Source : http://health.asiaone.com/Health/Men%2527s%2BMatters/Story/A1Story20100118-192628.html

Liposuction is a procedure where a body is sculpted by removing excess fat. The areas targeted include the arms, abdomen, buttocks, thighs and calves.

Cost starts at $2,000 when it is done by general practitioners and $4,000 when it is done by plastic surgeons.

Patients also have to pay for pre-operative tests, post-operative compression garments, antibiotics and other drugs.

The use of operating theatre facilities and anaesthetists’ fees add $3,500 on average.

There are at least four types of liposuction available.

Traditional suction-assisted liposuction

This involves a doctor using a cannula to poke the fat cells until the fat breaks into little modules that can then be sucked out.

Vaser liposelection

This is currently the most popular form of liposuction here. The same ultrasound used to scan babies is used to dissolve the fat before sucking it out.

Smartlipo

This is a form of laser-assisted liposuction which melts the fat. It is normally used for smaller areas like the chin.

Waterjet liposuction

High water pressure is used to dislodge fat cells before they are sucked out. The water spray delivers anaesthesia directly to the targeted area.

This article was first published in The Sunday Times.