There are several types of liposuction. Dry liposuction, meaning no fluid is injected into the tissue prior to the procedure, and has fallen out of favor because this has the highest rates of bleeding complications. The most common methods now include injecting tumescent fluid into the tissue first which contains local anesthetic, saline, and epinephrine to minimize bruising and bleeding.
There is standard liposuction which uses a long metal cannula to mechanically remove the fat. You can use a traditional vacuum suction assisted liposuction (SAL), a cannula that moves rapidly, power assisted liposuction (PAL), or one powered by hand. There are energy devices which melt the fat prior to suction removal, these are called laser liposuction or ultrasound ultrasonic liposuction (UAL). High-definition liposuction (HDL) refers to the technique of selectively removing fat in some areas and adding it to others to enhance underlying muscular definition.