Liposuction

Liposuction is a surgical body-contouring procedure performed to remove unwanted fat from various areas of the body – think “love handles”, “belly fat”, “double chin”. Sometimes, certain areas of the body remain stubbornly unresponsive to lifestyle changes like dieting and exercise. This can be frustrating, and resistant deposits of accumulated fat can hide the physique that you have been working so hard to achieve. Liposuction offers a safe and effective solution to achieve a more refined figure, enhancing both your confidence and your curves!

Dr. Daniel Brown is a board-certified plastic surgeon with more than 20 years of experience. With over 15,000 procedures performed, he brings a high level of skill to patients in San Diego and beyond, helping achieve stunning, yet natural-looking results.

To schedule your consultation and learn more about how you can benefit from liposuction, please contact us online or call (619) 461-1500 to reach our Carmel Valley or La Jolla location.

Before and After Photos

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About Liposuction

Liposuction is a procedure that sculpts the body by breaking down fat deposits and removing them from the body using a thin tube, or cannula. ⁽¹⁾ This procedure is highly popular—it was the most performed surgical cosmetic procedure in the country in 2024, with over 345,000 procedures performed that year alone. ⁽²⁾

Liposuction can effectively contour almost any part of the body where there is fat, including the:

Benefits

Liposuction can provide numerous benefits, including:

Candidates

Ideal candidates for liposuction include anyone with unwanted fat that remains resistant to lifestyle changes. Liposuction is a body-contouring procedure and not a weight loss treatment, but can kick-start additional weight loss if you’ve reached a plateau in your weight loss journey. Patients should be within 10% of their desired ideal body weight and have approximately achieved a stable and maintainable weight that they are comfortable with. It is also important that candidates have good skin elasticity, because this will allow the skin to retract after volume loss.

All patients interested in liposuction should be in good general health and hold realistic expectations for their results. Patients should either be nonsmokers or prepared to quit long before their procedure. ⁽¹⁾

Personal Consultation

Before undergoing a liposuction procedure, you will need to attend a personal consultation. During your consultation, you will meet with Dr. Brown one-on-one to discuss what liposuction entails. He will converse with you to learn more about your medical history, current prescriptions, areas of concern, and your desired results.

After all of the required information is collected, Dr. Brown will start creating your treatment plan. He will recommend the best variation of liposuction to help you attain your ideal figure, and may suggest additional procedures that could enhance your goals. Each aspect of your treatment plan will be tailored around your anatomy and ideal appearance, ensuring natural-looking results that align with your expectations.

To schedule this consultation and receive your tailored treatment plan, please contact us online or call our Carmel Valley or La Jolla locations at (619) 461-1500.

Preparation

Proper preparation is essential for a successful liposuction procedure. Dr. Brown or a member of his team will provide you with a set of instructions beforehand.

Generally speaking, you will be advised to stop taking certain medications or supplements that may thin the blood. Smoking should be fully ceased several weeks in advance, and alcohol consumption should be avoided several days before the procedure. You will also need to arrange for transportation home from your appointment and take time away from work and other commitments.

Procedure

Depending on the size and location of your treatment area, you will receive either general or local anesthesia. Dr. Brown will make small incisions in the treatment area to inject a tumescent solution composed of epinephrine, a local anesthetic, and saline. This solution helps minimize bleeding, further numbs the area, and swells the fat cells, making them easier to remove. ⁽³⁾ He will then perform one of four different liposuction techniques. These include suction-assisted liposuction, power-assisted liposuction, laser-assisted liposuction, or ultrasound-assisted liposuction.

Suction-Assisted Liposuction

Suction-assisted liposuction, also known as tumescent liposuction, is considered the traditional, gold-standard method. After the tumescent solution has been injected into the treatment area, Dr. Brown will insert a thin cannula into the incisions. He will manually move the cannula back and forth to break up stubborn fat deposits. He will then suction out the fat cells, leaving you with smoother, more defined contours.

