Liposuction
Precision Liposuction 360 targets stubborn fat in the abdomen, waist and back to create balanced, sculpted contours.
Liposuction Performed with Precision and Surgical Expertise
Liposuction is one of the most effective procedures for removing localized fat that does not respond to diet and exercise. However, achieving smooth, natural-looking results requires more than simply removing fat.
At Balikian Plastic Surgery, board certified plastic surgeon Dr. Tyler Frew approaches liposuction as a comprehensive contouring procedure. Careful evaluation of fat distribution, skin quality and body proportions allows for precise sculpting while maintaining balanced transitions between treated and untreated areas.
Each treatment plan is customized to enhance your natural shape while avoiding irregularities or an overdone appearance. The goal is refined definition that looks proportional and natural.
Benefits of Liposuction
Liposuction is more than fat removal. It is a powerful body contouring procedure that reshapes key areas and restores confidence in your appearance.
Benefits include:
- Removal of stubborn fat resistant to diet and exercise
- Enhanced curves and improved body proportion
- More defined waistline and torso contour
- Minimal downtime compared to more extensive procedures
- Long-lasting contour improvements when weight remains stable
- Ability to combine with other procedures for more comprehensive results
When performed by an experienced surgeon, liposuction provides smooth, precise and natural-looking outcomes.
Liposuction 360
Liposuction 360 refers to circumferential contouring of the torso. Instead of treating a single area in isolation, this approach addresses the abdomen, flanks and back to improve overall balance.
By sculpting the waistline from all angles, Liposuction 360 creates a more defined silhouette and enhances natural curves. This comprehensive method often produces more harmonious results than treating the abdomen alone.
Liposuction 360 is commonly chosen by patients who desire:
- A narrower waistline
- Improved definition of the midsection
- Enhanced hourglass shape
- More balanced front-to-back contour
Treatment planning focuses on proportion and smooth contour transitions to avoid unevenness.
VASER Liposuction
VASER Liposuction uses ultrasound energy to assist in fat removal. The technology helps gently break down fat cells before suction, allowing for more controlled sculpting in select patients.
This approach may offer:
- Improved precision in contouring
- Enhanced definition in targeted area
- Smoother results in certain cases
VASER is not required for every patient. During consultation, Dr. Frew determines whether traditional liposuction or ultrasound-assisted liposuction is most appropriate based on your goals, anatomy and skin quality.
The technique is selected to support safety, precision and optimal contour.
Areas Commonly Treated with Liposuction
Liposuction is highly versatile and can be strategically performed on multiple areas of the body to improve proportion, refine contours, and enhance overall balance.
Liposuction can address multiple areas of the body, including:
- Abdomen
- Waist and flanks
- Lower back
- Hips
- Thighs
- Arms
- Submental area (under the chin)
Treatment areas are customized to match your body structure and aesthetic goals.
Liposuction Before and After
Recovery After Liposuction
Recovery varies depending on the number of areas treated and whether additional procedures are performed.
Most patients experience:
- Temporary swelling and bruising
- Mild to moderate discomfort
- Gradual improvement in contour as swelling resolves
Compression garments are typically worn to support healing and contour refinement. Light activity is encouraged early, while more strenuous exercise is resumed gradually.
Final contour results become more visible as swelling subsides over several weeks.
Enhanced Healing with Photobiomodulation
At Balikian Plastic Surgery, select patients may benefit from photobiomodulation therapy as part of the recovery process.
Photobiomodulation uses specific wavelengths of light to support cellular activity and promote tissue recovery. This noninvasive therapy is designed to help reduce inflammation, improve circulation and support more efficient healing after surgery.
When incorporated into postoperative care, photobiomodulation may help:
- Reduce swelling
- Support tissue recovery
- Improve overall comfort during healing
This therapy is used as part of a comprehensive recovery protocol designed to optimize safety, comfort and final contour results.
Who Is a Candidate for Liposuction?
