Liposuction is a common procedure in plastic surgery and is used remove stubborn areas of excess fat that do not respond well to diet and exercise.

In Asian patients, the arms and the waist area have a strong tendency to collect fat. Other areas where liposuction may prove useful in the Asian patient include the inner and outer thighs, the calves, and the back.

Many Asian patients seeking liposuction are comparatively young and more interested in localized fat deposits. Because they require smaller volume fat removal, liposuction under local anesthesia can be accomplished using the tumescent technique.

A mixture of local anesthetic, adrenaline, and saline is injected to numb the skin and constrict blood vessels. While it may take longer to treat a given area, the tumescent technique is safer, more precise, and allows for a more rapid recovery.

The increased scarring tendency in Asian patients can complicate the outcome and so liposuction is used more cautiously than in the non-Asian patient.

Be aware that liposuction is not a weight loss operation and may cause inadvertent and uncontrollable fat redistribution. A recent study demonstrated that even a small amount of fat suctioned from the hips will return to the adbominal region within one year. Body fat will always "defend itself" and attempt to restore quickly, even if it must do so at a different location unscarred by previous lipo-surgery.