You've probably heard of all sorts of lipo-words floating around the internet lately - lipoplasty is just one such word in a whole selection. But what does it mean, and what can it do for you? Essentially, there is no great mystery to the word 'lipoplasty' - it is simply another way to describe the body contouring process known as liposuction, or fat modeling.

Lipoplasty, however, is a widely misunderstood procedure. Many people believe that lipo is an excellent way to rid themselves of excess fat - an alternative to dieting, so to speak. However, this is not true - lipoplasty is not a magic way to shed the pounds. If anything, minimal amounts of weight are actually lost through the procedure. In fact, lipoplasty is a body contouring process.

Body contouring surgery has had a long - and occasionally gruesome - history. As early as the nineteen-twenties, surgeons were experimenting with ways in which they could sculpt the bodies of their patients for the better. Unfortunately, many of these early attempts failed miserably, or left the unfortunate 'victims' with less than desirable results and side effects. It wasn't until much later on in the twentieth century that the more modern techniques were invented.

The point of lipoplasty is to create what is called 'negative space' in the silhouette of a body. There are certain proportions that are pleasing to the eye - at least to most human beings - and the surgeons involved in liposuction procedures aim to achieve these proportions by extracting a certain amount of fat from certain areas-in essence, sculpting the body. Common areas for lipoplasty include the abdomen, the face, the thighs and the buttocks.

Contrary to common opinion, liposuction doesn't remove all the fat from these areas, either. One of a surgeon's greatest skills is not simply knowing where to remove fat, but also where to leave fat alone. A good contouring procedure depends on this - we've all seen the horror stories of liposuction gone wrong. The best idea is to carefully research your cosmetic surgeon beforehand and select a really highly regarded one.

There are a few different types of lipoplasty to choose from. Firstly, we have the older techniques where fat is simply broken up and suctioned out via a cannula. Then we have the newer generation of liposuction technologies-SmartLipo and Vaser Lipo. With Smartlipo the fat is liquefied by laser before being suctioned out. Vaser lipo uses ultrasound waves to break up the fat.

The cost of lipoplasty varies, depending on your choice of treatment and cosmetic surgeon.