Dr Brooks provides liposuction with most of his abdominoplasty techniques but also provides it as an individual service.

Liposuction is a cosmetic surgical procedure designed to remove stubborn pockets of fat from various areas of the body. From a patient’s perspective, liposuction is often considered when diet and exercise alone have failed to eliminate certain areas of localised fat deposits. 

Additionally it is used in the treatment of lipoedema to remove pockets of painful fat from the body. Lipoedema is an area of interest for Dr Brooks and he has extensive experience in treating it. (See Lipoedema)

The procedure

Depending on the extent of the area, we use general anaesthesia, sedation with local anaesthesia, or local anaesthesia. In healthy patients, liposuction liposculpture is a day procedure, but when removing large amounts of fat (more than 5000cc) from patients, we keep them overnight in hospital for observation and pain relief. We use a local anaesthetic in all cases; it wears off in 4-6 hours, so you will need pain medication for 24-48 hours.

A number of small incisions are made, usually in skin folds, and these are typically well hidden when healed. Fat is removed by first inserting a small, hollow tube, called a cannula, which is connected by tubing to a vacuum pressure unit. The unwanted fat is then removed and the area sculptured to the desired contour.

What will it do?

Liposuction is invasive surgery that aims to improve the body’s contours and proportion by removing localised and disproportional deposits of fat. Liposuction can remove up to 5 litres of fat with relative safety during one session. Depending on the number of areas that require treatment, repeated treatments may be necessary.

Dr Brooks uses a specific technique called Water-Jet Assisted Liposuction (WAL) which is considered the gold standard of liposuction. He is one of the only Surgeons in WA that specialises in this technique.

WAL is a highly specialised technique used frequently in the treatment of Lipedema. Unlike conventional liposuction methods, during the WAL procedure, fat is gently detached from the tissue structure by a flat, fan-shaped water-jet, and then aspirated. The surrounding lymphatics, connective tissue, nerves, and blood vessels remain much less traumatised which is important for every patient but especially important in the treatment of Lipoedema.

Is it right for me?

Liposuction is an individualised procedure and may not be suitable for everyone. Always talk to your Specialist Plastic Surgeon before making a decision. Dr Brooks will assess your condition and general health, and plan the treatment that is best suited to you.

Liposuction may be suitable for you if:

• You are physically healthy and at a stable weight

• You have realistic expectations

• You are a non-smoker or have stopped smoking

• You have bulges that persist despite a healthy diet and exercise

Liposuction is most likely to be successful for healthy weight people with firm, elastic skin who have pockets of excess fat in certain areas. Although age is not a significant concern, older people may have less skin elasticity and may not achieve the same results as a younger person with tighter skin.

Can I have fat grafting at the same time?

Fat grafting to the breasts can be performed with concurrently with most liposuction procedures however it relies on a few factors:

• The procedure must be being done in hospital
• Having sufficient fat to process to utilise for fat grafting
• Associated costs with increased theatre time for fat grafting 
• Use of more compression garments for the breasts in addition to the areas receiving liposuction

More details can be found on our website under Breast reconstruction with fat graft