Liposuction in Turkey: your contour changes, not the scales.

Liposuction is a body contouring operation in which the fatty tissue under the skin is loosened with a thin tube (cannula), inserted through incisions a few millimetres long, and then removed by suction. Its medical names are liposuction and lipoplasty. The aim is proportion, not weight loss: the excess in an area such as the waist, abdomen or hips is removed so that the line of that area matches the rest of the body.

On our liposuction page we briefly summarise who the procedure is intended for. This liposuction guide answers the questions you face at the decision stage: which method, how many areas, how much fat and what kind of recovery.

• The fat is removed from the layer between the skin and the muscle; the fat around the organs inside the abdomen cannot be reached
• The incisions are usually hidden in natural creases or along the underwear line
• No skin is cut away; tightening is left to the skin's own elasticity
• If you wish, the removed fat can be used to add volume to another area

It works for healthy adults whose weight is stable, whose skin is firm and elastic, and who carry stubborn fat only in certain areas. The American Society of Plastic Surgeons describes suitable candidates as adults within 30 per cent of their ideal weight, with good skin elasticity and muscle tone, who do not smoke.

• Suitable: people with fat on the waist, hips, lower abdomen or inner thighs that does not shrink with exercise and diet
• Suitable: people whose weight has been stable for at least a few months and whose expectations are realistic
• Borderline: people whose skin has become thin and lax; once the fat is removed, the skin may look deflated
• Not suitable: people who want surgery to solve general excess weight

The NHS also considers liposuction suitable only for people who have tried lifestyle changes without success. The order matters: first your weight is stabilised, then liposuction is discussed for the localised excess that remains.

Liposuction methods differ in how the fat is loosened before it is removed; the suction stage is common to all of them. In current practice almost all of them begin by injecting the area with a fluid containing a local anaesthetic and a medicine that constricts blood vessels. The type of energy added on top of this gives the method its name.

The name of the device does not guarantee the result. The same vaser device can produce a smooth waistline or an uneven, rippled surface; what decides the outcome is how much fat is removed from which layer. So at your liposuction consultation, before asking "which device?", ask "why this method for this area?"

Liposuction can be used on almost any area where fat collects under the skin; the abdomen, waist, hips, thighs, back, arms and under the chin are treated most often.

• Abdomen and waist: the most requested area; if there is sagging skin below the belly button, see our tummy tuck guide for a comparison
• Hips and outer thighs: the skin here is thick and firm, so these areas respond well to liposuction
• Inner thighs and arms: the skin is thin; if too much is removed, laxity becomes more noticeable
• Under the chin (double chin): a small volume with a noticeable change in profile; if the skin of the neck is loose, a neck lift is also considered

No. Liposuction changes the outline of your body, not the number on the scales. The weight of the fat removed is not enough to feel like weight loss, and in the first weeks the scales may even go up because of swelling. The NHS information on liposuction says this clearly too: the procedure is not a treatment for obesity and does not remove cellulite or stretch marks.

Most unrealistic expectations come down to these three points:

• Cellulite: it is caused by the fibres that tether the skin to the tissue beneath; it does not improve when fat is reduced and sometimes becomes more visible
• Sagging: the procedure does not shorten the skin; a sagging abdomen needs an operation that removes skin
• Visceral fat: fat behind the abdominal wall cannot be removed with a cannula; a hard, tight belly only gets smaller with weight loss

There is no fixed upper limit for liposuction; the limit is set by the patient's weight, general health, the number of areas treated and the length of the operation, taken together. The American Society of Plastic Surgeons generally classes removals of more than five litres as "large-volume" and states that these require special precautions.

Fat can be removed from more than one area in the same session, and neighbouring areas such as the waist and abdomen are often planned together. Even so, more is not always better:

• If more fat than necessary is removed from an area, dents and rippling appear on the surface; correcting this is harder than the original liposuction operation
• Splitting the procedure into two stages is sometimes safer than one long session covering many areas

1. Initial review by photo. Photos taken from the front, side and back, your height and weight and your medical history are reviewed; you receive a first assessment of which areas are realistic to treat and whether your skin is likely to be adequate.
2. Examination and marking. The surgeon assesses your skin elasticity and fat thickness by hand, and your tests are completed. The areas to be treated are marked while you are standing; because fat shifts when you lie down, this step is not done on the operating table. You can find the general flow on our treatment process page.
3. Anaesthesia and fluid injection. Liposuction is usually performed under general anaesthesia; sedation for small areas and an epidural for the lower body are also options. A fluid that reduces bleeding is injected into the area.
4. Removing the fat. The surgeon works through incisions a few millimetres long; the fat is loosened and removed by suction. The procedure takes 1–3 hours, depending on the number of areas.
5. Compression garment and monitoring. The incisions are closed and the compression garment is put on in the operating theatre. Most patients spend the night in hospital.
6. Check-up and remote follow-up. Before you leave the country, the incisions and the garment are checked; follow-up then continues by photo.

