer the tumescent anesthesia, a combination of lidocaine (a numbing agent) and epinephrine (a blood vessel constrictor to reduce bleeding). We do not use general anesthesia. Our patients are awake but are so comfortable that they often fall asleep during their procedure.

Once you are comfortably numb, the surgeon will use the laser to liquify the fat in the treated areas. He will use small cannulas equipped with power assisted liposuction (PALS) to gently remove the unwanted fat deposits. After the fat has been removed, Renuvion will be used in the targeted areas to help with tissue contraction and collagen stimulation.

The surgeon and surgical assistant monitor your vital signs throughout the procedure. Your surgeon also checks your comfort during treatment.

The actual procedure could take as little as an hour for a small, single area fat removal or several hours if you are treating multiple areas or including a fat transfer (BBL) or abdominal etching. The duration of the procedure will also be affected by the amount of fat that you have to be removed.

After your procedure, we apply dressings and fit your compression garment. You remain under observation until you are ready to leave with your ride. Leave your garment on until your next-morning visit, and do not shower the first night. Have an adult stay with you that night, and do not drive on the day of surgery. Dr. Frank calls that evening, and both doctors’ personal cell phone numbers are included in your discharge instructions. Contact us with any postoperative concern; we arrange same-day evaluation, even when the concern seems minor.

Most patients take 3–5 days off work. Desk work may be comfortable after 2–3 days; physically active work typically requires 5–7 days, with lifting restrictions continuing afterward. Soreness and bruising usually last about a week. Swelling increases during the first week, then gradually improves; most visible swelling settles by one month, with fluctuations possible for up to six months. We take measurements at one month and after photos at three months. Skin tightening may continue improving for up to nine months. For most areas, compression is worn full-time except when showering for four weeks; Hi-Def requires six weeks. Neck compression is full-time for three days, then approximately 12 hours overnight for three weeks. Your physician tailors recovery guidance to your healing.

• Follow your personalized instructions and attend your follow-up visits. Begin gentle movement and short walks on the day of surgery. Avoid lifting more than 20 pounds for three weeks and high-impact exercise for four weeks. Wear compression for the schedule your physician recommends, including the longer Hi-Def schedule or separate neck schedule. Resume driving only after the day of surgery, when you are no longer taking medications that impair driving and can drive comfortably. When traveling, get up and walk frequently. Contact your doctors with questions or concerns.

Liposuction carries risks, including when it is performed awake under local anesthesia. Your physician will review your health history and discuss the potential benefits, risks, alternatives, and recovery expectations during consultation. We welcome your questions so you can make an informed decision.

Share your complete medical history, medications, allergies, and smoking or vaping habits with your physician. Follow your personalized preparation and recovery instructions and attend your follow-up visits. We ask patients to stop smoking cigarettes or marijuana and stop vaping for one month before and one month after treatment, especially when fat transfer is included. If you take a GLP-1 medication, contact us early to plan procedure timing. Do not stop or change prescribed medication without guidance from your prescribing clinician and our team. Local anesthesia allows treatment without general anesthesia, but does not eliminate procedural risks.

Liposuction permanently removes the fat cells treated during your procedure. However, remaining fat cells can enlarge with weight gain, and aging can change your shape and skin over time. Maintaining a stable weight and healthy habits helps preserve your results.

Dr. Frank Soto Leon completed emergency medicine residency training at Duke University and has practiced aesthetic medicine since 2012. He holds board certification in aesthetic medicine through the American Board of Aesthetic Medicine. Dr. Frank has performed thousands of liposuction procedures and completed specialized training with Dr. Gustavo Leibaschoff and Dr. Alfredo Hoyos. Your care includes physician follow-up, both doctors’ personal cell phone numbers, an evening call after surgery, and same-day evaluation for postoperative concerns. Our team also offers bilingual service in English and Spanish.

Pricing depends on the treatment areas and the detail of the sculpting involved. The typical ranges above can help you plan; your final personalized quote follows consultation. Visit our Cost page for the full pricing details, included recovery support, and financing information. Oral prescription medications are the only additional cost and are filled at your preferred pharmacy.

That depends on your goals, expectations, and how you feel about the investment and recovery. During consultation, we discuss realistic outcomes and review photographs of patients with similar starting points so you can decide whether treatment is right for you.

Yes. Our team can coordinate your hotel stay and limo transportation, then send you the arrangements. For procedures covering at least two treatment areas, we offer one complimentary hotel night and two complimentary limo rides. Patients commonly use the rides to and from their procedure. Alternatively, you may drive to Imagen, leave your car overnight, take the limo home afterward, and use your second ride to return for the next-morning visit. Patients whose procedures do not meet the two-area minimum can still use our concierge booking service. Hotel and/or limo expenses will be added to their invoice.