Liposuction in West Palm Beach, FL
If you've worked hard on diet and exercise but still have stubborn pockets of fat, liposuction can help. The procedure removes fat and reshapes specific areas of your body for a more contoured figure.
Meet David Rankin, MD
Dr. David Rankin is a board-certified plastic surgeon with decades of experience in cosmetic and reconstructive surgery. He serves as Chief of Plastic Surgery at St. Mary’s Medical Center in West Palm Beach and brings a deep reconstructive background to all body contouring procedures. His advanced training, attention to detail, and natural artistic skills help him achieve beautiful, natural-looking results in every patient he works with.
Meet Allyson Deziel, MD
Dr. Allyson Deziel is a board-certified plastic surgeon with extensive experience in body, breast, and facial surgery. She is a member of the Palm Beach County Society of Plastic Surgeons and the Medical Executive Committee at Jupiter Outpatient Surgery Center. Dr. Deziel builds a comprehensive surgical plan for every procedure, with a focus on results that look natural and complement each patient’s unique figure.
Liposuction Before & After Photos
Results from real Aqua Plastic Surgery patients.
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What Liposuction Can Address
Liposuction is a body contouring procedure that targets specific pockets of fat that haven’t responded to diet and exercise. Rather than reducing your overall weight, it sculpts the areas where fat has stubbornly settled, creating a more proportional figure that better reflects the work you’ve already put in.
The most common areas treated at Aqua include:
- The abdomen and waist
- The flanks and lower back
- The hips and outer thighs
- The upper arms
- The chin and neck
Liposuction is often combined with other procedures, including tummy tuck surgery or as part of a mommy makeover, to address both fat and loose skin in a single surgery session. During your consultation, Dr. Rankin or Dr. Deziel will discuss whether liposuction alone or a combined approach is the right fit for your goals.
Who Is a Good Candidate for Liposuction?
Ideally Suited To:
- Men and women who are in good general health
- Men and women who do not smoke or use drugs
- Those who are close to their goal weight and have good skin elasticity
- Those who are struggling with stubborn fat deposits that don’t respond to diet and exercise
- Those who have reasonable expectations of the surgical outcome.
Liposuction works best for patients who are already close to their ideal weight and have specific, localized areas of fat that haven’t responded to consistent diet and exercise. It’s important to note that this is not a weight loss procedure at its core.
Patients who are significantly above their target weight, or who are hoping liposuction will help them lose 20 or 30 pounds, are almost always better served by a combination of lifestyle changes first and surgical consultation once they’ve stabilized.
The happiest patients tend to have a few similar characteristics. First, their skin has retained enough elasticity to redrape smoothly over the new contour after surgery. Second, they are non-smokers, or willing to stop for several weeks on either side of the procedure, which helps the body heal as designed. And lastly, they came in looking for sharper proportions in specific areas, not a full-body reshaping that liposuction was never meant to achieve.
What to Expect With Liposuction
Consultation Process
The best way to know if liposuction is right for you is to meet with Dr. Rankin or Dr. Deziel for a consultation. During your visit, your surgeon will examine the areas you’re hoping to address, review your medical history, and discuss your aesthetic goals. It’s helpful to bring photos of the result you’re hoping for, and to think ahead about which specific areas of the body bother you most.
About the Procedure
Dr. Rankin and Dr. Deziel are trained in several modern liposuction techniques, including suction-assisted, power-assisted, and ultrasound-assisted approaches. That being said, the foundation of most procedures at Aqua is the tumescent technique.
Before fat removal begins with the tumescent technique, the surgeon injects a specially prepared fluid into the treatment area. This fluid expands the tissue, breaks up fat deposits, and constricts the small blood vessels nearby, which reduces bleeding and minimizes post-operative bruising. After the fluid takes effect, the surgeon makes a tiny incision, inserts a narrow tube called a cannula, and suctions the fat cells out of the body.
