Not everyone with excess fatty deposits is a good candidate for liposuction. Surgeons prefer to apply the procedure to patients who have tried diets and exercise to remove the deposits of fat or at least have reduced those deposits to a minimum through diet and exercise. A crash diet immediately before the procedure is not a good idea.

Liposuction is best performed on patients who eat properly and exercise regularly and are no more than 20 pounds overweight. Liposuction is not a weight loss procedure. It is purely cosmetic in purpose, used to remove unattractive bulges caused by excess subcutaneous fatty deposits. It should not be confused with various forms of bariatric surgery such as gastric bypass which is a weight reducing procedure performed on patients who are grossly overweight.

Liposuction is not appropriate for patients who are post-bariatric surgery, as the resulting loose skin and subcutaneous fatty deposits are best removed by panniculectomy or abdominoplasty. Panniculectomy is a surgical procedure to remove the remaining excess skin and fat which may remain after major weight loss. Abdominoplasty is a similar procedure, but the abdominal muscles are also tightened to give a slimmer, better toned appearance to the abdomen (also known as a "tummy-tuck".)

Another alternative to the procedures discussed above is "abdominal etching". This procedure is used to remove excess fatty deposits on patients who have natural, well developed abdominal muscles, but subcutaneous fat prevents achieving the "six-pack" look. In abdominal etching the stomach muscles are not tightened, as in an abdominoplasty, the excess fat over and around the abdominal muscles is removed through liposuction.

As the reader will quickly perceive, a discussion of alternative procedures is necessary, because the results desired, along with the condition of the patient will dictate the appropriate procedure to be used and should be discussed, in advance, with the chosen surgeon.

Realistic expectations are also necessary when considering any plastic surgery. These procedures are designed to change and enhance certain parts of the body, but they cannot be guaranteed to change a patient's life. Some bulging may still remain post-surgery, even in successful procedures.

A good candidate for liposuction, in summary, is in good health, not more than 20 pounds overweight with one or more localized areas of excess fatty deposits which can be removed through small incisions and application of suction after breaking up the subcutaneous deposits either mechanically or through use of ultra-sound (Vaser) or Laser technology. Modern technology has not only made the surgery safer, but has reduced the post-surgical swelling and bruising by introduction of smaller cannula, alternative procedures for breaking down the fatty tissue before removing it and the use of "wetting agents" to reduce blood loss.