Liposuction is designed for patients who are close to their ideal weight but struggle with localized areas of fat that do not respond to consistent diet and exercise. It is a contouring procedure, not a substitute for weight loss or lifestyle change.
You may be a good candidate if you:
- Are at or near your goal weight
- Have stubborn fat deposits that persist despite healthy habits
- Maintain good skin elasticity to support smooth contouring
- Are in overall good health and medically fit for surgery
- Have realistic expectations about body contouring results
Patients with significant skin laxity or large amounts of excess tissue may benefit more from procedures such as a tummy tuck or other body contouring surgery.
Why Patients Choose Dr. Frew for Liposuction
Dr. Tyler Frew is a board certified plastic surgeon specializing in breast and body contouring procedures. His approach to liposuction emphasizes precision, proportion and natural-looking results.
Rather than focusing solely on fat removal, Dr. Frew approaches liposuction as sculpting. Careful attention is given to smooth transitions between treated and untreated areas, preservation of natural contours and enhancement of each patient’s individual anatomy. This philosophy allows for refined results that look balanced from every angle.
Patients value Dr. Frew’s thoughtful and personalized care. He takes time to understand your goals, explain surgical options clearly and develop a customized plan tailored to your body structure and lifestyle. Whether treating a single area or performing comprehensive Liposuction 360, the focus remains on achieving harmonious, proportional outcomes.
Safety and communication are central to his practice. From consultation through recovery, patients receive detailed guidance and a structured plan designed to support optimal healing and long-term contour stability.
The result is liposuction that looks smooth, natural and lasting, designed not to change who you are but to refine and enhance your existing shape.
Liposuction FAQs
Is liposuction safe?
When performed by a qualified, board certified plastic surgeon in an accredited surgical facility, liposuction is considered a safe procedure for carefully selected patients. Large studies of thousands of patients report low overall complication rates, often around 1 to 2 percent, when modern tumescent techniques and appropriate monitoring are used.
At Balikian Plastic Surgery, liposuction is performed by Dr. Tyler Frew at our fully accredited Aria Surgery Center with a focus on safety, careful anesthesia planning and close postoperative follow up.
Does liposuction hurt?
You are kept comfortable during surgery with anesthesia, so you do not feel pain during the procedure. After liposuction, most patients describe soreness similar to an intense workout or muscle bruise in the treated areas. Discomfort typically improves over several days and is managed with medication, compression garments, and guided activity.
To support recovery, Dr. Frew also incorporates photobiomodulation light therapy, which has been shown in clinical studies to help reduce postoperative pain and swelling and to support tissue healing.
What is tumescent liposuction?
Tumescent liposuction is the modern standard technique for most liposuction procedures. A special fluid containing dilute local anesthetic and epinephrine is infused into the fat layer before fat removal. This helps minimize bleeding, reduce discomfort, and improve precision when sculpting.
Multiple safety reviews and national surveys have shown that tumescent liposuction has a very low rate of serious complications when performed correctly, and that the tumescent technique enhances the safety of both standard and large-volume liposuction.
Is liposuction a weight loss procedure?
Liposuction is not a weight loss surgery. It is best for reshaping and contouring areas of stubborn fat that do not respond to diet and exercise. The number on the scale usually changes only slightly, but the visual improvement in body contour, clothing fit and proportions can be significant.
How much fat can be safely removed with liposuction?
Liposuction is designed around safe volume limits that are tailored to your health, body mass index and surgical plan. Large studies of liposuction patients show that complication rates increase as aspirated volume and procedure length increase, which is why surgeons individualize limits and may recommend staging treatment if needed.
Will liposuction tighten loose skin?
Liposuction removes excess fat but does not directly tighten loose or stretched skin. Patients with good skin elasticity often see the skin contract nicely around their new contour. If there is significant laxity, stretch marks, or overhanging skin, Dr. Frew may recommend combining liposuction with a skin tightening procedure, such as a tummy tuck, arm lift, or thigh lift, for smoother, more complete results.
