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Liposuction

Minimally-invasive fat removal and body sculpting in Nashville & Memphis

A Boutique Solution with Custom Liposuction

Liposuction is a time-tested method to remove fat resistant to diet and exercise in a single, minimally-invasive procedure. Our boutique approach ensures the technology we apply is customized to fit your needs. It can target virtually any area from neck to knees and front to back, which is why it is often called Lipo 360. Patients often combine liposuction with non-surgical skin tightening for superior results.

Liposuction is available in Tennessee at NuBody Concepts in Nashville and Memphis. Each fully-equipped plastic surgery center is led by a board-certified plastic surgeon with over 20 years of experience in body contouring and plastic surgery.

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What can I expect?

Our typical treatment uses liposuction or power assisted liposuction under local anesthesia. The anesthesia is applied under the skin in liquid or “tumescent” form. This also helps ensure that any trauma to surrounding tissues is kept to a minimum, so that you don’t experience any excessive bruising or swelling.

Many patients opt for additional skin tightening using radio frequency assisted liposuction (RFAL). This method applies controlled heat to the already suctioned areas to “coagulate” or contract the skin.

A liposuction procedure typically lasts about 2 hours. You can choose your level of anesthesia for maximum comfort, but general anesthesia is not required. You’ll be able to resume normal activities as tolerated within 1-2 days.

Each patient is unique. What your treatment will look like is determined by you and the plastic surgeon who you will meet with in a personal consultation.

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Is Liposuction right for me?

Liposuction lets you target any of the following areas in a one-time treatment: upper abdomen, lower abdomen, flanks, lower back, bra roll, hips, male chest area, inner thighs, outer thighs, upper arms, chin, or neck. Prices are discounted when combining several areas. To find out whether you’re a good candidate for liposuction, calculate your BMI and use the following guidelines:

BMI < 30 BMI 30-40 BMI > 40
Ideal candidate for liposuction; add on Skin Tightening for even better results. May qualify, but may see better results with a tummy tuck, or by first achieving target weight with the Orbera gastric balloon. Not an ideal candidate; advised to reduce BMI by enrolling in a weight loss program. Call us for a pre-screening if you are borderline.

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Frequently Asked Questions

When we refer to “traditional liposuction,” we mean earlier forms of liposuction when it first became popular. It used manual force using a longer cannula to remove the fat. The procedure we use today, by contrast, uses the gentle power of water to liquefy and flush out the fat, combined with a round of laser energy to sculpt and tighten the skin. This is easier on the body, resulting in less trauma and bruising, and only requires local anesthesia as needed. Also see our Liposuction for Men page.

We offer radio frequency assisted lipolysis (RFAL) to supplement your liposuction procedure for additional skin tightening results. It is a newer form of liposuction that uses radio frequency energy to contract fat cells and tighten the skin. It is an add-on to our liposuction that can achieve up to 35%- 45% skin contraction.

Liposuction is not a weight loss program. The goal is to remove fat cells, not to lose weight, and candidates should be within 30 lbs of their target weight. Liposuction results are best measured in a waistline or pant size reduction. If you are interested in weight loss, learn about the Orbera Gastric Balloon.

CoolSculpting freezes the fat cells so that your body can subsequently flush them out naturally (meaning through your bodily functions). It’s a non-invasive procedure that requires several repeat treatments to be effective. Liposuction, by contrast, is a one-time procedure that eliminates the fat all at once. Compared to fat removal with CoolSculpting, liposuction achieves much more visible results.

Liposuction requires the insertion of a tiny cannula under your skin, through which the water is flushed through the tissue to break down the fat cells. To insert this cannula, your plastic surgeon makes several incisions in your skin. These incisions are very small and generally do not require stitches (though some surgeons may place sutures as needed). They are highly unlikely to leave any scars.

We generally advise patients to wait 1-2 weeks before resuming strenuous exercise. However, you’ll be able to return to your day-to-day activities as tolerated the day after the procedure.

The movement of the cannula under your skin can cause slight discomfort. Depending on your needs and preference, pain relief can be provided anywhere from light to heavy sedation, or no sedation at all. Ironically, non-invasive treatments like fat freezing can cause more pain as they are performed without a local anesthetic.

Bruising and swelling are typical side effect of liposuction. How much of it you experience in the days after your procedure depends on your body. Our customized procedure typically causes only minor bruising and swelling, because the use of water instead of physical force keeps any disruption of tissue to a minimum.

No. Your liposuction at NuBody Concepts is done while you are awake and comfortable. Any discomfort will be alleviated with local anesthesia and IV sedation as needed. Your recovery is typically fast, allowing you to resume most day to day activities within 24 hours.

Yes. Liposuction does not interfere with your future ability to have children. Also, the fat that is removed with liposuction will not come back to the treated area(s) even if you become pregnant.

There are two key differences:

a) Men and women often have different types of fat. Men tend to more often have so-called visceral fat, which lies under the muscle and cannot be removed with liposuction. Which type of fat you have is easily determined by the plastic surgeon in your personal consultation.

b) Liposuction is an excellent procedure for male breast reductions, especially when radio frequency assisted liposuction is added on. You may not need a surgical reduction with a longer recovery, if your fat can be removed and your skin tightened with liposuction. Again, what works best for you is easily determined in a personal consultation.

