Liposuction in Houston & Webster, TX
Also serving patients in Friendswood, League City, Pearland, and Clear Lake
Also serving patients in Friendswood, League City, Pearland, and Clear Lake
When diet and exercise aren’t enough to eliminate stubborn pockets of excess fat, liposuction provides a targeted solution for achieving a slimmer, more contoured body. At Kim Carpin Plastic Surgery, located in Webster, TX, and serving the Houston area, Dr. Kimberly Carpin specializes in SAFE liposuction — a sequence designed to reduce irregularities and deliver smooth, sculpted results. Dr. Carpin’s commitment to patient safety, artistry, and personalized care ensures you’ll receive a tailored experience that prioritizes your goals.
From her extensive training to her artistic eye, Dr. Carpin helps patients feel confident in their appearance with a comprehensive approach to body contouring. Schedule a consultation today to take the first step toward achieving your ideal silhouette.
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Typically 2–4 hours, depending on treatment areas.
Most patients resume daily activities within 1–2 weeks.
General anesthesia or local anesthesia with sedation.
Permanent with a stable weight and healthy lifestyle.
SAFE liposuction minimizes irregularities for a smoother finish.
Liposuction is a cosmetic surgery designed to remove stubborn fat that often remains even after a healthy diet and exercise regimen. It involves the use of a suction device to precisely sculpt away subcutaneous fat from targeted areas of the body. Dr. Carpin utilizes SAFELipo® (Separation, Aspiration, Fat Equalization) to reduce complications and ensure smooth, contoured results. In addition to fat removal, liposuction can complement procedures like tummy tucks or fat grafting for a more comprehensive transformation.
Liposuction is performed under sedation or general anesthesia in our Accredited Onsite Surgical Suite. The duration is dependent on the body areas being treated. Dr. Carpin performs liposuction using the SAFELipo® technique with tumescence, pioneered by Dr. Simeon Wall. Using small incisions, a small cannula is passed under the skin to first infiltrate tumescence fluid, which minimizes blood loss. Next, small cannulas are inserted under the skin to separate the fat cells. Liposuction is then performed to carefully remove deep fat beneath the skin and sculpt the body into a leaner shape. Finally, a cannula is then passed to ensure all the fat is evenly shaped.
This process gives smooth contours, minimizes bruising and bleeding, and avoids thermal injury that can occur with laser or ultrasound liposuction. The small incisions are closed, and then the patient is placed into a garment to help decrease swelling. Patients are able to return home the same day.
Liposuction can be safely performed on the neck, back, arms, chest, abdomen, legs, hips, buttocks, thighs, and under the chin. By addressing your specific areas of concern, liposuction can contour the body into a sleeker and more proportional shape. Dr. Carpin will work with you to design a treatment plan personalized to your goals for a sleek, harmonious outcome.
Liposuction offers a range of benefits, from enhancing your natural contours to improving your self-confidence. By targeting and removing excess fat cells, it delivers a more streamlined silhouette, creating a balanced and proportionate appearance. Dr. Carpin’s use of the SAFELipo® technique ensures a smoother result with reduced risks. Whether performed alone or in combination with other procedures, liposuction can provide long-lasting results that support a healthier, more active lifestyle.
Excellent candidates for liposuction with Dr. Carpin still have good elasticity in their skin. This enables the skin to easily tighten down to the slimmer contour once the underlying fat is removed. If the potential patient has sagging, stretched, loose skin, liposuction alone is not the best procedure, as it will leave an area of loose sagging skin, albeit with less fat underneath. In these cases, procedures that remove excess skin, such as a tummy tuck or an arm lift, are better options. Dr. Carpin may combine these procedures with liposuction if appropriate.
Otherwise, just about everyone, no matter what kind of shape they are in, has pockets of stubborn excess fat cells that they would like to remove. Liposuction is perfect for the job. It is important to remember that liposuction is not meant as a weight-loss procedure. It is a body contouring procedure designed to target specific areas of stubborn fat.
Liposuction patients typically need about 5-7 days free from work. Compression garments are worn for 4-6 weeks. Adding lymphatic massage to your postoperative care will decrease your swelling, reduce fibrosis and improve your results. To prevent blood clots, light walking is recommended early after surgery. Heavy exercise must be avoided for 4 to 6 weeks. Swelling can take 3 to 6 months to completely resolve before the final contour can be appreciated.
