How Liposuction Can Reshape Your Legs

Men and women who have successfully dieted and exercised but still have pockets of fat are the ideal candidates for liposuction. This minor surgical technique literally sucks or dissolves fat from areas such as your belly, neck, upper arms, and buttocks. Your legs are another area that can be completely reshaped with liposuction techniques.

At The Aesthetic Surgery Center in New York City’s Upper East Side, board-certified aesthetic and plastic surgeon Elliot H. Rose, MD offers skilled liposuction to men and women to slim the inner and outer thighs, the lower buttocks (banana rolls), the area above the knees, and the calves.

Our team shares how you can get slimmer legs and a more contoured physique with liposuction.

The details on liposuction

At The Aesthetic Surgery Center, Dr. Rose performs liposuction using tiny incisions made in discrete areas, so they’re well-concealed. He inserts a hollow tube, known as a cannula, into these incisions and uses a vacuum device to extract unwanted fat.

During a consultation before your surgery, you and Dr. Rose determine exactly where the problem areas are on your legs and the line of treatment that will get you the shape you desire. He uses computer imaging to help you envision your new leg shape. Liposuction can effectively target fat in the thighs, lower buttocks, calves, and knees. Even your ankles can be slimmed down.

Do remember that liposuction is not a comprehensive weight-loss treatment. The procedure is best for patients who are within 15-20% of their normal body weight. You’re a good candidate if you live a generally healthy lifestyle by eating a healthy diet and being physically active. You should not be a smoker, as smoking inhibits healing and your results.

Slimmer legs with liposuction

Thick thighs are commonly treated with liposuction. Dr. Rose can slim excess fat in the inner and outer areas so you feel more confident in shorts or form-fitted pants or skirts. If you have a lot of excess skin in the thighs, usually due to a large amount of weight loss, you may also benefit from a thigh lift to restore tautness to the area.

Liposuction can also slim the small roll that forms right underneath the buttocks – the banana roll.

Liposuction is effective in making excess fat above your knees and in your lower legs literally disappear. Instead of a tree trunk-like look, you get an enviable taper that narrows all the way down to your ankles. Of course, if your calves seem plump because you have a genetically large gastrocnemius muscle, liposuction can’t help. Liposuction is designed for fat only – not muscle.

Recovery from leg shaping

In most cases, liposuction is performed as an outpatient procedure at our designated surgical center. This means you can go home on the same day to recover in familiar surroundings. You’re given compression garments to wear around the treatment areas for a designated period of time – up to three weeks.

Dr. Rose and our team give you a full postprocedure healing plan customized to your particular situation. Your recovery will be longer if you had several areas of your legs treated. Scarring is minimal, however, and only appears in the tiny incision areas.

You’ll notice slimmer legs almost immediately, even when wearing the compression garments. Over the course of a few weeks, any residual swelling reduces, and you’re able to resume normal activities and show off your shapely legs.

If you’re unhappy with the look of any parts of your legs, contact The Aesthetic Surgery Center. Call the office or book a consultation using the online tool. You may even decide that you want contouring in areas other than your legs to completely reform your physique.