Fill in this form to receive a plastic surgery consultation. Your consultation is FREE when you schedule a surgery! Or call us at
1-800-517-7966
Guaranteed Financing* For As Little As $99 Down**
LOCATE A SURGEON
In liposuction, a thin tube-like medical instrument, called a cannula, and a vacuum machine are used to remove pockets of fat that have remained despite dieting and exercise. Liposuction for men can basically be performed on any part of a man’s body where there are pockets of excess fat he wants to have removed.
Men and women tend to store fat in different areas of the body. The apple-shaped body type is referred to as "android." These are the people who carry their excess fat on the chest and stomach. The pear-shaped body type is referred to as "gynoid," and these are the people who carry their excess fat in the hips and thighs. Although this is a rule of thumb that has a lot of exceptions, men tend to have android body types and women tend to have gynoid body types.
Because of their android body shapes, men who have liposuction will typically have it done on their torso: their abdomen, waist and back. Liposuction may be a good idea for you if you have a “spare tire” of body fat around your waist that has remained no matter how hard you have dieted or exercised.
Abdominal and Intra-Abdominal Fat Removal
Although many men undergo liposuction to remove excess abdominal fat, it is important to note that the fat removed is not intra-abdominal fat, also known as visceral fat. This is fat that is within the abdominal cavity and around the abdominal organs and not directly under the skin. Liposuction can safely remove fat that is under the skin, but not fat in the abdominal cavity, where some men with proverbial “beer bellies” have their fat. The risk of nerve damage, blood loss and punctured organs is too great when liposuction is used to remove visceral fat.
Most Common Male Liposuction Areas
Some men have excess fat or breast tissue on their upper chest. This is a condition called gynecomastia. It can be very embarrassing to be a man with breasts. Men with gynecomastia can benefit from liposuction to remove this tissue. Some men with the condition may need surgery to remove excess breast tissue in addition to liposuction. A cosmetic surgeon can give advice on this.
Some men store excess fat on the pubic mound, a pad of fat over the pubic bone at the bottom of the abdomen. This pad of fat may hide the lower penis shaft, in effect shortening the penis. It can also be unattractive. Liposuction can remove this area of fat, thereby making the penis appear larger.
For some men, excess fat around the neck and under the chin can make them look weak-chinned or as if they have no neck. Fat in this area can also make you appear heavier than you actually are. Liposuction around the neck and under the chin can be combined with other facial procedures, such as a face lift or a neck lift to improve your appearance and remove excess skin that can make you look older.
Some men are left with a great deal of excess skin when they have lost a great deal of weight or after weight-loss (bariatric) surgery, such as stomach stapling. If this is you, in addition to liposuction, you can also opt for a brachioplasty, or arm lift, a procedure designed to make the arm appear more slender, or a tummy tuck, which can create a more slender waistline. Both procedures can remove folds of excess skin and other tissue and contour your body.
You must understand that liposuction should not be used for weight loss. Liposuction should be reserved for removing pockets of fat that have stubbornly resisted diet and exercise programs. The standard guideline is that you should be within 20% of your ideal weight before you should consider liposuction.
There are several different techniques used in performing a liposuction procedure. The most widely used techniques include dry, tumescent, super-wet, ultrasound-assisted liposuction, and power-assisted liposuction. Because liposuction for both men and women is a thriving area of cosmetic surgery, there are always new techniques and treatment methods being developed. For more information about specific liposuction techniques, go to Liposuction.
About 9% of all people who underwent cosmetic surgery in 2006 are men, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS). Liposuction was the third most common cosmetic procedure sought by men, behind only surgery on the eyelids and nose reshaping. About 35,000 men had liposuction in 2006.
Am I a Candidate for Male Liposuction?
Determining whether or not you are a good candidate for liposuction, or any cosmetic surgery, is a complicated process. First, you must be in good overall health and free of any active diseases or conditions that could make the surgery or recovery difficult. Conditions such as diabetes, heart problems, asthma, or allergies, among others, can raise your risk of surgical complications. Make sure your surgeon has a complete medical history for you and tell him or her all medications you take, including vitamin supplements and herbal remedies.
To be a good candidate for male liposuction, you should also have skin that is elastic enough to heal properly after the procedure and shrink to fit your new form.
You must also be healthy mentally and emotionally. Recovery from liposuction can be difficult and slow and requires a great deal of patience and mental stability. Some men go through a period of depression after surgery and this temporary depression can worsen any pre-existing mental illness.
You also need to have realistic expectations before committing to a liposuction procedure. Liposuction can make you look better and give you a boost in self-confidence based on your new appearance. It cannot change anything else in your life.
Before surgery, you should discuss how you want to look with your surgeon to ensure that your goals can be achieved through liposuction. You and your surgeon can examine before-and-after pictures of men who have had liposuction. Make sure you and your surgeon agree on how you will look after surgery. You can also watch a liposuction video to ensure that you completely understand the procedure.
Liposuction can be performed in a surgeon’s office, a freestanding surgical clinic or in a hospital.
Medical insurance will not cover any costs associated with liposuction. You will be responsible for the costs of the liposuction surgery. Financing can be arranged.
Contraindications of Liposuction for Men
Although there are many benefits to liposuction, the procedure is not right for every man. Patients taking the following medications or with the following disorders may not be good candidates for liposuction:
