Am I a Candidate?

The ideal liposuction candidate is someone who is a stable, healthy weight who has pockets of stubborn unwanted fat which cannot be removed with diet and exercise. The best candidates also have good skin elasticity as the skin fits easier to the reduced contour (younger people may get better results for this reason) and good overall physical and mental health. Liposuction is not a quick fix or a solution to excessive weight gain, so you need to have realistic expectations. Liposuction will not help you achieve significant weight loss and is not actually suited to people who are massively overweight or obese. Fat itself does not weigh much so even if a litre of fat is removed during liposuction it may only result in 1kg of weight loss. Liposuction can also not get rid of cellulite or help with saggy or stretch-marked skin.

Liposuction is a very effective way of removing small, targeted pockets of fat to improve the shape and contour of your body.

People who are not suitable for liposuction include:

* Pregnant or lactating women

* People suffering from certain medical conditions such as diabetes

If you are having traditional liposuction (under general anaesthetic) and you are a smoker, you will be asked to stop at least two months before the procedure, as smoking causes increased risk of complications and can also delay the healing process.

Having a thorough consultation with a qualified surgeon is the only way to discover if the procedure is suitable for you. As with any cosmetic surgery procedure it is important to do your research so that you have a good knowledge of the risks and benefits associated with the procedure. Consult with a surgeon to find out more about whether you are a good candidate for liposuction.