Liposuction

West Houston Plastic Surgery offers liposuction (lipoplasty) across a broad range of body zones — abdomen, hips, flanks, buttocks, thighs, calves, ankles, back, arms, neck, and chest — using suction-assisted, power-assisted, ultrasound-assisted, and laser-assisted techniques tailored to each area and patient anatomy. Liposuction is a body-contouring procedure that selectively removes localised fat deposits resistant to diet and exercise, not a weight-loss treatment. The procedure is performed in the clinic's on-site AAAASF-accredited surgical suite under IV sedation with local anaesthesia, allowing same-day discharge for most patients.

Liposuction at West Houston Plastic Surgery is a precision body-sculpting procedure aimed at permanently removing localised deposits of subcutaneous fat that do not respond to changes in diet or exercise habits. Dr. Alfonso Barrera and Dr. Eric Ruff — whose specialty interest is aesthetic body contouring — use multiple lipoplasty techniques to achieve smooth, proportionate results across a wide variety of anatomical zones. The foundational technique is suction-assisted liposuction (SAL): a small cannula connected to a vacuum system is inserted through a discreet 3–5 mm incision and moved in controlled passes through the fat layer to break apart and aspirate adipocytes. Power-assisted liposuction (PAL) uses a mechanically reciprocating cannula that reduces the physical effort required for dense or fibrous fat areas and may allow for more precise feathering at treatment borders. Ultrasound-assisted liposuction (UAL) first emulsifies fat cells using ultrasonic energy delivered through a specialised probe before conventional aspiration, and is particularly effective in fibrous zones such as the male chest, upper back, and previously treated areas. Laser-assisted liposuction (LAL) uses laser energy to liquefy fat and may also stimulate mild skin contraction, which can be beneficial in areas where some skin tightening is desirable alongside volume reduction. Treatable areas at West Houston Plastic Surgery include the abdomen, flanks and love handles, hips, buttocks, inner and outer thighs, knee region, calves and ankles, upper arms, chest (including gynecomastia), back, and submental and neck areas. Multiple zones may be addressed in a single session depending on the total volume and patient safety parameters. For male patients with gynecomastia (excess breast tissue), liposuction alone or in combination with glandular excision may be performed in the same setting. All liposuction procedures are performed in the practice's AAAASF-accredited in-office ambulatory surgical suite under IV sedation with local tumescent anaesthesia, which saturates the target fat layer with saline, epinephrine, and lidocaine before aspiration. The tumescent technique reduces intraoperative bleeding, improves cannula movement, and extends post-operative analgesia. Exparel is added for sustained comfort. Most patients are discharged the same day and are fitted with a compression garment to manage post-operative swelling and support the tissue as it conforms to its new contour. Final results are typically visible at three to six months once swelling fully subsides. Houston patients are encouraged to be at a stable weight before pursuing liposuction; while removed fat cells do not return, remaining adipocytes in the treated zone can expand with weight gain after the procedure.