In the quest for a well-shaped, trim body, a good diet and proper exercise are the main methods most people use to achieve their goals. Unfortunately, heredity and other factors mean that stubborn fat deposits often linger in some areas of the body and don’t respond to diet and exercise. Arms, thighs, abdomen, buttocks, hips, knees, calves, and ankles are common areas where these stubborn pockets of fat occur. In many cases, liposuction procedures can help remove that excess fat and normalize body contours.
At McCue Plastic Surgery, Dr. Jonathan McCue provides personalized liposuction treatments designed to help patients achieve smoother, more refined body contours. Serving patients throughout Minneapolis and St. Paul, Dr. McCue combines advanced surgical training with a patient-centered approach to deliver natural-looking results tailored to each individual’s goals.
What is Liposuction?
Liposuction, or surgical fat removal, is today’s number one cosmetic procedure. The goal of liposuction is to create a slimmer, more contoured appearance.
It can be a highly effective way to shape and sculpt the parts of your body that don’t respond to diet and exercise, so liposuction is often referred to as a body sculpting technique.
At McCue Plastic Surgery in Plymouth, MN, our board-certified plastic surgeon, Dr. Jonathan McCue, is known as a body sculpting specialist in the Minneapolis-St. Paul metro area. His expertise in body-contouring procedures ensures that patients can work toward their body goals and feel great about their results.
How Does Liposuction Work?
In liposuction, Dr. McCue creates tiny incisions in the treatment area and uses gentle suction technology to remove excess fat through a thin, hollow tube (a cannula.) The surgery, often performed on an outpatient basis, usually takes one to three hours.
What Areas Can Liposuction Treat?
Liposuction is highly adaptable because the cannulas used are very small. It can target many areas, including:
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Abdomen
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Waist
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Thighs
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Hips
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Upper Arms
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Back
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Flanks (“Love Handles”)
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Chin
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Neck
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Buttocks
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Knees
Many patients treat multiple areas in the same session for comprehensive results. For example, if you’re having liposuction for a double chin, removing fat from the neck area often makes sense for a streamlined, smooth contour.
Candidates for Liposuction
Liposuction is not a substitute for diet and exercise or a treatment for obesity. It is used to remove excess fat from specific areas that are not responding to diet and exercise. Often used alone, it is also used in conjunction with other plastic surgery techniques, such as abdominoplasty, breast reduction surgery, and other procedures.
If you have troublesome fat deposits, and you want to improve your body contours and make a noticeable change in your appearance, liposuction may be a good choice for you, if you:
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Are in good general health.
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Are concerned about stubborn fat deposits despite diet and exercise.
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Have minimal excess skin in the affected areas.
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Have skin with sufficient elasticity.
A Liposuction Consultation with Dr. McCue
If you think liposuction may be the answer to your persistent fat deposits, a personal consultation with Dr. McCue can provide the answers and information you need. During the consultation, Dr. McCue will ask you about your current health and medical history, and will discuss your current medications, diet, and exercise.
He will ask you to show him the areas where you want improvements in your body contour and what results you hope to achieve. After this discussion, he will assess your skin elasticity and other factors and then make recommendations for a course of treatment. Dr. McCue will be happy to answer any questions you may have and explain what results you can expect if you proceed with the procedure. He’ll explain how the procedures will be done and inform you of the risks and benefits of the surgery.
Your Liposuction Procedure
Once you’ve made the decision to undergo liposuction, the procedure will be scheduled, and a Twin Cities location for the surgery will be selected. You’ll be provided with complete pre-operative information and instructions. Liposuction procedures are done under anesthesia, and your plastic surgeon will recommend the best type of anesthesia for your surgery.
If your liposuction is done as a standalone procedure, small incisions will be made, and a tube called a cannula is moved back and forth to loosen and break up fat deposits, usually after a sterile liquid is infused. Then, the excess fat is sucked out through the cannula and removed from the body. If multiple areas are to be treated, the process is repeated. In some cases, liposuction is performed alongside other surgical procedures, such as abdominoplasty.
Recovering from Liposuction
In most cases, liposuction is done on an outpatient basis, and you’ll return home the same day you have the surgery. In other cases, you may have an overnight stay in the hospital. After the surgery, you’ll rest in a recovery room for a time if you are going home. You must have someone at the surgery location to take you home.
For a few days after surgery, rest is important. You may be given medication or prescriptions to reduce the risk of infection and relieve discomfort. Your surgeon will give you complete instructions about things to watch for and when you can resume normal activities.
Follow-up visits will be scheduled to remove any stitches and check your progress. You may experience some swelling and bruising, but these will disappear over time. Once they disappear, you’ll be able to see the full effects of your procedure. Typically, liposuction results are permanent, although subsequent weight gain may alter them.
Why Choose McCue Plastic Surgery for Liposuction
At McCue Plastic Surgery, liposuction is carefully customized to help each patient achieve balanced, natural-looking body contours that complement their overall shape and goals. Dr. Jonathan McCue is a board-certified plastic surgeon with extensive training in cosmetic surgery and a strong commitment to personalized patient care, allowing him to create treatment plans tailored to each individual’s anatomy and desired outcome.
Dr. McCue believes in honest communication, evidence-based treatment recommendations, and thorough patient education throughout the surgical process. Patients throughout Minneapolis and St. Paul choose McCue Plastic Surgery for compassionate care, meticulous attention to detail, and results designed to enhance confidence while maintaining a natural appearance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Liposuction is a surgical fat-removal technique, while nonsurgical options like CoolSculpting destroy fat cells using heat or cold. Liposuction provides immediate, dramatic results, whereas nonsurgical treatments require multiple sessions and offer gradual fat reduction over months. Nonsurgical options can generally remove only a fraction of the fat that liposuction can remove.
Anesthesia depends on the size of the treatment area and your individual needs. Local anesthesia may be possible for smaller treatment areas, but most liposuction procedures involve regional or general anesthesia. Dr. McCue tailors anesthesia choices based on the extent of the procedure and patient preference.
Love Your Slim, Contoured Body with Liposuction in Minneapolis, MN
For expert liposuction procedures from the foremost body sculpting specialist in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area, contact Dr. Jonathan McCue at McCue Plastic Surgery at (952) 830-0089 to schedule a consultation.
