Liposuction
Top female plastic surgeon Dr. Jennifer Harrington prides herself on helping men and women achieve natural-looking plastic surgery results. During your consultation, she will listen to your goals for surgery and work with you to develop an effective approach that meets your needs.
Schedule Your Surgical Consultation
Use our convenient online scheduler to book your initial surgical consult online. Choose a time that works for you and meet with Dr. Harrington’s RN, Saebra. We look forward to seeing you!
Contact us online or call our Plymouth office today at 651-290-7600 for more information about liposuction, including pricing. Harrington Plastic Surgery has helped men and women from Minneapolis-St. Paul with the help of liposuction. We also see patients from beyond the Twin Cities who come to us from towns like Wayzata, Minnetonka and St. Cloud for customized plastic surgery.
Who Is a Good Candidate for Liposuction?
Almost anyone who is in good overall health may be a candidate for body sculpting with liposuction. While liposuction is not a substitute for weight loss, it can be an excellent option for men and women who are close to their ideal body weight but struggle with stubborn fat in specific areas.
Some of the most common reasons to consider getting a liposuction procedure include:
- Fat bulges or rolls that do not respond to traditional weight loss methods.
- Pockets of fat that prevent clothing from fitting comfortably.
- Isolated fatty deposits despite good overall general health and fitness.
- A desire for more defined or sculpted contours.
Liposuction Benefits
- Targeted fat reduction. Unlike traditional diet and exercise, liposuction is able to target and remove stubborn fat in specific areas.
- Improved body contours. By removing and sculpting pockets of fat, lipo can enhance your natural body proportions for a smoother, more sculpted silhouette.
- Better-fitting clothing. While liposuction isn’t a weight loss procedure, it can help your clothes to fit better.
- Boosted self-confidence and body image. Many of our Minneapolis liposuction patients have reported feeling more confident in their own skin after liposuction.
- Long-lasting results. Fat cells removed during liposuction do not come back, making results very long-lasting when paired with healthy lifestyle habits.
- Motivation for healthy lifestyle habits. Liposuction patients often feel inspired to maintain their smooth, sleek results by adopting long-term healthy diet and exercise habits.
Benefits of SAFELipo®
Dr. Harrington uses a specialized liposuction technique called SAFELipo® that requires advanced training and certification. SAFELipo involves a three-step process. The first step involves breaking apart fatty deposits using manual probes. During the second step, Dr. Harrington aspirates the fat using a suction device. While all liposuction procedures use suction to remove fat, the SAFELipo method uses smaller, more precise cannulas, which results in significantly less bruising and swelling than with traditional liposuction.
The third step of SAFELipo involves fat redistribution. Dr. Harrington leaves a localized area of fat grafts in the target area to act as a cushion and prevent the skin from attaching itself to the underlying muscle. This final step is the key to preventing contour irregularities, such as wavy skin, lumps or divots that can occur with less sophisticated methods of liposuction.
In a nutshell, SAFELipo offers these benefits compared to traditional liposuction techniques:
- Minimizes bruising and swelling
- Reduces the risk of contour irregularities like lumps, divots or wavy skin
- Provides smoother, more natural-looking results
- Enhances overall body contouring precision
- Supports faster recovery and less discomfort during recovery
- Performed by a board-certified surgeon with specialized SAFELipo training
Before and After Photos
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Sensitive Content
These before and after photos contain nudity. Please click/tap to view the images.
Sensitive Content
These before and after photos contain nudity. Please click/tap to view the images.
Sensitive Content
These before and after photos contain nudity. Please click/tap to view the images.
Your Liposuction Consultation
The first step of your liposuction journey is to schedule a consultation with Dr. Harrington. During this appointment, you’ll have the opportunity to discuss your specific goals and target areas, and Dr. Harrington will determine whether liposuction is the best procedure for you. She will also walk you through the SAFELipo process in detail, explaining what to expect before, during and after your procedure.
Additionally, Dr. Harrington will review the potential risks and complications associated with liposuction, ensuring you have a clear understanding and feel confident in your decision. She will answer any questions you may have, discuss your medical history and provide personalized recommendations to help you achieve safe, natural-looking results.
Liposuction with Other Procedures
Additionally, we are excited to offer our liposuction patients BTL CELLUTONE as part of their surgical procedure. CELLUTONE uses the power of therapeutic vibrations to increase lymphatic drainage, waste elimination and blood flow. It addresses the main factors causing cellulite formation and can lead to a considerable improvement in post-surgical skin appearance.
Your Liposuction Surgery
Liposuction is a same-day procedure. The entire process usually takes around 2 to 3 hours, depending on the size and number of treatment areas. Liposuction can be performed using general or sedation anesthesia, although most patients prefer to have their lipo procedure done under general anesthesia. Patients with sensitivities to narcotic medications may benefit from our opioid-free or reduced surgery and recovery customized approach.
Incisions for liposuction tend to be small and discreet, resulting in very little noticeable scarring. Dr. Harrington will create a few short incisions on and around the areas of the body being treated. Through those incisions, she will insert a special instrument called a cannula, which is used to disperse and remove any unwanted fat cells. When the procedure is complete, the incisions are sutured and bandaged.
Plan to arrive at the surgery center 1 hour before your procedure is scheduled to begin. If you have opted to use general anesthesia for your liposuction procedure, you will be asked to stay in a recovery room for 1 hour after. A friend or family member should come to the surgery center with you to drive you home, and an adult will need to stay with you for at least 24 hours after your surgery.
Liposuction Recovery
During the first few weeks of recovery, you will need to avoid strenuous exercise, heavy lifting and high-impact activities to allow the treated areas to heal properly. Light walking is encouraged to support circulation and reduce the risk of blood clots, but more intense workouts should be avoided until Dr. Harrington clears you. Most people are able to return to their normal exercise routines within 2 to 4 weeks after SAFELipo.
Liposuction Results
Immediate results after liposuction are generally hidden by initial swelling and fluid buildup, so don’t be alarmed if you don’t see results right away. It can take 1 to 3 months for swelling to dissipate and your liposuction results to become more visible. Expect to see continued improvements to the shape of your body for 6 to 12 months after getting liposuction.
Keep in mind that liposuction does not prevent future weight gain, although the fat cells that are removed via liposuction are permanently gone. Thus, adopting healthy diet and exercise habits is key to maintaining lasting liposuction results.
Liposuction FAQs
How much does liposuction cost in Minneapolis?
Does insurance cover liposuction?
How much weight will liposuction take off?
Will liposuction flatten my stomach?
What areas of the body can be treated with liposuction?
Is liposuction the best body contouring solution for me?
Does liposuction hurt?
How long does liposuction last?
Is liposuction worth it?
Next Steps
If you have questions or would like more information, please contact us online or call our Plymouth office at 651-290-7600 to request your liposuction consultation and learn more about how to enhance your natural appearance.
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*This information is for education only, and is not meant as a guarantee of results. Your results may vary.
Written By: Dr. Jennifer Harrington
Dr. Jennifer Harrington is a board-certified plastic and reconstructive surgeon and the medical director at SpaVie in Minneapolis. Dr. Harrington is recognized as one of the best female plastic surgeons, and is locally and nationally renowned for bringing the highest standards of medical excellence and aesthetic sensitivity to all procedures of the breast, body and face.
More about Dr. Jennifer Harrington | Last Reviewed: September 2nd, 2025
Telephone No.(651) 413-9162