How long do liposuction results last? Can the fat come back?
Liposuction permanently removes fat cells from the treated areas. Those specific cells do not grow back. However, remaining fat cells in the body can still enlarge if you gain weight. Maintaining a stable weight with healthy nutrition and regular activity helps preserve your liposuction results long term.
Most patients who maintain their weight enjoy long lasting improvements in contour and proportion many years after surgery.
What are the most common risks and complications of liposuction?
The most common minor issues after liposuction include temporary swelling, bruising, numbness and contour irregularities such as mild asymmetry or unevenness. These often improve as healing progresses, and many can be minimized with careful technique, compression, and follow up.
Large reviews of liposuction cases show that serious complications, such as blood clots, infection, fluid shifts, or fat embolism, are rare when the procedure is performed by trained surgeons in appropriate settings with modern tumescent techniques.
Dr. Frew will review your individual risk profile, medical history, and safety plan during your consultation so you understand how risks are reduced in your case.
How long does it take to recover from liposuction?
Most patients return to light daily activities within a few days and to office work within about a week, depending on how many areas are treated and the type of work they do. Swelling and bruising gradually improve over several weeks. You can usually resume light exercise within two to three weeks, and more strenuous activity after about four to six weeks, with guidance from Dr. Frew.
Photobiomodulation light therapy is used in the practice to support faster reduction of swelling and discomfort and to encourage efficient healing, which can make the early recovery period feel smoother for many patients.
Most patients see their new shape taking form by six to twelve weeks, with final results typically visible by three to six months as tissues fully settle.
When will I see results after liposuction?
You will notice some changes as early swelling begins to subside in the first few weeks. However, it is normal for swelling to fluctuate for several months. The most accurate representation of your liposuction results is usually seen between three and six months after surgery, once the tissues have healed and the contour has stabilized.
Am I a good candidate for liposuction?
Good candidates for liposuction are:
- At or near a stable goal weight
- In good general health without uncontrolled medical conditions
- Nonsmokers or willing to stop smoking before and after surgery
- Bothered by specific areas of diet- and exercise-resistant fat
- Able to commit to healthy habits that maintain results
During your consultation, Dr. Frew will evaluate your skin quality, fat distribution, medical history and goals to determine whether liposuction, Liposuction 360, or a combination approach is right for you.
Can liposuction be combined with other procedures?
Yes. Liposuction is often combined with other body contouring procedures to enhance overall results. Common combinations include:
- Liposuction with tummy tuck
- Liposuction as part of a Mommy Makeover
- Liposuction with breast surgery
- Liposuction with fat transfer to areas such as the hips or buttocks
Combining procedures can create more balanced, comprehensive improvement while allowing for a single recovery period, when appropriate for your health and goals.
What is the best age for liposuction?
There is no “perfect” age for liposuction, but most patients are between their 20s and 50s. The most important factors are good skin elasticity, overall health, and having realistic expectations.
Younger patients often see smoother results because their skin contracts more easily, while older patients may benefit from combining liposuction with skin-tightening or lifting procedures.
Elite Surgical Skill in Breast & Body Aesthetics
Dr. Tyler Frew is a board-certified plastic and reconstructive surgeon specializing in aesthetic surgery of the breast and body.
He is known for delivering natural-looking results through advanced techniques in breast enhancement, tummy tuck, liposuction, and mommy makeover procedures.
Dr. Frew combines surgical expertise with compassionate, patient-focused care, helping each individual restore confidence and achieve their personal aesthetic goals.
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The Balikian Experience
Patients trust Dr. Tyler Frew for his warm, personalized approach, advanced surgical techniques and results that look natural and refined.
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Richard V. Balikian, MD, FACS
Double Board-Certified Facial Plastic Surgeon
Balikian Facial Plastic Surgery: Richard V. Balikian, MD, FACS
Tyler Frew, MD
Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon