Gen X is putting their own spin on liposuction
Liposuction is the most popular plastic surgery procedure, and it is especially common among Gen X, "a very interesting plastic surgery generation."

If you are a member of Gen X, you have trailblazed some truly amazing trends, from shoulder pads and stirrup pants (the first time they were cool) in the 80s to matte brown lipsticks and Mary Janes in the 90s. And now, the MTV Generation is at the forefront of an entirely different kind of trend – they are leading the way in liposuction.

Once again, Gen X is onto something. Liposuction is the single most popular plastic surgery procedure in the United States, according to the 2024 ASPS Plastic Surgery Statistics Report. And the patients most likely to get liposuction include Gen Xers in their mid-40s to mid-50s, who accounted for more than 45 percent of all liposuction procedures in 2024, along with elder Millennials. Gen Xers in their mid-50s to mid-60s, meanwhile, were also more likely to get liposuction than most other procedures. And because Gen X tends to have a unique philosophy when it comes to plastic surgery – and they are at a point in their life when certain body changes reliably set in – they are often putting their own spin on liposuction.

"Gen X is a very interesting plastic surgery generation," said Steven Williams, MD. "We're talking about my generation. I'm Gen X."

It's a group that came of age before selfies and cell phones, let alone friends of friends posting about their breast augmentations on social media. So, they haven't always been as comfortable with the idea of plastic surgery as younger generations, said Dr. Williams, partly because they're not as used to "having their image shoved in their face."

But now Gen X is "catching up in terms of procedures and self-care," said Dr. Williams, and "liposuction is a very interesting way to test how plastic surgery can serve you, and how it can align your outside with the [way you feel] inside."

The payoff can be big, with a relatively quick recovery.

"It's kind of an entry-level procedure, especially if you're doing smaller areas," said Dr. Williams. "The scars are insignificant, and it's a very easy operation to recover from. You're not missing a lot of work or family time, which is very important, obviously."

Gen X might be contemplating plastic surgery for the first time now that "all those things that we keep ourselves busy with – career and kids – are a little bit quieter," said Dr. Williams.

At the same time, some changes may be setting in.

"When you're Gen X in 2026, your metabolism has changed a little bit," said Dr. Williams. "Even if you've taken good care of yourself, you may be carrying [new] contours that you want to do something about."

When your body changes, even though your exercise routine and diet really haven't, liposuction might start to sound more appealing.

And then there's menopause – and the fat redistribution that tends to come along with it.

"With menopause, most patients have a slightly different deposition in fat patterns," said Dr. Williams. "People are holding onto contours in places they didn't have before, and sometimes it's harder to lose weight after menopause because of hormonal changes."

As a result, menopause can be a significant motivator for Gen X patients.

"Many women discuss redistribution of fat post-menopause and areas of persistent fullness, despite their healthy lifestyle previously being effective in improving those areas," said Umbareen Mahmood, MD. "Generally, for female patients, this includes liposuction of the lower abdomen, flanks and lower back, and for men, it is the flanks and lower back, commonly referred to as 'love handles.'"

In Dr. Mahmood's practice, these Gen X patients may already be acquainted with plastic surgery.

"Gen X patients seeking liposuction may have had other procedures already, such as an abdominoplasty, breast lift or even previous liposuction, and they are looking to target specific areas that they continue to be bothered by," said Dr. Mahmood. "If these patients have already had other body contouring procedures – and have not had significant weight fluctuations resulting in skin laxity – then liposuction alone, with or without skin tightening technology, is effective in addressing their localized areas of concern."

But if patients are "bothered by the laxity that occurs with aging or weight fluctuations" – and often, they are – Dr. Mahmood might use "liposuction in conjunction with more comprehensive contouring procedures such as an abdominoplasty, thigh lift, brachioplasty or lower body lift."

You simply can't expect a skin tightening device to deliver the benefits you'd get from a surgical lift.

"If it were [that] powerful, then no one would ever do a facelift, no one would ever do a breast lift, you would just use the skin tightening machine," said Dr. Williams.

Sometimes, patients who are bothered by laxity are not great candidates in areas with sagging.

"The classic thing is someone who's had several children, they're Gen X, in their late 50s, and they have some abdominal skin that's sagging," said Dr. Williams. "Liposuction is not great at getting rid of loose skin."

In fact, according to Dr. Williams, if you remove fat in areas with sagging skin, "it becomes a physics problem – volume is reduced, and that may make the skin sag more."

But if you are a candidate, liposuction – performed on its own and always only by a board-certified plastic surgeon – "is an operation that's not particularly painful, the recovery is usually very, very straightforward and the incisions are small," said Dr. Williams.

That means the scars are small and plastic surgeons "look for ways to camouflage those, in either the natural folds of the body or in places that they're going to be covered, until you're just completely naked," according to Dr. Williams. "We love putting incisions in the belly button, because almost nobody looks inside of their belly button to see that three millimeter scar."

But even though liposuction is typically considered a straightforward procedure, you absolutely should not assume that means anyone can do it. There can be real risks in untrained hands.

"It's important to go to a board-certified plastic surgeon, because we just don't want people getting hurt," said Dr. Williams, adding that in the right plastic surgeon's hands and for the right patient, "liposuction is incredibly powerful in terms of changing the overall contour."

To find a qualified plastic surgeon for any cosmetic or reconstructive procedure, consult a member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. All ASPS members are board certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery, have completed an accredited plastic surgery training program, practice in accredited facilities and follow strict standards of safety and ethics. Find an ASPS member in your area.