After liposuction, you can usually return to everyday activities within days and to exercise within weeks, while the result becomes clear over months. The NHS states that swelling and bruising can last up to six months and that the result can only be fully seen after this time. The timeline below is a general framework; the larger the area treated, the longer each stage takes.

The first six weeks have three rules: keep the compression garment on, do not stay inactive and protect the area from heat. How evenly the surface heals after liposuction depends to a large extent on this period.

• Wear the compression garment day and night for as long as your surgeon advises; take it off only to shower
• From the day after surgery, take short, frequent walks; this lowers the risk of a blood clot in the leg
• Avoid strenuous exercise for the first few weeks; putting strain on the body too early increases swelling
• Stop smoking and using nicotine products before the operation
• Stay away from the sun, saunas and Turkish baths for at least six weeks
• If you have severe or worsening pain, a fever, swelling in one leg or shortness of breath, contact your team without waiting

A liposuction programme in Turkey is built around the number of areas to be treated: examination and tests on the day you arrive, surgery the next day, one night in hospital, then rest at the hotel and a final check-up before you leave the country. Three details shape your travel plan.

• Days of leakage: fluid comes from the incisions in the first days, so the flight is not booked for the very next day, and dark, loose clothing is recommended
• Stitch check: if non-dissolvable stitches were used, their removal is timed for before you leave the country
• Long flights: journeys of more than four hours increase the risk of blood clots; you will be asked to fly wearing your compression garment, in an aisle seat, and to get up frequently
• Accommodation and transfers: arranged close to the hospital so that getting to check-ups is not tiring

Neda Deniz holds the Turkish Ministry of Health International Health Tourism Authorisation Certificate (AK-1032) and is an intermediary agency, not a clinic. All operations, including liposuction, are performed by our partner specialist surgeons in the relevant hospitals. The surgeon we work with in body contouring is Aesthetic, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Specialist Dr. M. Serkan Dinar. Which surgeon you proceed with becomes clear after the preliminary assessment.

Turkish regulations do not allow price advertising for healthcare services, and the scope of liposuction varies so much from person to person that a single figure would mean little. To compare quotes, it is enough to know the items that make up the cost. In the UK, liposuction for cosmetic reasons is generally not available on the NHS, so it is worth checking your own situation with your GP or insurer.

• Number of areas and length of surgery: this is the biggest factor
• Method used: an ultrasound or laser device brings additional consumables
• Type of anaesthesia and hospital stay: general anaesthesia with an overnight stay is priced differently from a day-case procedure
• Combined procedures: fat transfer, a tummy tuck or breast reduction in the same session
• Compression garment, check-ups, accommodation and transfers

Liposuction is performed through small incisions, but it is not a minor operation; the surgeon works within the tissue over a wide area. In Turkey, these operations fall within the remit of specialists who are members of the Turkish Society of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons . The risks on which the sources agree are as follows:

• Surface irregularity: rippling, dents or differences between the two sides; the most common reason for dissatisfaction
• Numbness: usually wears off within 6–8 weeks, rarely lasts for months
• Fluid or blood collection: seroma and haematoma; drained with a needle if necessary
• Skin discolouration and skin laxity
• Heat damage: skin burns with ultrasound- and laser-assisted methods
• Infection
• Blood clots: in a leg vein or in the lungs; rare but serious
• Internal organ injury and fluid build-up in the lungs: very rare, life-threatening complications

It is also important to be open about the limits: after liposuction some patients are not happy with the result, and a second, corrective operation may be needed. A decision on revision is not made before the swelling has fully settled, that is, not until at least six months have passed.

If you are also researching procedures other than liposuction, these guides may be useful:

• Tummy tuck guide — three approaches to excess skin and separated abdominal muscles
• Breast reduction guide — techniques, scars and breastfeeding
• Breast augmentation guide — implant and fat transfer options
• Facelift guide — four techniques and recovery

Three questions clarify a decision about liposuction: Is what bothers me fat or skin? Has my weight been stable for at least a few months? Am I prepared to wait six months for the result and wear a compression garment for weeks? If the answer to the first question is "skin", this is most likely not the operation you are looking for.

If you are not sure, getting an opinion first does not commit you to anything. Send us your photos and tell us which areas bother you; our partner surgeons will review them, and we will tell you plainly which areas can be improved with liposuction and which cannot.