This procedure can last from an hour to five hours. Abdominal liposuction usually take longer, due to safety concerns. This type of surgery cannot be done on just anyone.

Typically, the patient must be over the age of 16 years and cannot be mildly overweight. The best results are from people who are close to their ideal body weight. Dr. Carlos Imperial Lasa Jr., a surgeon that frequently has performed liposuction, states that, "a patient whose primary desire is to lose weight may not need liposuction, since the most you can lose is five pounds."

The procedure works only for localized fat that is resistant to exercise and may take years to remove." From the patient's point of view, this operation can be very frightening. Maggie Spliner describes her operation:

"After a few minutes, he pushed the 'sucking instrument' through the central cut under my chin and began raking out the fat. It felt as though my neck were a block of wood, and he was shaving it off with a file. I could feel lots of pressure, and I knew where the tool was at all times, but no pain-- except for a pinch when he reached the edge of the numbed area. I kept my eyes tightly shut for the whole procedure."

This procedure does have its drawbacks. The first week after the surgery, the patient is only allowed to walk. A pricking sensation typically lasts from three to four weeks, and in some cases this may take three months. It can be cured with painkillers, massages and ultrasound therapy. Other risks include infection, blood clots, inflammation, organ perforation, bleeding and swelling.