Dr. Juliane C. Finke
Board-certified plastic surgeon (plastic &
aesthetic surgery), Fellow of EBOPRAS
- Fellow of EBOPRAS – European board examination, 2010
- Body contouring after weight loss and after pregnancy
- Consultations in English and Spanish
For women · Body contouring
Liposuctionin Berlin-Prenzlauer Berg
Some fat deposits stay put whatever you do — on the hips, the outer thighs, the lower abdomen. They are laid down by your genes, not by your diet. Liposuction removes them permanently; what it is not is a way to lose weight.
Please note: A medical consultation is a chargeable service under the German physicians’ fee schedule (GOÄ). Online bookings are binding; the practice team will explain the expected consultation fee when arranging your appointment.
Medically reviewed by Dr. med. Juliane C. Finke and Dr. med. Stephan Frantzen · Board-certified plastic surgeons · Last reviewed:
60–90 minutes
in theatre, depending on the size of the area
Usually day surgery
local or general anaesthetic – one night only for very large volumes
2–6 days
off work, depending on the size of the area
4–6 weeks
compression garment, and no sport
The procedure
What liposuction actually does
Liposuction is the surgical removal of subcutaneous fat through fine cannulas inserted via very small skin incisions. The fat cells that are removed do not grow back — but the ones left behind can still get bigger if you gain weight.
The number of fat cells you have is largely fixed by early adulthood. Where they sit is decided by genetics and hormones, which is why an otherwise slim woman can have persistent fullness on the outer thighs, and why sit-ups do not flatten a lower abdomen.
Liposuction changes the distribution, not the total. It is a contouring operation, and it works best on people who are close to their normal weight and whose skin still has decent elasticity.
Areas
Which areas respond well?
In women, the classic areas are the ones that resist diet most stubbornly:
- Outer thighs – the so-called riding breeches; the most frequent request.
- Hips and waist – for a clearer line between waist and hip.
- Lower abdomen – provided the skin is still firm.
- Inner thighs and knees – small volumes, disproportionate effect on how trousers fit.
- Upper arms, back, chin – smaller areas, often combined with something else.
Several areas can be treated in one session. What is sensible in one go depends on the total volume, not on how many areas are on the list.
Technique
Why we use the tumescent technique
Before anything is removed, the area is infiltrated with a large volume of dilute solution containing local anaesthetic and a vessel-constricting agent. The fat swells, separates and becomes easier to remove — and the small blood vessels close down before the cannula reaches them.
The practical consequences: markedly less blood loss than older techniques, less bruising, and in most cases no need for a general anaesthetic. Larger volumes are still more comfortable asleep, and we will say so.
The areas are marked while you stand — lying down redistributes everything, so marking on the table would defeat the purpose.
Step by step
From the starting point to the result
From the initial finding through the marked treatment areas to the final contour.
How it works
How your liposuction proceeds
From planning to compression garments – every step has its reason.
01
Consultation and treatment plan
In an individual, personal consultation we take plenty of time for a treatment plan tailored to you. We show you all the options for treatment – but also the limits, so that no false expectations arise.
02
Choosing the anaesthetic
Already during the consultation we decide whether the procedure will be performed under local or general anaesthetic. With both methods you can usually leave the clinic on the day of surgery.
03
Marking
Before the operation, your surgeon marks the areas to be treated together with you, so that a harmonious silhouette is restored.
04
Tumescent solution
Through very small incisions, the tumescent solution is introduced; it numbs the surgical area and makes the suction possible.
05
Suction
The fat cells are removed with a fine cannula from the tissue beneath the skin and above the muscle.
06
Compression
Immediately after the procedure, your compression garment is put on so that no major swelling can develop.
Limits
Where liposuction ends
Three things it cannot do, and it is better to know them now than afterwards:
- It is not weight loss. The volume removed is measured in litres of fat, not kilograms on the scale. Patients who come in wanting to lose 15 kg are in the wrong consultation.
