My Los Angeles liposuction patients have several options for anesthesia. For those patients interested in treating only one or two areas of their body, local anesthesia is a great option. Typically, more anesthesia is desirable when treating multiple areas or removing larger volumes of fat. In my consultations with patients, I help them prioritize their goals and understand their best options, including anesthesia.
He’s written 2 textbook chapters on liposuction, sharing his knowledge with future plastic surgeons.
He regularly teaches liposuction courses at meetings of The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS) and the American Society of Plastic Surgeons® (ASPS).
He was named as a top surgeon in liposuction by The New York Times.
He’s pioneered some of today’s most popular liposuction techniques, such as power-assisted liposuction (PAL).
Liposuction Before & After Photos
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This 27-year-old woman already had a nice figure, but she was bothered by small fatty bulges that were obvious in certain clothing. Losing weight didn't make sense for this patient because she was comfortable at her current weight and felt that if she lost more weight through diet that her face and neck would look too lean. Instead, she began... Read More
This 23-year-old woman from Europe wanted to refine her figure, but since she is a model, she was worried that her face and neck would appear undesirably too thin if she were to lose more weight through diet and exercise. She came to Dr. Stoker's Practice to find a Los Angeles plastic surgeon who could help her achieve the look she wanted without... Read More
This 30-year-old woman wanted to have a more ideal figure by trimming down her thighs and hips. She looked for a Los Angeles or Santa Monica plastic surgeon who could help her with these troublesome areas. She made an appointment with one of the surgeons at Dr. Stoker's Practice to find out more about liposuction.After consulting with... Read More
This 38-year-old woman was bothered by the fatty bulges on her stomach and hips that were worsened by the abdominal scar from previous surgery. She wanted to find a doctor who could perform liposuction surgery in Los Angeles, to help smooth her body so she could feel more confident in the way she looked. She decided to make an appointment with one... Read More
We have a great example of this 53-year-old male patient who worked out very hard, as you can tell from his muscular build. And he was also trying to eat healthily, but as he is now 53 years old, in the last 20 years, he's slowly gained a little bit of weight with each decade. And that's pretty typical. He was bothered by his appearance. He felt... Read More
This 23-year-old woman was uncomfortable with her shape and the fatty rolls that appeared beneath support straps. She wanted to find a talented surgeon in Los Angeles for liposuction, in order to create a more hourglass and feminine figure. She came to Dr. Stoker's Practice looking for help to fix her trouble spots.During her consultation,... Read More
This slender woman was already at her ideal weight, but the shape of her thighs made it hard to fit into jeans. Tired of having trouble with her clothing, she decided to find a Los Angeles plastic surgery specialist who could sculpt her ideal figure.During her consultation, this patient explained to her surgeon how she was bothered by her... Read More
Even though this young woman was very fit, she still wanted an improved figure. She came to Dr. Stoker's Practice to find plastic surgery in Los Angeles that was right for her.During her consultation with one of our board-certified plastic surgeons, she told her surgeon that she was unhappy with the shape of her inner and outer thighs... Read More
As a runway model, this young woman was concerned about the fatty deposits on her inner and outer thighs which disrupted the smoothness of her body's curves. Wanting to find a Los Angeles plastic surgeon who had lots of experience performing liposuction, she scheduled a consultation with one of the surgeons at Dr. Stoker's Practice.When... Read More
This 27-year-old woman desired a more ideal figure. Dr. Stoker performed power-assisted liposuction to accomplish her goals. She is shown before and eight months following her surgery.
This 29-year-old male was bothered by the increased amount of fat around his midsection. Dr. Stoker performed power-assisted liposuction and removed a large amount of fat from those areas. He is shown before and six weeks following his surgery. Read More
This 42-year-old woman was very athletic and wanted to have a more youthful appearance that was consistent with her active life. Dr. Stoker performed power-assisted liposuction to accomplish her goal. She is shown before and four months following her surgery. Read More
This 47-year-old woman desired an improved figure with minimal scars and swift recovery. Dr. Stoker performed power-assisted liposuction to accomplish her goals. She is shown before and six months following her surgery.
This 23-year old woman desired an hourglass figure. Dr. Stoker performed power-assisted liposuction to achieve her goals, removing the most diet-resistant fat. She is shown before and six weeks following her surgery.
