Liposuction is the surgical vacuuming of fat from beneath the surface of the skin.
It is used to reduce fullness in any area of the body. It is an excellent method of spot reduction but is not an effective method of weight loss. The tumescent technique involves injection beneath the skin of large volumes of salt water containing lidocaine, a local anesthetic and small amounts of adrenaline, a naturally occurring hormone which shrinks blood vessels. By injecting this solution to the fat prior to performing liposuction the plastic surgeon numbs the tissues and shrinks the blood vessels thereby eliminating pain and reducing and minimizing bleeding, bruising, and swelling. The tumescent technique permits some patients who were previously treated under general anesthesia to be treated under local anesthesia with sedation.