It’s true that stomach liposuction is one of the most popular plastic surgery procedures, but modern liposuction has advanced significantly in the last two decades and now unwanted fat deposits can be removed from nearly any area of the body. Even from behind your knees! Most of today’s procedures use tiny cannula tubes to suction fat. These give the plastic surgeon very precise control and allows work to be done in very small parts of the body.

There are few people who don’t have a little belly fat they wouldn’t mind getting rid of. That is why stomach liposuction remains the most popular location for the procedure. This is a popular place for men as well, and the surrounding area (waist, flanks) is nearly as popular with both genders. The next most common procedures bring out some differences in the sexes though. Many women have a reduction in breast size performed by liposuction. You might be surprised to learn that some men do too (to eliminate “man boobs”). Hips and thighs are also very popular procedures for women. Men, on the other hand, very commonly have liposuction procedures on their face, chin and neck (although women can have this done as well, and sometimes do).

Less common but still fairly popular are liposuction procedures on the arms, back, and of course the buttocks. Fat removal on the buttocks in particular is usually done very carefully in order to maintain a pleasing shape. Even more uncommon, but still not that unusual are procedures on the legs, ankles, even the knees and pubic region. We don’t get to tell our bodies where to store fat, and some bodies choose to store it in very inconvenient places. Nowadays though, we have the technology to reshape our bodies closer to how we would like them to look.

Liposuction is not without risk, but the modern procedures have made incredible advances over the procedures available just a decade ago. Still, anyone considering having some done should discuss the matter with their doctor. It is a big decision, and even though looking our best is important you should always educate yourself first. If your doctor determine you are a good candidate for liposuction then you should be very excited because today you have more choices than ever before. Whether you want to get rid of that double chin, eliminate those love handles or get rid of your spare tire with stomach liposuction, the possibilities are open for you.

From working out at the gym to stomach liposuction, body image is an important issue for many of us. Sure, being healthy is important but humans are social animals and if there is one thing we instinctively crave it is to be attractive. To be attractive means to earn a shallow, yet very important level of approval from our fellow human beings. In some ways, it’s akin to the first impression. Every time we interact with someone in person the first thing they notice is our physical appearance.

This isn’t something generally discussed, but it’s absolutely true. Consider an office environment. People are expected to dress a certain way because it projects a certain image. Some businesses care less about this image than others (or intentionally foster a more relaxed image) but ultimately these shallow visual requirements are quite important. Someone in shorts and sandals working in an office full of suits would be positively disruptive on some emotional level, and vice versa.

Plastic surgery is so popular because it goes to the core of this need we have to meet the visual approval of our peers. You can buy a new suit (or new sandals) but until recently you could not buy a new waistline. Since it became widely available more than a quarter century ago, stomach liposuction and indeed fat removal from many other locations on our bodies has been a viable option for those looking to become leaner. Doctors began surgical attempts at fat remove back in the 1920′s, but these were experimental procedures and some complications in a few patients brought research to a halt for years. It wasn’t until the 1960′s that serious research on surgical fat removal was taken up again, this time with better success. By the mid-1970′s liposuction was becoming a well-understood procedure that could be offered to the general public.

By the mid-1980′s a technique had been developed which took liposuction from the operating room into the doctor’s office. This procedure, known as the tumescent technique, was an enormous step in reducing the cost of liposuction and making it available to more people. Other cutting-edge techniques have been pioneered since then, such as a procedure which assisted fat removal by liquefying the body fat with ultrasonic waves, but some have met with more success than others. It is important to remember that liposuction is not and never will be a procedure which should be taken lightly. It involves making significant changes to your body and as much as doctors are constantly researching ways to reduce patient risks, there will always be some risk to consider. Whether you are interested in stomach liposuction or just want a good workout to burn some belly fat, speak to your doctor to learn more and get expert advice.