Does Liposuction work – and does it hurt? The lowdown on lipo

Aurora is now part of The Private Clinic, a nationwide group of clinics with over 35 years of experience specialising in Cosmetic Surgery and Skin and a Trust Pilot 5 star rating. For comprehensive information, before and after photos and costs on Liposuction procedures click here

Our clinics are located in Birmingham, Bristol, Buckinghamshire, Glasgow, London Harley Street, Leeds, Manchester and Northampton.

Dreaming of a flat stomach this summer? If eliminating stubborn fat is top of your holiday wish list, you’re in good company.

Figures show a record 65% of women and 44% of men have tried to shed weight over the past year.

While it shouldn’t be seen as an alternative to diet or exercise, liposuction is an incredibly popular pre-summer procedure that can safely remove stubborn pockets of fat that simply won’t shift by other means.

It’s hugely effective for removing fat around the hips, thighs and bottom – and is often a better, less invasive option for removing abdominal fat than a tummy tuck.

Want to find out more? Read on for some burning questions about liposuction.

> First things first – does liposuction work?

Absolutely it does. When you have liposuction, the surgeon removes and discards fat cells from your body, and once they’re gone they’re gone forever.

So if your weight remains stable, you’re likely to have a permanent reduction in fat in any areas treated, as they’ll have less storage capacity.

But if you gain weight after having liposuction, any remaining fat cells in the areas treated will still swell up. So it’s not a free pass to eat cake!

It’s important to maintain a steady and healthy weight after liposuction in order to prevent areas of excess fat recurring.

It’s also vital to bear in mind that, as with any surgical procedure, the results of liposuction depend very much on the skill of the surgeon.

For liposuction to be successful, the surgeon needs to remove the right amount of fat from the right area. Otherwise, results can be uneven, and in the worst cases, leave the area looking worse.

Before letting any surgeon loose on your body, you need to make sure they have plenty of specific experience of performing liposuction on a wide range of patients.

As long as you do your research and choose a reputable, qualified and experienced surgeon, you should get the results you’re looking for.

> Does it hurt?!

Understandably, perhaps the biggest question after ‘does liposuction work?’ is whether or not the procedure is painful. When it comes to the operation, the answer is no. You’ll be under local anaesthetic and blissfully oblivious to pain – though you will feel sensations of movement and pressure.

But in the immediate aftermath of the procedure, and for the period of recovery, you will feel some discomfort. There’ll be soreness, swelling and bruising, some of which is likely to remain for several weeks.

And you’ll need to wear compression garments on any areas treated, which can be uncomfortable too.

You’ll need help with looking after children, personal care etc, for at least the first couple of weeks. Around six weeks after your operation, your surgeon will see you to assess your healing and take post-op photographs. Some swelling will probably still be present at this stage, but will settle with time.

Only you will know your own tolerance of discomfort, so you need to think carefully about it before going ahead. In our experience, once patients have recovered they are generally so pleased with their results that they decide the discomfort was well worth it in the end – much like childbirth!

> Which areas can it treat?

Liposuction is versatile and can be used on nearly all areas of the body. Most commonly, the procedure is used on the neck, breast/chest, tummy and flanks, thighs, knees and lower leg. It can also be used to remove excess fat on the pubic mound.

> How much does liposuction cost?

Because the procedure varies dramatically in terms of the size and number of areas treated, the price is specific to each patient. As a guide, you can expect to pay in the region of £2,800 for two areas.

> Can I see before and after photos?

Yes, click to see some liposuction before and after photos of patients we’ve treated. This will give you an idea of the kind of results that can be achieved.

Aurora Clinics are a nationwide cosmetic surgery group offering liposuction at clinics throughout the UK. You can find out lots more about fat removal on our liposuction information page. To book a consultation with one of our BAAPS registered surgeons, give us a call on 01324 578290 or email mailto:info@aurora-clinics.local.