Whether reported or not, liposuction problems are real enough — though some, such as wavy or uneven skin after fat removal, are not medically serious.

But others are. Overworking the heart can be a serious side effect of the tumescent technique. "Let's say they plan to remove 5,000 cc's of aspirate," says plastic surgeon Fodor, "so they inject a dangerously large amount of fluid. The patient would be practically 'drowning' in fluids. The heart can't handle this fluid overload."

Complications of Liposuction
Another potential complication is infection, says Brown. Infections can occur after any surgery. Sometimes, infections may be serious or life threatening such as in cases of necrotizing fasciitis (when bacteria eat away at tissue) or toxic shock syndrome, a serious infection which has been associated with tampon use but may also be associated with surgery, says Brown.

Other possible problems Brown lists are burns, embolisms, cardiac arrhythmia, edema, and nerve compression, which are all reported in the medical literature. Often, too, Graham notes, cannulas are inserted in several different locations, resulting in puncture wounds that need to heal.

A condition called seroma, or an oozing or pooling of serum, or body fluid, may be a problem after the more aggressive ultrasound techniques during which some skin is detached from underlying tissue and fluid accumulates in a subcutaneous pocket.