- It does not tighten skin. Where the skin has already lost elasticity, removing the volume underneath can make it hang more. Then the answer is a tummy tuck — or BodyTite, which tightens as it removes.
- It does not reach visceral fat. A firm abdomen that does not pinch between your fingers is fat between the organs. No cannula gets there.
A separate note on lipoedema: this is a disease, not a cosmetic finding — painful, symmetrical fat distribution on legs or arms that does not respond to diet. It needs a proper diagnosis first, and treatment follows different rules. If your description fits, we will say so.
Afterwards
What happens after the operation
You go home the same day in most cases. The tumescent fluid drains from the small incisions for the first day or two — that is expected, and it is why you go home with absorbent dressings rather than a warning.
The compression garment goes on immediately and stays on day and night for four to six weeks. It is the least popular and most important part of the aftercare: it decides how smoothly the skin settles back down.
Bruising and swelling peak around day three and fade over two to three weeks. The final contour takes three to six months to show, because swelling in the deeper tissue resolves slowly. Lymphatic drainage massage speeds that up and we will usually recommend it.
Safety
Risks specific to liposuction
Possible complications include bleeding, infection, seroma, prolonged swelling, altered sensation, contour irregularity, asymmetry, loose skin, conspicuous scars and revision surgery. Rare serious complications include fluid or local-anaesthetic toxicity, thrombosis, pulmonary or fat embolism and injury to deeper structures or organs. Risk depends strongly on treated volume, area, anaesthetic and medical history.
At a glance
Liposuction: the key facts
| How long | 60–90 minutes in theatre, depending on the size of the area |
|---|---|
| Anaesthetic | Local anaesthetic in most cases; general anaesthetic for larger volumes |
| Stay | Usually day surgery – one night only for very large volumes |
| Back to work | 2–6 days, depending on the size of the area |
| Compression | 4–6 weeks day and night, and no sport in that time |
| Final result | Visible from about three months, settled at six |
| Where | In most cases day surgery at our practice in Berlin-Prenzlauer Berg. Where the procedure is more extensive, as an inpatient at the MEOCLINIC, Friedrichstraße 71 — the private hospital in Quartier 206 |
| Paid by | Private fee or private insurance benefit |
What does liposuction cost? There is no flat rate. Time in theatre, technique, anaesthetic and the extent of the procedure differ from person to person. You get a binding quote at the end of your consultation — in writing, with nothing hidden. And the consultation itself? Medical advice is a treatment in its own right and is invoiced under the German scale of medical fees (GOÄ) — including when you decide against a procedure afterwards. We tell you what to expect when the appointment is made.
Will insurance pay? As a rule, no: purely aesthetic procedures are paid privately. German statutory insurers only contribute where a medical indication is recognised; private insurers and international policies decide case by case. We will tell you honestly whether you have any prospect of cover.
Preparing
How do I prepare?
- Stop blood thinners such as aspirin or ibuprofen only after checking with us.
- Give up nicotine for two weeks before and after the procedure – it is the single most useful thing you can do for your own wound healing.
- Come without make-up and without jewellery; for procedures around the eyes, without contact lenses too.
- Plan to get home without driving yourself. Even under local anaesthetic, having someone with you is easier.
- Keep the first few days free of anything where you have to look your best.
These points apply generally. What applies in your case – with existing conditions or regular medication – we go through at your pre-operative consultation. That conversation is what counts.
Alternatives
What are the alternatives?
Volume and skin are two different problems, and they need different answers. We look first at whether something smaller would do the job – and we will say so if none of these procedures fits your finding.
- BodyTite – removes fat and tightens the skin in the same step – for skin that would not spring back.
- Fat-dissolving injections – for small, well-defined deposits such as a double chin – no surgery at all.
- Tummy tuck – where there is a genuine excess of skin, suction alone will not help.