Liposuction is performed on an outpatient basis, so you’ll go home that same day. The procedure can address a single area or several during the same surgery, and the total time depends on how many areas are being treated and how much fat is being removed.
Recovery
Most patients experience some swelling, bruising, and mild discomfort in the days after surgery, which can be managed with prescription pain medication. You’ll also wear a compression garment for several weeks after surgery to help control swelling.
Light walking is encouraged within the first few days to support healing. Most patients return to desk-based work within 1 to 2 weeks, though patients with physically demanding jobs may need longer. Strenuous activity, exercise, and heavy lifting should be avoided for 4 to 6 weeks after surgery.
Follow-Up
Your surgeon will schedule several follow-up appointments throughout recovery to monitor your healing and clear you to return to normal activities. Most patients see noticeable shape change within the first few weeks, with final results settling between 3 and 6 months after surgery as residual swelling resolves.
Get Expert Advice on Liposuction
Visiting Aqua from West Palm Beach
Aqua Plastic Surgery is located about twenty to thirty minutes north of West Palm Beach in Jupiter. For most patients in the WPB area, the drive is a straight shot up I-95 to Indiantown Road, or along Alternate A1A for a more scenic route through Juno Beach.
Our office is in The Commons at Abacoa, with parking directly outside. For patients having same-day surgery, a loved one can drive you home after the procedure so you can begin your recovery right away.
If you’d prefer to start with a virtual consultation before traveling to Jupiter, that’s also an option. Our team can walk you through what to expect and help you decide whether an in-person visit makes sense from the start.
Liposuction FAQs
Liposuction is a fat reduction procedure that can be performed on multiple areas of the body, including the abdomen, hips, thighs, buttocks, back and upper arms. Tummy tuck focuses on sculpting the abdomen by removing fat and loose skin and repairing damaged muscles. If you have excess fat but good skin tone in your abdomen, liposuction alone may provide the desired body contouring results; however, if your abdominal skin is very loose and you have fat deposits in that area, tummy tuck is probably more appropriate.
Liposuction is not a weight loss procedure, and it is not a suitable treatment option for individuals who are obese. If you are considering liposuction, our surgeons recommend you be at or close to your ideal target weight with firm, elastic skin and good muscle tone.
We are often asked if liposuction can get rid of cellulite, but it’s complicated. The answer has to do with the difference between fat pockets and fibrous tissue. Dr. Rankin explains in the post linked here.
You might. It is impossible to tell without a personal consultation and physical examination by Dr. Rankin or Dr. Deziel in Jupiter. However, patients who have loose skin to begin with will usually be left with loose skin after liposuction. If this is a concern of yours, our plastic surgeons can recommend an alternative body contouring option.
Our surgeons advise waiting four to six weeks to resume strenuous aerobic exercise. Leisurely activity, such as walking, is permitted a week after surgery. Your Aqua Plastic surgeon can speak to this in detail during your liposuction consultation.
Liposuction risks include bruising, changes in skin sensation, infection, irregular contours, asymmetry, poor wound healing and complications from anesthesia. Choosing an experienced plastic surgeon such as Dr. Rankin or Dr. Deziel significantly reduces the risk of complications.
Liposuction cost depends on the specific technique performed, the amount of areas treated and the amount of fat that needs to be removed. We can give you a better idea of projected costs during your consultation. If you are interested in financing you liposuction procedure, we offer liposuction financing through CareCredit along with other options. Ask a member of our staff for details.
The fat cells removed during liposuction don’t grow back, so the change in shape is generally permanent. That said, the remaining fat cells in your body can still expand if you gain significant weight, which can affect your contour over time. Patients who maintain a stable weight after surgery typically see the best long-term results.
Yes, for patients in West Palm Beach and beyond who’d prefer to start the conversation before traveling to our Jupiter office, we offer virtual consultations. An in-person visit can be scheduled afterward if it’s the right next step.
