Though many methods of body contouring such as body wraps, creams, and massaging treatments have been promoted over the years, the only method known to be permanently effective is liposuction.

Adults have a certain number of fat cells, and this number never changes, although each cell can increase in size if you gain weight, making the body larger.

The lumps and ripples that are sometimes observed on the thighs, hips, or buttocks are commonly referred to as 'cellulite'. Despite popular belief, cellulite is not a unique substance, but merely ordinary body fat that's trapped between connective tissue and the skin.

Liposuction is probably the most common cosmetic surgery today, and the procedure is considered quite safe when performed on healthy patients according to certain guidelines.

There are many factors to keep in mind if you're considering liposuction, and it's important to realize the limitations of the procedure. Liposuction is best-suited for treating resistant pockets of fat in people of average or near-average weight with taut, resilient skin.

When treating the arms, liposuction is often used to remove excess fat on the underside of the upper arm, which can cause a sagging appearance. As with all liposuction procedures, treatment usually works best on those with isolated pockets of fat and good skin tone.

Because men tend to have thicker, more elastic skin and firmer deposits of fat than women, liposuction can be especially effective. While the methods are generally the same, operations performed on men may use a larger cannula (KAN-yuh-luh) to remove their typically greater amounts of fat.

As people age, it's common to develop deposits of fat in the neck and chin area, which change the once youthful contour. If you have taut, elastic skin in this region, liposuction may be able to re-sculpt the jaw line.

The stomach, hips, and thighs are the most commonly treated areas in liposuction, and generally respond well to the procedure. These regions tend to store fat efficiently, even in many people of otherwise normal weight.

The buttocks are typically resistant to weight loss, making them a popular site for liposuction. In most cases, the technique can be quite effective there.

For traditional liposuction, unwanted fat is removed using a blunt tube with one or more holes at the end. Using a high vacuum, fat is drawn into the tube.

Liposuction (LYE-poe-suc-shun) is a procedure in which fat deposits are suctioned from the body using a small, hollow wand called a cannula (CAN-you-luh).

There are several variations on liposuction surgery, which include 'wet' techniques that introduce fluids into the tissue before the operation, and those that use high-frequency sound waves to help break up fat.