Despite diet and exercise, do you have an area of your body that never takes shape like the rest? Do “saddle bags,” “love-handles,” or a lower belly pooch interfere with how your clothes fit? Liposuction, also known as lipoplasty or liposculpture, is a cosmetic surgery procedure designed to remove stubborn fat and improve body contour in targeted areas.
Dr. Ryan Mitchell has practiced cosmetic surgery in the Las Vegas area since 2003 and is recognized for using advanced body contouring techniques focused on achieving balanced, natural-looking results. Liposuction is the second most commonly performed cosmetic surgical procedure in the United States, and modern techniques have made it a safe and reliable option for carefully selected patients. This treatment remains a powerful option for refining shape when lifestyle efforts alone are not enough.
What Is Liposuction?
Liposuction is a surgical procedure designed and implemented to remove fat from designated areas of the body. Liposuction slims and reshapes specific areas of the body, improving your figure and proportion, and ultimately enhancing your self-image. Liposuction is a body sculpting surgery.
Ideal candidates for liposuction are people who eat well and are of essentially normal weight with stubborn fatty deposits such as the flanks (love handles) or outer thighs (saddle bags). Genetically abnormal collections of fat are called lipodystrophy (abnormal distribution of fat).
Liposuction surgery is not a treatment for obesity and is not a replacement for regular exercise and good eating habits.
Liposuction for Targeted Fat Reduction
Liposuction removes localized fat deposits that persist despite good health and a reasonable level of fitness. These areas may be due to family traits rather than a lack of weight control or fitness. Areas treated may include the neck, arms, chest, abdomen, hips, flanks, thighs, back, and knees.
The procedure involves the careful extraction of fat using thin hollow tubes called cannulas. For improved results, many cases involve the use of an additional device prior to the removal (suction) of the fat. In Dr. Mitchell’s practice, internal ultrasonic assisted liposuction (UAL), namely VASER, has demonstrated dramatic advantages over suction-assisted liposuction (SAL) alone for certain areas of the body.
The typical result of liposuction is a body with better overall proportion and symmetry.
Liposuction Techniques
All forms of liposuction begin with the infiltration of a dilute lidocaine and epinephrine anesthetic solution, known as tumescence. This technique allows for the comfortable removal of fat while minimizing blood loss.
Suction-assisted liposuction (SAL) is the standard approach. It involves inserting a small cannula through a small incision, attaching it to a vacuum device, and carefully removing fat through controlled suction.
Ultrasonic-assisted liposuction (UAL) uses a specialized cannula that transmits ultrasound vibrations to emulsify, or liquefy, fat before it is removed. This approach makes fat easier to suction and allows for more precise sculpting. Third-generation UAL devices utilize pulsed energy delivery to safely remove fat while reducing the risk of tissue damage.
The VASER Lipo System is a third-generation ultrasonic assisted liposuction technology designed to selectively emulsify fatty tissue while preserving as much of the surrounding tissue matrix as possible. VASER is particularly effective in fibrous areas of the body, including the back, male chest, and upper abdomen.
Areas Commonly Treated Together
Liposuction is often planned with overall body balance in mind rather than treating a single area in isolation. Certain areas of the body naturally affect one another in terms of proportion and contour, and addressing them together can help create a more harmonious result.
For example, treating the abdomen and flanks together may improve waist definition, while combining the thighs and hips can enhance lower-body balance. Treating complementary areas during the same procedure allows for smoother transitions and more cohesive contouring, which is evaluated during a personalized consultation based on individual anatomy and aesthetic goals.
Is Liposuction Right for You?
A good candidate for liposuction is a person in good overall health with realistic expectations regarding the outcome. Health is a more important consideration than age or weight. The most ideal candidates are people who are essentially normal weight but have stubborn fatty deposits due to lipodystrophy.
Overweight individuals may be good candidates when carefully selected, depending on the proposed site of liposuction, patient goals, and expectations. Liposuction is not a weight loss surgery, and the amount of fat removed may only be 1–5 pounds.
Unhealthy individuals or those with heart disease, diabetes, blood clotting disorders, or other chronic illnesses are at greater risk for complications. Obese individuals are rarely good candidates and may be disappointed if they expect liposuction to be an effective means to lose weight permanently.
Frequently Asked Questions
Liposuction is intended for contouring rather than weight loss. The amount of fat removed varies based on the treatment area, patient anatomy, and safety considerations, and is discussed during consultation.
Liposuction is not a weight loss procedure. It is designed to address localized fat deposits and improve body shape rather than reduce overall body weight.
Fat cells removed during liposuction do not return. However, maintaining results depends on stable weight and healthy lifestyle habits, as remaining fat cells can still enlarge with weight gain.
Liposuction removes fat but does not tighten skin. Skin elasticity plays an important role in final results, which is evaluated prior to treatment.
Most patients experience mild to moderate soreness following liposuction. Discomfort typically improves steadily during the first several days after the procedure.
Initial changes are visible once swelling begins to subside, but final results develop gradually over several weeks to months as healing progresses.
Liposuction may be performed alone or in combination with other procedures depending on individual goals. This is determined during a personalized consultation.
Liposuction is typically performed as an outpatient procedure, allowing patients to return home the same day.
Yes. While fat cells removed during liposuction do not return, remaining fat cells can still expand with weight gain. Maintaining a stable weight helps preserve improved contours and supports longer-lasting results.
Dr. Ryan Mitchell’s mission is to guide and educate patients considering rejuvenating procedures while producing results that align with their goals and expectations. He is dedicated to providing high-quality, safe, and artistically focused aesthetic outcomes at an affordable cost, treating every patient with the same respect and care he would want for his own family.
Dr. Mitchell brings both artistry and expertise to cosmetic plastic surgery and has built a reputation throughout the Las Vegas valley for using the safest and most advanced techniques. Board certified and fellowship trained, Dr. Mitchell has practiced in the Las Vegas area since 2003 and is recognized for his commitment to natural-looking results and patient-centered care.
With modern techniques and attentive postoperative care, many patients in Henderson and Las Vegas, NV have achieved satisfying, natural-looking improvements in their shape and appearance.
If stubborn areas of fat have continued to resist diet and exercise, a consultation is the best way to determine whether liposuction may help you reach your aesthetic goals. To learn more, contact us at 702-376-3095.
See these before and after images to get an idea of the success other patients have found with Dr. Mitchell and his team.
Before
After
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A skilled personable artist with integrity. I had Radiesse done on a few occassions with Dr. Mitchell with great results. He will recommend what he thinks will help the patient ...
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Recently had liposuction done by Dr. Mitchell on a problem area in my mid section and I couldn't be more happy. The staff was great and the results are amazing. ...