Liposuction is a surgical procedure to remove extra fat from your body. It started in the 1980s and has become one of the most popular plastic surgeries in the US. An estimated 258,000 Americans got it in 2018.

Today, you can expect to pay around $3,500 for liposuction and most health insurance plans won't cover the cost. But if you're willing to pay the price, liposuction is a relatively safe and quick procedure that can help you shed fat that diet and exercise can't.

Some of the most common places to have fat removed are the belly, thighs, buttocks, arms, back, the upper neck just under the chin, and jawline/jowls.

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Then, surgeons will often inject into the area of operation a solution containing a mix of saline solution, a numbing medicine, and medicine the decreases bleeding. This is to help the skin and fat separate from important structures like muscles and blood vessels so they aren't damaged during the suctioning process.

After liposuction, your surgeon will likely recommend you wear a temporary band or brace over the area of operation to help the skin heal. The band or brace also helps prevent fluid from building up in the area of operation where the fat was removed, between the skin and deeper structures like muscles and blood vessels.

Whether you are awake or asleep during liposuction, you shouldn't feel any pain during the procedure, says Marco A. Pelosi II, MD, a cosmetic surgeon with experience performing liposuction procedures. The recovery, also, should be a relatively mild process.

Ongoing pain near the area where the cannula was inserted is a risk of liposuction, and if the pain grows or pain killers don't help, you should tell your surgeon.

According to the Cleveland Clinic, you should not use liposuction as a weight loss alternative. It recommends that if you want to lose weight, you should first try diet and exercise, then use liposuction to take care of more stubborn areas like the chin or belly fat.

There are some important safety tips to look for when choosing a liposuction provider.

Pelosi says that doctors should also do blood work testing and medical clearances before a liposuction procedure to ensure your safety. These tests are to make sure you can safely undergo general anesthesia without complication. If, for example, you have an infection or are pregnant, you may not qualify for the surgery.

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What is liposuction? How the procedure works and how painful it is - Business Insider India