Leg Liposuction: How It Works

Leg liposuction is one of the most requested body contouring procedures, and autumn and winter are the best time of year to have it done.

Why? Because in those months you can spend the first weeks after surgery in warmer clothing — trousers, thick tights — without direct sun on the area. The cooler weather also makes the recovery more comfortable.

How is leg liposuction performed?

Leg liposuction removes the superficial fat deposits on the legs and buttocks. Several techniques exist, differing in how the fat is broken down or liquefied before it is removed.

Each part of the leg needs a different approach. The skin is not the same from one area to the next, and neither is the anatomy underneath: veins and arteries, bone, muscle. That is why this is not a procedure to have done by someone treating the leg as a single block.

The removal is normally combined with contouring during the same operation, performed by the surgeon. That is what turns fat removal into a shape you actually want.

Which areas can be treated?

A full leg and buttock liposuction covers a lot of ground: thighs, knees and ankles, along with the buttocks. It can be done area by area — buttocks alone, or thighs alone — but treating the whole unit usually gives a more harmonious result.

Whether a single area makes sense in your case is exactly the kind of thing to settle in consultation.

Recovery and results

The first 72 hours after surgery require complete rest. That is not optional; it is part of getting a good result.

Between the second and fourth week, no intense physical exercise. Altered sensation in the treated areas can last several weeks and then settles.

It takes a little patience, and it is worth it. At our clinic the post-operative period gets real attention: scheduled checks, and clear instructions so you know exactly what you can do yourself to speed things along.

When is a leg lift needed instead?

If the problem is excess skin rather than fat, the answer is a leg lift, not a liposuction. In selected cases it can follow a leg liposuction, but it is most commonly performed after major weight loss or bariatric surgery.

Dr. María Lourdes Yagües assesses and operates personally at her clinic in Málaga. Consultations are available in English.