The best areas for liposuction: which are treated most often, and why

Which areas can be treated with liposuction?

The areas most often treated with liposuction match the parts of the body where fat tends to build up persistently. Although the choice depends on the individual diagnosis, there are anatomical regions that give good results in most patients. They are:

1. The abdomen

This is one of the most requested areas and also one of those that gives the best results. Abdominal liposuction removes subcutaneous fat in the upper and lower belly, giving a flatter, firmer profile. It is ideal for people with localised deposits who have no severe slackness or excess skin.

2. The flanks, or “love handles”

Fat deposits on the sides of the waist affect both men and women, and can significantly alter the silhouette. Liposuction of the flanks helps define the waist and improves the visual balance of the torso.

3. Hips and buttocks

Although the aim is not to reduce the volume of the buttocks, liposuction of the upper hips or around the gluteal fold can soften the transitions and enhance their natural shape.

4. Thighs (inner and outer)

In women it is common for fat to build up on the inner and outer thighs. Liposuction in these areas can reduce rubbing when walking, slim the upper legs and harmonise their shape.

5. Knees and calves

Although a less common indication, liposuction of the knees can be very effective where there is a clear build-up of fat in this area. On the calves it is carried out only in very selected cases.

6. Neck and under the chin

Submental liposuction improves the angle of the neck and reduces the volume under the chin, refining the profile of the face. It is a minimally invasive technique with results visible in a short time.

7. Arms (the back of the arm)

The inner or back part of the arms can have localised fat that is difficult to shift. If the skin retains its firmness, liposuction of the arms is a suitable way of slimming this area without needing a lift.

8. The male chest

In cases of mild or moderate gynaecomastia, liposuction can correct excess fat in the male chest without leaving visible scars or requiring removal of gland tissue.

How are the areas to be treated chosen?

The choice of areas to treat with liposuction is based on several clinical criteria:

• The distribution of the fatty tissue: the proportion and position of the excess fat is assessed.
• The elasticity of the skin: so that it draws back properly once the fat is removed.
• Body proportions: the aim is to improve the harmony of the whole, not to treat areas in isolation.
• The patient’s expectations: how far the desired goals can be reached is examined.
• General health: the procedure must be safe in every respect.

Every operation is tailored to the patient and may include one or several areas in a single surgical session. In many cases, treating combined anatomical regions (the abdomen and the flanks, for example) gives more coherent, natural results.

The benefits of treating key areas

Well-planned liposuction does not only remove localised fat, it redefines the silhouette. The most notable benefits of treating strategic areas include:

• A better body profile without the need for large incisions
• Results visible in a short time with minimal scars
• Greater proportion between the torso, the limbs and the face
• A feeling of lightness and improved self-esteem
• The possibility of combining it with other techniques such as lipofilling, abdominoplasty, a thigh or arm lift, a facelift and so on

Considerations according to the patient’s sex

The distribution of body fat and the areas most often requested differ slightly between men and women:

• In women, the most common areas are the lower abdomen, thighs, flanks, arms and under the chin. The aim is to slim and soften the curves without losing femininity.
• In men, the abdomen, flanks and chest predominate. The goal is usually to define the abdominal area or to correct gynaecomastia.

In both cases a precise, realistic assessment is essential in order to establish a surgical plan that respects the anatomical proportions and a natural result.

What is removed does not come back (and what is worth doing afterwards)

Two questions always accompany the choice of areas: whether the fat removed will come back and whether it will “go somewhere else”. Both have measured answers.

A study of 301 cases measured patients photographically before and after. In those followed for at least a year there was no sign of the fat returning in the areas treated, and the measurements of the upper torso were the same as those of a comparison group: fat does not “move” to the shoulders, back or chest. The reduction holds where it was made.

There is one interesting qualification, and it comes with instructions. A randomised trial with 36 women followed patients for six months after abdominal liposuction: in those who did not exercise, a compensatory increase in visceral fat — the deep fat, the kind not touched in theatre — of around 10% appeared. In those who followed a training programme started two months after surgery, that increase did not occur.

This is probably the most useful fact on the whole page: the choice of areas defines the contour, but what consolidates the result is getting moving again. And there is no need to start on day one: in that study the exercise began at two months and that was enough.

When treating certain areas is not advisable

Although liposuction can technically be carried out on almost any part of the body, there are situations in which treating certain areas is inadvisable:

• If the skin is very slack or has deep stretch marks
• If the volume of fat is too small to justify the operation
• If the patient has active circulatory or skin conditions
• If there are unrealistic expectations about the result

In these cases the possibility of alternative or complementary treatments is considered, such as a lift, radiofrequency or non-surgical procedures.

Liposuction is a versatile surgical technique that gives effective, lasting results when it is applied to the right areas with expert planning. Choosing the areas to treat correctly is fundamental to achieving a harmonious, natural body contour in keeping with the patient’s physical characteristics.

At the Instituto de Cirugía Plástica del Mediterráneo every case is assessed individually by a team specialising in body surgery, giving priority to safety, overall appearance and the patient’s satisfaction. If you are considering liposuction in Valencia, we invite you to book a first informative consultation where we will answer your questions and define the treatment best suited to you.