You will find many more answers in 15 Questions Patients Ask About Liposuction and 17 Things You Should Know About Liposuction.

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Payment Options

Looking your best with liposuction is attainable! Our prices are all-inclusive – no hidden costs or other surcharges. We offer interest-free payment plans through several medical financing providers. Liposuction procedures start at $3,400, or $99/month with a payment plan. Several areas can be purchased as a bundle.

Don’t know if you qualify for a payment plan? Click the button below to check your credit score and submit an application for medical financing to get pre-approved.

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Additional Information about Liposuction

Why Liposuction?

Liposuction is a minimally invasive, cosmetic surgery primarily used to improve appearance rather than provide physical health benefits. Often, those who pursue lipo are those who have tried every other alternative (healthy lifestyle – balanced diet, consistent exercise, regular sleeping habits, etc) without the desired results. Liposuction is then considered in order to treat the areas of body fat that are resistant to exercise and diet.

As people gain weight, fat cells begin to slowly increase in size and volume. Liposuction significantly reduces the number of cells in the targeted area. In a sense, liposuction could be considered a fat prevention technique just as it is an excess fat removal technique.

What Areas Does Lipo Target?

Liposuction is used to remove fat from areas of the body that haven’t responded to diet and exercise, such as the:

  • Upper abdomen
  • Lower Abdomen
  • Flanks
  • Lower Back
  • Bra roll
  • Hips
  • Male chest area
  • Inner thighs
  • Outer thighs
  • Upper arms
  • Chin
  • Neck

Types of Liposuction

Tumescent Liposuction: 

Tumescent liposuction utilizes a combination of saline solution with an anesthetic (lidocaine) and a vessel-constrictor (epinephrine) to prepare the targeted area for suction. These three solutions are pumped just below the skin. The fat is then suctioned out through small suction tubes. Tumescent is one of the most popular liposuction techniques.

Dry Liposuction 

Dry liposuction is seldom used today as there is a higher risk of complications, bruising, and bleeding during and post-operation. No fluid is injected prior to fat removal. (NuBody Concepts does not utilize dry liposuction for fat removal.)

Power-Assisted Liposuction (PAS): 

Powered liposuction uses a specialized, mechanized cannula that moves back-and-forth rapidly. This allows plastic surgeons to remove fat more easily.

Ultrasound-Assisted Liposuction (UAL): 

Ultrasound or ultrasonic liposuction uses a small tube (cannula) that is energized via ultrasound. This often melts the fat away on contact. The vibrations break down the walls of the fat cells and emulsify the fat, which makes it easier to suction it out. This method is great for fibrous areas (such as the back or male breast) or areas that have been treated with lipo before.

Once ultrasonic lipo has been performed, suction-assisted lipo is used to remove the liquified fat.

Radio Frequency Assisted Liposuction (RFAL):

Also referred to as radio frequency assisted lipolysis, this technique applies radio frequency energy through a thin cannula that is inserted under the skin. This energy generates bursts of targeted heat that contracts the underlying tissues, making it one of the best skin tightening techniques available  today. 

Combined with tumescent or power-assisted lipo, RFAL is an effective non-surgical alternative to tummy tucks, arm lifts, and thigh lifts. 

Laser-Assisted Liposuction (LAL): 

Laser-assisted liposuction is similar to tumescent and ultrasonic lipo. This procedure uses tumescent fluid and a small tube to deliver laser energy through a small incision to emulsify the fat underneath the skin. Laser lipo is less invasive and causes less trauma than many other liposuction methods.

The Lipo Procedure

As stated above, liposuction typically takes about 2 hours to complete. It may take 30-60 minutes longer if you add on skin tightening for even better results. Most patients are able to resume normal activities within 1-2 days.

Does Fat Come Back After Lipo?

Most often, no, fat will not “come back” after liposuction. Once the fat has been removed from the area, it will not grow back. However, the fat cells that do remain in that location can grow bigger as a patient gains weight.

One thing you may notice post-op: because there are fewer fat cells in the treated area, other areas of the body where treatment did not take place may appear to be bigger in size comparatively.

What are the Risks?

As with any surgical procedure, liposuction does carry its own risks. Some of the most common side effects include bleeding or an adverse reaction to the anesthetic. Before the procedure, your plastic surgeon will discuss all known risks with you to make sure you are fully informed and consent to the treatment.

Risks may increase if the surgeon is working on larger portions of the body or performing multiple procedures during the same operation. It is best to talk with your surgeon about these risks and how they may apply to you.

Does Liposuction Offer Lasting Results?

The results of the procedure will not be noticeable right away. Typically, after liposuction, there is a short waiting period for inflammation to go down. For some it may be several weeks and others several months. However, most swelling settles after the first month and you should notice less bulk at the operation site.

Permanent results will typically be seen in patients who are able to continue managing their weight. However, as mentioned before, as weight is gained post-op, the distribution of the weight may alter. If someone had liposuction performed on their hips, they may notice weight gain in their buttocks.

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