In the whole field of cosmetic surgery, few procedures have undergone such major changes as those involving liposuction procedures and techniques.

Formerly, the removal of excess fat from problematic parts of the body was dependent on a large scalpel incision, fat being cut away, and unsightly scars left on the body – all performed under general anesthetic. An unpleasant and possibly risky procedure all round. But the development of liposuction transformed the whole process.

Liposuction is performed using small and completely inconspicuous incisions. Bleeding and possible trauma are reduced by sterile solutions being infused through the incisions – with the patient either intravenously sedated or under general anesthetic – before a cannula, the technical name for the thin, hollow tube used, is inserted. The cannula can then be manipulated to loosen the excess fat, which is then extracted from the body by a surgical vacuum or a syringe, which suctions it out. This whole procedure is more hygienic, safer, more effective and easier for the patient to recover from than the surgical methods used just a few years ago.

However, liposuction has continued to develop, meaning that there are a variety of methods currently in use, as the techniques become more and more advanced.

For example, when liposuction was initially introduced, the common procedure was what is now known as Dry Liposuction but this was soon surpassed by Wet Liposuction, where a small amount of fluid is injected into the area of the body under treatment. This fluid is a saline solution containing both a local anesthetic and an active ingredient which will contract the blood vessels in the area, therefore minimizing the bleeding. The fluid will also loosen the fat cells, meaning there is likely to be far less bruising around the area as the cannula will need less maneuvering to remove the fat.

There is, in addition, the very commonly employed technique of tumescent liposuction, whereby a substantial amount of fluid is injected directly into the fat about to be removed. This procedure obviates the necessity for a general anesthetic, is far less likely to damage blood vessels, skin or muscles, has fewer risks, better results and a quicker recovery period. Even more developments have been made in recent years. These range from Laser Assisted Liposuction and Ultrasound Assisted Liposuction, both of which make the suctioning out of the fat more straightforward. Additionally, the cannula itself has undergone significant improvements. There is now a specialized cannula, employed in Power Assisted Liposuction, which has mechanized movement, reducing the number of movements the surgeon has to make inside the body.

Furthermore, the twin-cannula, which, as its name suggests, uses one tube inside another, is easier for a surgeon to use as well as lessening the patient’s bleeding and bruising and speeding up recovery time. Because the demand for liposuction continues to increase, there is little doubt that liposuction procedures and techniques will continue to develop, making the operation even more successful and comfortable than it is at present.

This article May be used on other sites but this resource box and all live links MUST be left intact Andrew Long writes for a series of websites about health and surgery related issues. A main area of discussion and content covers many news articles around surgical procedures including those about Liposuction Costs and Tummy Tuck Surgery