This 25-year-old woman wanted to have a slimmer, fitter body. She had been unhappy with the look of her abdomen and had recently begun considering liposuction in Los Angeles. She decided to schedule a consultation with Dr. David Stoker.When she met with her surgeon, she expressed her concerns and asked what her surgeon recommended. Her surgeon... Read More
This 47-year-old man didn't like the look of his abdomen, where stubborn fatty deposits had accumulated over time. Wanting to have a fitter and more streamlined figure, he decided to research surgeons who performed liposuction in Los Angeles, finally making an appointment at Dr. Stoker's Practice.During his consultation, his surgeon... Read More
This 24-year-old woman was unhappy with the look of her thighs, hips, flanks and back. Wanting them to have a slimmer, smoother appearance, she decided to find a Los Angeles liposuction specialist to help her achieve the figure she wanted. After some consideration, she made an appointment with one of the board-certified plastic surgeons at Dr. Stoker's... Read More
This 33-year-old woman had liposuction done by another surgeon and was left with uneven thighs afterwards. The surgeon had taken out too much fat from her lateral thighs, giving her an unnatural and asymmetrical appearance. Disappointed with the results of her previous surgery, this patient decided to look for a Los Angeles or Santa Monica plastic... Read More
This 39-year-old woman hoped to find a surgeon to help her diminish the fatty bulges on her hips and stomach and to diminish her abdominal appendectomy scar. After looking for a Los Angeles or Santa Monica plastic surgeon, she made an appointment with one of the surgeons at Dr. Stoker's Practice.During her consultation, she and her surgeon... Read More
This 36-year-old woman was unhappy with her body shape and wanted to look fitter and younger. Wanting to find a surgeon in Los Angeles who does liposuction, this patient came to Dr. Stoker's Practice to meet with a talented surgeon in order to discuss her options.During her consultation, she and her surgeon decided that power-assisted... Read More
This 57-year-old woman was frustrated with the look of her body when trying to fit into certain clothes. She decided that she wanted to feel better about herself and began looking for a Los Angeles plastic surgeon who could advise her about the different procedures that would help her to feel more confident in the clothes she wanted to wear. Finally,... Read More
This 36-year-old woman was unsatisfied with the shape of her body and wanted to have a more feminine, hourglass figure. Liposuction seemed like a good option and so she wanted to find a talented doctor to perform her plastic surgery in Los Angeles. She made an appointment with one of the surgeons at Dr. Stoker's Practice in order to find out... Read More
This 27-year-old woman and her roommate both wanted to improve their figures in order to feel more confident in general and when wearing their swimsuits. They both came to Dr. Stoker's Practice to have liposuction. In Los Angeles, the surgeons at Dr. Stoker's Practice see many patients who want to feel more comfortable in their swimsuits.... Read More
This 41-year-old nurse wanted to improve her figure by undergoing liposuction in Los Angeles on both her torso and arms. She scheduled a consultation with a Los Angeles plastic surgeon at Dr. Stoker's Practice to see what options were available. With the help of her surgeon, she decided to have power-assisted liposuction, where an electric motor... Read More
The types of anesthesia I use for liposuction procedures in my practice include:
Local anesthesia with or without oral sedation
Local anesthesia with intravenous sedation, sometimes called “twilight” sedation
“Light” general anesthesia, where the patient is asleep
Full general anesthesia, where the patient is asleep and muscles are relaxed
Local Anesthesia
Local anesthesia helps to minimize the hassle of small surgical procedures for patients. It reduces the necessary preparation, side effects, and downtime from surgery.
The local anesthesia I use is a two-step process. I first inject the access incision sites with concentrated lidocaine. The needle is tiny and relatively painless. Once numb, I infuse a large amount of dilute local anesthesia solution into the fatty layers of tissue. I usually chat with the patient during this process so that they’re distracted. Most patients report afterward that they found the process easy and tolerable. My extensive experience is very helpful in making this a smooth process for my patients.
Liposuction Anesthesia
Twilight Anesthesia
Some patients want sedation when they’re having liposuction, but want to avoid general anesthesia. Twilight anesthesia involves intravenous sedation in addition to local anesthesia as described above. If deep sedation is required for patient comfort, it’s usually better to use a light general anesthesia with an anesthesiologist.
Light General Anesthesia
Our board-certified M.D. anesthesiologists commonly administer a light general anesthesia for liposuction patients. The patients are given medications in low doses that are just enough for the patient to drift off to sleep. Then the anesthesiologist places a mask in the patient’s mouth to monitor their breathing. At that point I infuse a large amount of dilute local anesthesia solution into the fatty layers so that a minimal amount of general anesthesia is required for the patient to remain asleep. After I complete the liposuction procedure, the patient awakens with no recollection of the surgery. They’re typically walking within 30 minutes.
Learn about professional credentials and see almost 1,000 patient pictures and descriptions by Dr. Stoker.
Full General Anesthesia
For major body contouring procedures such as tummy tucks and body lifts, it is often advantageous for the anesthesiologist to relax the patient’s muscles during surgery. When necessary, this deeper level of sedation allows me to perform these larger procedures in the safest manner possible. I use only board certified M.D. anesthesiologists for general anesthesia.
Anesthesia Equipment
I use modern anesthesia equipment to keep my patients safe and comfortable. I only operate in certified surgical facilities that also meet my own rigorous standards for excellence. This includes an experienced team of nurses and support staff who assist me in doing the best job possible for my patients.
Our expertise extends beyond plastic surgery. We offer an extensive range of non-surgical treatments administered by our talented, experienced team of aesthetic providers under the guidance of board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. David Stoker.
If you have a treatment in mind, review our complete offering of non-surgical services. If you need a little help deciding, narrow down your options with our interactive treatment planner.
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Since the use of tumescent solution revolutionized modern liposuction in the 1980s, technology has been steadily advancing and producing new ways to make the body contouring procedure less invasive and more effective. Patients considering liposuction at my Los Angeles practice may be surprised to learn how many varied approaches to the procedure exist today. Each… Read On
Sometimes, selecting a provider for your plastic surgery procedure can be as challenging as planning the procedure itself. This is especially true of liposuction here in Los Angeles, where it seems like there’s a specialist on every corner. While liposuction may seem like a relatively simple option in the world of plastic surgery, it’s still… Read On