Power-Assisted Liposuction

Power-assisted liposuction features a device that connects to the cannula, allowing targeted oscillations and vibrations to emulsify and more easily remove the fat cells. This allows them to be suctioned out with less suction pressure and more quickly, resulting in a more comfortable and shorter procedure.

Laser-Assisted Liposuction

Laser-assisted liposuction, also known as SmartLipo, utilizes low-wavelength lasers to break down and liquefy fat before it is removed from the body. The laser technology makes the fat easier to remove and offers the quickest recovery time out of each liposuction variation. SmartLipo may also promote the production of collagen, a key protein in maintaining the elasticity and firmness of the skin. This can tighten the skin, helping it conform to your new contours.

Ultrasound-Assisted Liposuction

Ultrasound-assisted liposuction, also known as VASER (Vibration Amplification of Sound Energy at Resonance) Hi-Def Lipo, gently separates fat cells from the surrounding support tissue utilizing ultrasound energy. When the cannula is inserted into the treatment area, the energy expands and shrinks the air bubbles caused by the tumescent fluid. This liquifies the fat cells surrounding the bubbles so that they can be more easily suctioned out of the body, causing minimal bruising and swelling.

Radio-Frequency/Plasma-Assisted (Renuvion/J-Plasma) Liposuction

Renuvion, also referred to as J-Plasma, is an advanced skin-tightening treatment that Dr. Brown often uses as an additive therapeutic to address loose or sagging skin that can be an issue after liposuction. This treatment combines both helium gas and radiofrequency energy, which ionizes the helium and converts it into plasma. ⁽⁴⁾ These dual energies are utilized to super-heat the skin and underlying connective tissues in the treatment area, and depending on a patient’s unique rate of response, causing them to contract, while also stimulating future collagen production for tighter, smoother, thicker skin.

Recovery

Liposuction procedures are performed on an outpatient basis, so you will be released home on the same day as your appointment to start your recovery. Dr. Brown will provide you with a compression garment, which should be worn at all times outside of the shower. This garment will reduce swelling, as well as support the body’s new curves.

Most patients typically return to work within 3 to 5 days, with light activities being resumed within 10 to 14 days. However, you will need to continue avoiding high-impact or very strenuous activities for several more weeks.

Results

As you continue to heal, the results of your procedure will become more apparent. You will be able to enjoy more defined and sculpted contours, as well as an improvement in the way your clothes fit. Many patients also report feeling more confident about their appearance.

The results of liposuction are designed to be long-lasting. However, it is important to maintain a healthy lifestyle, as weight fluctuations could impact your results.

Cost of Liposuction in San Diego and La Jolla

The price of each procedure will vary, as each treatment plan is designed around your unique goals. Our team considers many factors, including the number of treatment areas, the size of each treatment area, the liposuction techniques used, anesthesia fees, whether any additional procedures were performed, and more. After your treatment plan has been developed, Dr. Brown will be able to provide you with an estimated cost.

Dr. Brown also offers financing options to help you attain your goals more easily, and our patient coordinators are more than happy to help you navigate these options.

Schedule a consultation today to explore your liposuction possibilities. If you have any questions or prefer to schedule over the phone, please call our Carmel Valley or La Jolla offices at (619) 461-1500.

FAQ

References

1. Bartow MJ, Raggio BS. Liposuction. Nih.gov. Published February 14, 2023. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK563135/#article-112503.s4
2. American Society of Plastic Surgeons. 2024 Plastic Surgery Statistics. American Society of Plastic Surgeons. Published June 2025. https://www.plasticsurgery.org/documents/news/statistics/2024/plastic-surgery-statistics-report-2024.pdf
3. Shridharani SM, Wang HD, Singh NK. Liposuction. Eplasty. 2013;13:ic4. Accessed August 12, 2025. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3552605/
4. Driscoll CR, Davidson AL, Marturano MN, Kortesis BG, Gaurav Bharti. Expansion of Renuvion Application to Areas Beyond the Submental Region: Review and Experience. Aesthetic Surgery Journal Open Forum. 2024;6. doi:https://doi.org/10.1093/asjof/ojae041