In safe hands
Your surgeons for liposuction in Berlin
Dr. Stephan Frantzen
Board-certified plastic surgeon and
board-certified general surgeon
- Head of department for plastic surgery, Helios Klinikum Berlin-Buch, 2015–2018
- Board-certified in two specialties – general surgery and plastic surgery
- Tumescent technique for abdomen, flanks, hips and thighs
Gustavo Saravia Leguizamon
Board-certified plastic surgeon (plastic &
aesthetic surgery)
- Board-certified since 2017 – Berlin Medical Council; earlier board certifications in Argentina
- Lead physician for plastic surgery, Schlosspark-Klinik Berlin, 2023–2025
- Liposuction – performs the procedure personally at our practice; consultations in German and Spanish
* employed physician
Verifiable qualifications
Professional societies and awards
Dr. Juliane C. Finke and Dr. Stephan Frantzen are full members of the German Society of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons (DGPRÄC) and the German Society of Senology (DGS). Dr. Finke is also a Fellow of EBOPRAS and passed the European board examination in 2010; Dr. Frantzen operates on a voluntary basis for INTERPLAST in South America. The jameda seals lead to the independent physician profiles with patient reviews of Dr. Finke and Dr. Frantzen.
Frequently asked questions
Frequently asked questions about liposuction
Medically reviewed by Dr. Juliane C. Finke and Dr. Stephan Frantzen
01How much fat can be removed in one session?
The limit is set by safety, not by wishes. Removing very large volumes in one sitting increases the risk of fluid shifts, so larger cases are split into two sessions. What is sensible in your case depends on your build and on how many areas are involved — we will give you a figure at the consultation, not before.
02Will the fat come back somewhere else?
No. The removed cells are gone for good and the body does not relocate them. What can happen is that if you gain weight, the fat cells that remain — everywhere, including the treated area — get bigger. Stable weight is what keeps the result.
03Does it hurt?
During the procedure, no: the tumescent solution contains local anaesthetic. Afterwards it feels like heavy muscle soreness for three to five days, and ordinary painkillers are enough for almost everyone.
04When will I see the result?
You will see a difference immediately, but you will also be swollen. Roughly 70 per cent of the result is visible at six weeks and the contour is settled at three to six months.
05Do I really have to wear the compression garment for six weeks?
Yes, and day and night for the first four. It is what makes the skin re-drape smoothly. Patients who abandon it early are the ones who come back unhappy about irregularities.
06Can liposuction treat cellulite?
Not reliably. Cellulite comes from the way the connective tissue strands attach to the skin, not from the volume of fat underneath. Removing volume sometimes improves the appearance slightly, sometimes not at all — we will not promise you it will.
07Can I combine several areas?
Yes, and it is common — hips and outer thighs together, for example. The limiting factor is total volume, not the number of areas.
08Is liposuction a treatment for lipoedema?
Lipoedema is a disease with its own diagnostic criteria and its own treatment pathway. It needs to be diagnosed properly first. If what you describe fits the pattern, we will tell you and point you in the right direction rather than book you in.
09When can I fly?
Short flights after about a week; long-haul after two to three weeks, mainly because of thrombosis risk while sitting still. Keep the compression garment on for the flight.
Your next step
Let’s talk about your contour
Book a personal consultation. We examine, we pinch, and we tell you honestly which areas will respond — and which will not.
Related treatments: BodyTite · Tummy tuck · Fat-dissolving injections · Skin tightening · For women
Medically reviewed by Dr. Juliane C. Finke, board-certified plastic surgeon (plastic and aesthetic surgery), and Dr. Stephan Frantzen, board-certified plastic surgeon and board-certified general surgeon.
Last medically reviewed:
The content of this page is for general information and does not replace medical advice. A binding assessment is only possible after a personal examination.
Independent information: The German Society of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons provides patient information on choosing a specialist, consent, limitations and possible complications. The German Medical Association explains the GOÄ fee schedule. These German-language sources supplement, but do not replace, an individual medical examination.