VASER Liposuction (Ultrasound Assisted Lipectomy) of the Flanks in Newcastle NSW
VASER liposuction (ultrasound assisted lipectomy) of the flanks removes localised fat deposits over the posterior waist and hip region, the area often called the love handles. It suits patients at or near a stable weight whose flank fat has persisted despite consistent diet and exercise. I cover the technique, candidacy assessment and evidence in detail in my complete guide to liposuction (suction assisted lipectomy).
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Is This the Right Procedure for Your Presentation?
Flank fat is a localised deposit that often persists even when your weight is stable and the rest of your torso has responded to diet and exercise. In men it tends to sit as a discrete roll above the iliac crest; in women it usually blends into the hip and lower back. VASER liposuction (ultrasound assisted lipectomy) treats this pattern well when 2 conditions are met: your weight is stable, and your skin has good elastic recoil.
Liposuction (suction assisted lipectomy) removes fat. It does not remove loose skin, and it is not a weight loss method or a treatment for obesity. If your skin recoil is poor, particularly after significant weight loss, removing flank volume can leave the overlying skin looser than before. During consultation I assess skin quality directly, and where laxity is the dominant problem I will point you toward excisional surgery such as abdominoplasty (tummy tuck) or body lift (belt lipectomy) rather than fat removal alone.
What the Procedure Involves
- Performed as a day procedure at Maitland Private Hospital under anaesthetic, usually taking 1 to 2 hours depending on the volume treated
- The flanks are marked with you standing before surgery, because the fat deposit changes shape once you lie down
- Tumescent fluid is infiltrated into the flank fat to reduce bleeding and assist fat removal
- A VASER (ultrasound assisted lipectomy) probe delivers ultrasound energy that emulsifies the fat while preserving the surrounding tissue structure
- The emulsified fat is then removed with fine suction assisted lipectomy cannulas through access incisions of a few millimetres, placed where they are least visible
- Both flanks are treated in the same session, working across the posterior waist so the result follows your existing contour
- A compression garment is fitted in theatre and worn continuously in the first weeks of recovery
Why Come and See Me
- I am a FRACS Specialist Surgeon with a practice focused on body contouring surgery in the Hunter Valley
- I have performed liposuction (suction assisted lipectomy) for more than 15 years, both as a standalone procedure and within larger body contouring operations, and have used VASER (ultrasound assisted lipectomy) technology for more than 10 years
- Surgery is performed as a day procedure, and you go home the same day with clear written instructions and direct contact details for my rooms
- Your initial consultation runs for approximately 1 hour, and a second consultation is included at no cost so you can take time with the decision
- Telehealth consultations are available if travelling to the Hunter Valley is difficult
- Your follow-up schedule is included in the surgical fee: intensive reviews through the first 2 weeks after surgery, then reviews at 4 weeks, 3 months, 6 months and 12 months, so I follow your recovery personally rather than handing it off
- I also apply VASER in my chest surgery for men; you can read about that work in my gynaecomastia library
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Risks and recovery
This procedure carries risks: bruising, prolonged swelling, seroma (fluid collection), contour irregularity, asymmetry between sides, areas of numbness or altered sensation that can take months to settle, infection, and, specific to the ultrasound energy VASER uses, skin burns at the access points or over the treated area. Revision surgery is sometimes needed. Expect to wear the compression garment continuously for the first weeks, return to desk work at around 1 week, and hold off running and gym work for 4 to 6 weeks. Swelling obscures the result at first; the flanks take 3 to 6 months to settle into their final shape. I cover the week by week timeline in my liposuction recovery guide and the full complication profile, including how each problem is managed, in my liposuction complications article.
Cost and Medicare
VASER liposuction (ultrasound assisted lipectomy) of the flanks is a cosmetic procedure, so there is no Medicare item number and no rebate; you receive a written quote after consultation covering the surgical, anaesthetic and hospital fees. I break down what goes into the fee and how quoting works in my liposuction cost article.
Your steps to surgery
1. GP referral
A referral from your GP is required before a consultation for a cosmetic procedure can take place.
2. Consultation
We spend approximately 1 hour together assessing your flank fat, skin elasticity and general health, and working through whether VASER liposuction (ultrasound assisted lipectomy) suits your presentation.
3. Written quote
After consultation you receive a written quote itemising every fee involved.
4. Prepare for surgery
You receive pre-operative instructions covering medications, smoking, fasting and garment fitting, with time built in to consider your decision.
5. Surgery at Maitland Private Hospital
The procedure is performed as day surgery and you go home the same day.
Recover with structured follow-up
Your reviews run from the first days after surgery through to 12 months, all included in the surgical fee.