Aside from the many health risk associated with excess weight, there is an unfortunate but real stigma associated with flabby, unseemly stomachs.

When diet and exercise fail to tighten these stomachs, the only real alternative left for most people is surgery. And when people think of slimmer stomachs, the surgery they most often think of is liposuction.

As with any surgery, liposuction is not ideal for everyone. The most important factor that the surgeon considers is if abdominal liposuction is required rather than a tummy tuck. A tummy tuck is needed for weakened abdominal muscles due to excessive weight loss or past pregnancy.

If after exercise and proper diet, you are within your healthy weight range, but simply cannot lose the belly bulge, then liposuction will work beautifully for you.

Your physician will be able to help you decide after taking a complete and thorough physical, including an extensive medical history. It is important to be entirely open with your plastic surgeon about any concerns you may have. After weighing the risks and benefits, many people find this surgery is just the answer they have been looking for to solve their problems with abdominal flab.

During traditional liposuction, the abdomen is numbed to eliminate sensation. Next, a small incision is made in the area to be drained of fatty deposits. A small tube (or cannula) is placed into the incision, and a vacuum-like machine sucks out the thick, fatty masses.

Following a brief recovery period, most patients find all evidence of the surgery (save for the slimmer stomach!) gone in a matter of weeks. While complications can occur, an experienced plastic surgeon can reduce or eliminate these risks entirely.

The effects of the actual liposuction are two-fold.

1) Firstly, liposuction can be used to greatly decrease the overall fatty mass that many people may find across their abdomen. Depending on the size of the stomach, surgery can help reduce the overall stomach size by up to 80%.

2) Secondly, liposuction can be used as a form of abdominal sculpting, taking already slim areas and tightening them to accentuate the stomach's positive areas. While surgery cannot create six-pack, it can be used to remove excess fat that may be obscuring the six pack you worked so hard to get.

Surgery can also be used to even out areas of the stomach, creating a slimmer, more symmetrical stomach.

Liposuction is not an effective weight loss method. However, it can help to reduce the overall size of a bulging stomach. Furthermore, many people with excess fat around their waist experience an unsettling 'jiggle' when they try to engage in vigorous exercise.

With liposuction, these areas can be thinned and tightened to reduce size and movement for those hoping to start a new exercise regimen. A slimmer belly or thighs can add to increased mobility, which in turn can lead to actual, substantial weight loss.

For those looking to put the final touches on physical appearance, liposuction may be just the thing to get the ball rolling.