Liposuction will improve body proportions and contour for a more balanced, sleek silhouette. Results are visible once swelling subsides, typically within a few weeks. Final results, showcasing a more sculpted and contoured physique, become apparent after about three months. These results are long-lasting, provided patients maintain a stable weight and healthy lifestyle.
Please schedule a consultation with Dr. Carpin to discuss if you are a surgical candidate, and to review the risks, benefits, alternatives, and expected outcomes of the liposuction procedure. Call (713) 799-9999 or click here to send us an appointment request form. Dr. Carpin offers liposuction in Houston, also serving patients in Friendswood, League City, Pearland, Clear Lake, and surrounding areas.
“Dear Dr. Carpin, Words cannot express how great I feel and look, thanks to you… Thanks for all you do!”
The cost of liposuction procedures depends on the number of areas being treated. Average costs range from $4,000 – $10,000. A consultation with Dr. Carpin is required to obtain a quote for surgery.
Dr. Carpin is a board-certified plastic surgeon who has extensive experience with liposuction. Her training and expertise ensure these are safe procedures. There is little risk, as the incisions made are quite small and don’t require stitches to close.
Still, liposuction involves the typical risks involved with surgery, such as bleeding, infection, and reaction to the anesthetic, but these are rare with modern liposuction. Complications specific to liposuction are:
Liposuction can safely be performed with a tummy tuck to remove excess skin, breast augmentation, or even fat transfer procedures, where the fat removed during liposuction is used to enhance the shape of buttocks or breasts.
There is a misconception that the liposuction procedure is a weight-loss procedure. It is not. Liposuction is a body contouring procedure. Liposuction is not a panacea for weight loss. In fact, removing too much fat in a single surgical session is dangerous.
Liposuction is intended as a tool to remove stubborn pockets of fat that accumulate in areas such as the lower abdomen and areas resistant to changes from diet or exercise. Liposuction removes these pockets of fatty tissue, sculpting the area.
Dr. Carpin typically wants her patients to be within 10 percent of their ideal weight before undergoing these procedures.
The goals of these two popular abdominal procedures are the same — a tighter, slimmer, contoured abdomen — but the target is different. For abdominal liposuction, Dr. Carpin looks to remove pockets of fat in the area that are impervious to exercise or diet. This isn’t widespread fat, but areas where fat has accumulated. These procedures have nothing to do with the skin; they address only the underlying fat.
A tummy tuck procedure removes excess skin from pregnancy or significant weight loss. In these situations, the skin and underlying support tissues have been stretched beyond their capacity to return to their original tone. In many cases, the extended stomach has actually caused the muscles in the center of the stomach to separate, a condition known as rectus diastasis. This muscle separation persists despite exercise, contributing to the bothersome bulge and overhang of skin. The muscles must be surgically tightened during the tummy tuck procedure. A tummy tuck aims to remove this loose skin, usually relocating the navel upwards. In most of her tummy tucks, Dr. Carpin may also include some limited liposuction to remove isolated pockets of fat, but the main goal is to remove loose, sagging skin and bring separated muscles back to the center of the stomach.
You’ll instantly notice the difference. Of course, you will have some swelling and bruising, and you’ll be wearing compression bandages or garments. Still, you’ll notice your slimmer contour in the areas Dr. Carpin has treated. Plus, these results will continue to get better and better as your swelling resolves and your skin tightens down and firms over your slimmer contours.
With a healthy diet and regular exercise, liposuction results can be long-lasting. However, it does not provide complete fat removal, thus fat remaining in the area can increase with weight gain.
Liposuction does not decrease cellulite and in some patients with poor skin laxity, cellulite appearance may worsen after liposuction. Deep pits can be diminished by releasing the fibrous tissue and lipofilling. A procedure called Aveli can be combined with liposuction to treat cellulite.
The pain that follows liposuction should not be severe. The discomfort will be most evident the first two to three days, and pain medication will be prescribed to keep you comfortable. In cases where only a small area was treated, the pain is minimal.
Liposuction scars are minimal and thoughtfully placed to conceal the scars as much as possible.
