Dr. Paul Durand is a board-certified plastic and reconstructive surgeon with extensive experience in body surgery. His training at the Cleveland Clinic and fellowship at the Dallas Plastic Surgery Institute helped him develop advanced techniques in body contouring procedures, including liposuction. Dr. Durand has also received notoriety as a member of the team that successfully performed the first face transplant in the United States.
Dr. Paul D. Durand, MD
Board-Certified Plastic And Reconstructive Surgeon
Before & After Liposuction Photos
Results from real Enso Plastic Surgery patients
Why Choose Ensō Plastic Surgery for Liposuction
Ensō is home to two world renowned plastic surgeons who specialize in liposuction, Dr. Paul Durand and Dr. Dev Vibhakar. Both doctors are passionate about the Ensō philosophy that emphasizes personalized surgical planning and natural-looking results.
Each liposuction procedure they perform is carefully customized to complement the patient’s natural proportions and frame, creating smooth, balanced results rather than an overdone appearance.
Ensō Plastic Surgery is discreetly located within the Four Seasons Millennium Tower on Brickell Avenue, offering a refined destination for private care in the heart of Miami.
How Does Liposuction Work?
Liposuction is a minimally invasive procedure that uses a thin, hollow tube called a cannula to remove localized areas of body fat. The cannula is inserted into the fat layer through small incisions and moved back and forth to loosen excess fat, which is then removed through gentle suction.
Treated areas look slimmer, more contoured, and in better proportion to the rest of your body.
What to Expect: Procedure, Recovery & Results
Procedure
Liposuction is typically performed under general anesthesia, although smaller areas can be treated with local anesthesia and sedation. The procedure typically takes 1 to 3 hours, depending on the number of areas being treated and the volume of fat removed.
Dr. Durand or Dr. Dev will begin by making several tiny incisions that are carefully placed in discreet locations in the problem area. A specialized tube is then used to gently remove unwanted fat and sculpt smooth contours.
Recovery
Liposuction is minimally invasive compared to other aesthetic surgeries, so recovery is manageable.
The first few days
Dr. Durand or Dr. Dev will send you home with a compression garment to control swelling and support healing. Swelling and minor bruising usually peak during the first few days, with most patients describing the soreness as similar to how they feel after an intense workout.
Weeks 1 to 4
Many patients return to desk work and light daily activities within the first week. You should continue wearing your compression garment for at least a few weeks, but your doctor will give you a specific timeline based on your treatment plan. Gentle walking is encouraged early, and most patients can resume light cardiovascular exercise by week 3.
Weeks 6 and beyond
After 6 weeks, you can return to your full exercise routine, including weight training. Internal swelling will continue to go down over 3 to 6 months.
Results
You'll notice an improvement in your body shape immediately, although the initial swelling will mask your final contours.
As healing progresses over the next 3 to 6 months, your new shape will become increasingly defined. Because liposuction permanently removes fat cells, results are longer lasting as long as you maintain a stable weight and healthy lifestyle.
What Can Liposuction Address?
Even with exercise and a healthy diet, some fat deposits can be extremely resistant to change. Genetics, hormones, aging, and pregnancy all influence where our bodies store fat.
Liposuction removes these stubborn fat pockets and can be used on almost any area of the body, including:
- Abdomen: One of the most commonly treated areas, abdominal liposuction helps create a flatter, more defined midsection.
- Waist and love handles: Removing fat around the waist can create a more tapered silhouette and improve the appearance of the entire torso.
- Flanks: Treating the flanks helps smooth the transition between the waist and lower back.
- Hips and saddlebags: Liposuction can contour the outer hips and thighs for a slimmer looking upper leg.
- Inner thighs: Reducing excess fat in the inner thighs can improve leg contours and decrease painful rubbing and chafing.
- Upper arms: Liposuction can refine the upper arms for a sleeker, more toned look in sleeveless clothing.
- Chin and neck: Small-volume liposuction beneath the chin can create a more defined jawline and reduce the appearance of a double chin.
- Back and bra line: Removing fat along the upper or lower back can smooth the bulges that appear under clothing.
- Calves and ankles: Liposuction can create a slimmer, more defined transition between the lower legs and feet.
Some patients focus on a single area, while others choose to address multiple areas during the same procedure.
Who’s a Good Candidate for Liposuction?
Liposuction can provide exceptional results for patients who are looking to refine their body shape rather than dramatically reduce their weight.
You’re likely a good candidate if you:
- Have stubborn pockets of fat that won’t go away despite exercise and a healthy diet
- Are in good overall health
- Are close to your goal weight
- Have good skin elasticity
- Maintain a healthy lifestyle
- Have realistic expectations about your results
- Don't smoke or are willing to stop before and after surgery
If you have significant loose abdominal skin, you may achieve better results by combining liposuction with a skin tightening procedure like a tummy tuck.
Liposuction vs. Tummy Tuck
Liposuction and tummy tucks are often mentioned together, but they treat very different concerns.
The goal of liposuction is to remove unwanted fat. A tummy tuck, in comparison, is a much more comprehensive procedure that removes and tightens loose skin, repairs weakened abdominal muscles if necessary, and may also remove fat.
If you have good skin elasticity and simply want to reduce localized fat, liposuction alone may be sufficient. However, if you have loose skin after pregnancy or major weight loss, a tummy tuck or a combination of both procedures can provide better results.
During your consultation, Dr. Durand or Dr. Dev will recommend a treatment plan that best suits your anatomy and goals.
Liposuction Q&A with Dr. Durand
What's the biggest misconception about liposuction?
Dr. Durand: Many people think liposuction is a weight loss procedure, but that's not its true purpose. Ideal patients are already close to their target weight because they’re putting in the hard work of eating well and staying active. Liposuction helps by removing the areas of fat that aren’t responding to those efforts.
What’s the difference between losing weight through diet and exercise versus getting liposuction?
Dr. Durand: When you lose weight naturally, you don't actually lose fat cells, they simply shrink in size. And unfortunately, we don’t get to decide where our bodies burn fat first, that’s mostly dictated by genetics. Liposuction, on the other hand, physically removes fat cells from targeted spots. That means we can focus on problem areas and reshape a patient’s silhouette in ways that diet and exercise can’t.
How do you avoid an uneven or overdone look?
Dr. Durand: Any body contouring procedure is about what you leave behind just as much as what you remove. Our goal isn't to eliminate every bit of fat because that won’t look natural. By being a bit more conservative, we can create smooth transitions that complement your natural proportions. We want you to look like the best version of yourself, not someone new.
Can the fat come back after liposuction?
Dr. Durand: The fat cells we remove are gone permanently. However, the remaining fat cells can still enlarge if you gain weight. That's why maintaining a relatively stable weight is the best way to ensure your results last. That being said, if you experience minor weight fluctuations in the future, fat will distribute more evenly across your body instead of concentrating in your former problem spots.
Liposuction FAQs
Schedule Your Liposuction Consultation
If stubborn fat is preventing you from achieving the look you've worked hard for, liposuction may be a great option.
Schedule a private consultation with our team to see if liposuction can help. Book online or call our Miami office at (305) 918-1750.
