How is buttocks liposuction performed?

Before surgery, the surgeon will mark the precise areas of the body where the fat is to be removed. An intravenous (IV) line will be inserted in a vein in your arm to make sure the fluid level in your body remains in balance. You or your doctor may opt for general anesthesia, or you may be local anesthesia and a sedative for relaxation. During the procedure, the surgeon makes a tiny incision in the skin, typically in or near the buttock crease, and inserts a thin tube called a cannula into the fatty area. The cannula is used to break up the fat deposits and sculpt the area to the desired proportions. The unwanted fat is suctioned out with a powerful vacuum, leaving the skin, muscles, nerves, and blood vessels intact.

In the super-wet technique, a saline solution containing a local anesthetic and adrenaline is injected into the area to be treated, which makes the fat deposits easier to break up and extract. This extra fluid also minimizes trauma to the surrounding tissue, reducing swelling and post-operative pain. The administration of adrenaline also decreases bleeding during surgery, further reducing risks.

The tumescent technique, in which even larger amounts of liquid solution are injected, has similar benefits.

A relatively new method, ultrasound-assisted liposuction (UAL), uses sound waves to liquefy the fat after the injection of fluids. Like the super-wet and tumescent techniques, UAL minimizes trauma, bruising and blood loss. UAL is particularly useful on fibrous areas of the body.

An earlier method of liposuction, called dry liposuction because no liquefying agent was used, required general anesthesia. This technique is not in frequent use today.

Your surgeon will choose the best technique for you. His/her choice will be determined by a combination of factors, including the precise area to be treated, the amount of fat to be removed, his/her training and experience, and your preferences.