Q: I am physically fit and in my early 40’s. However, no matter how much I work out and maintain my healthy diet, I have “love handles” that will not go away and small, yet bothersome, bulges on the outside of my upper thighs. I want to feel comfortable in a bathing suit this summer and stop having to find clothing to hide my waist. Would liposuction be my best option?

A. Many of my 35 – 50-year-old patients have this same concern and can generally correct these issues with liposuction. Liposuction is an excellent option for healthy and fit patients with good skin quality. Good skin quality means no stretch marks or loose skin, which is essential for a good result after liposuction because after the pocket of fat is removed; your skin will need to retract and tighten to conform to your new slimmer contour.

Liposuction for small areas can be performed under local or twilight sedation, and for larger areas, we generally use general anesthesia. The incisions for liposuction are less than 1 cm and placed in natural skin creases. A narrow cannula is inserted to remove the fat under the skin using a vacuum through these small incisions. I use power-assisted liposuction, which allows me to perform liposuction accurately, efficiently, and safely. In addition, the liposuction cannula is precisely calibrated to vibrate at a target speed, allowing me to tailor the degree of liposuction needed for each patient and body region. This enhances the amount of fat that can be removed, improves fat removal accuracy, and maximizes safety because the blunt cannulas are constantly in motion. I believe that the more exacting you can be in the liposuction procedure, the more natural the results, which is always my goal for my patients.

Liposuction procedures can take anywhere from 1-3 hours. I recommend that my patients start lymphatic massage a few days after surgery to speed their recovery. Immediately after the procedure, my patients are fitted with a compression garment that they will wear for 4-6 weeks with declining wear time as their swelling decreases. The results improve over time as the swelling subsides. Optimal results are usually seen at 9-12 months after the procedure, but there is generally a remarkable difference within six months.

Now is the perfect time to consider liposuction to be ready for summer. Please call our office or use our online Consultation Request Form to schedule a consultation with me to discuss your areas of concern and your best options. In addition, you can view a small sampling of Before and After photos on my photo gallery, with more available during a consultation.

Dr. Cindy Wu, FACS, Board Certified Breast and Body Plastic Surgeon

Learn more about Dr. Wu here.