The Proof Is In Our Patients’ Stories
I am deeply grateful to Dr. Rankin and his incredible team for the exceptional care I received during my explant. From the moment I walked in, they made me feel comfortable, informed, and cared for. Their professionalism and compassion were evident in every detail, and I always felt I was in the best possible hands.
Love Dr. Rankin! He did my tummy tuck in May. We're now in October, and I'm doing great. He's a great surgeon. I definitely recommend him to all my friends and all my doctors. His staff is wonderful. The girls are so sweet! I'm going to get liposuction done in November to finish up the great work that he did.
One month since my explant surgery with Dr. Rankin, and I couldn't be more thankful. Choosing the right doctor was important to me, and Dr. Rankin and his team exceeded every expectation. Their support made me feel reassured at every step. The results are beyond what I hoped for! I feel free and truly happy.
I am deeply grateful to Dr. Rankin and his incredible team for the exceptional care I received during my explant. From the moment I walked in, they made me feel comfortable, informed, and cared for. Their professionalism and compassion were evident in every detail, and I always felt I was in the best possible hands.
Love Dr. Rankin! He did my tummy tuck in May. We're now in October, and I'm doing great. He's a great surgeon. I definitely recommend him to all my friends and all my doctors. His staff is wonderful. The girls are so sweet! I'm going to get liposuction done in November to finish up the great work that he did.
One month since my explant surgery with Dr. Rankin, and I couldn't be more thankful. Choosing the right doctor was important to me, and Dr. Rankin and his team exceeded every expectation. Their support made me feel reassured at every step. The results are beyond what I hoped for! I feel free and truly happy.
I am deeply grateful to Dr. Rankin and his incredible team for the exceptional care I received during my explant. From the moment I walked in, they made me feel comfortable, informed, and cared for. Their professionalism and compassion were evident in every detail, and I always felt I was in the best possible hands.
Love Dr. Rankin! He did my tummy tuck in May. We're now in October, and I'm doing great. He's a great surgeon. I definitely recommend him to all my friends and all my doctors. His staff is wonderful. The girls are so sweet! I'm going to get liposuction done in November to finish up the great work that he did.
One month since my explant surgery with Dr. Rankin, and I couldn't be more thankful. Choosing the right doctor was important to me, and Dr. Rankin and his team exceeded every expectation. Their support made me feel reassured at every step. The results are beyond what I hoped for! I feel free and truly happy.
I’m beyond grateful for Dr. Allyson Deziel! Such an amazing experience, with amazing results! Truly the best decision I’ve ever made.
Ashley is very caring and gentle with her patients. She takes time to explain the procedure and then performs like an artist! Sending my relatives and friends her way!!! They are blessed to have her!
I flew 2,000 miles each way from Colorado to Florida to see Dr. Rankin at Aqua Plastic Surgery, and it was one of the best decisions of my life. He is truly one of the BEST explant surgeons, and he has helped me reconnect with my authentic self. His skill and compassion made this a healing experience.
I’m beyond grateful for Dr. Allyson Deziel! Such an amazing experience, with amazing results! Truly the best decision I’ve ever made.
Ashley is very caring and gentle with her patients. She takes time to explain the procedure and then performs like an artist! Sending my relatives and friends her way!!! They are blessed to have her!
I flew 2,000 miles each way from Colorado to Florida to see Dr. Rankin at Aqua Plastic Surgery, and it was one of the best decisions of my life. He is truly one of the BEST explant surgeons, and he has helped me reconnect with my authentic self. His skill and compassion made this a healing experience.
I’m beyond grateful for Dr. Allyson Deziel! Such an amazing experience, with amazing results! Truly the best decision I’ve ever made.
Ashley is very caring and gentle with her patients. She takes time to explain the procedure and then performs like an artist! Sending my relatives and friends her way!!! They are blessed to have her!
I flew 2,000 miles each way from Colorado to Florida to see Dr. Rankin at Aqua Plastic Surgery, and it was one of the best decisions of my life. He is truly one of the BEST explant surgeons, and he has helped me reconnect with my authentic self. His skill and compassion made this a healing experience.