Lipoplasty, also known as liposuction, is the surgical removal of excess fat from areas that are often resistant to diet and exercise, including the hips, thighs, abdomen and neck. Other common sites include the arms, knees, calves and ankles. Developed in the early 1980s, lipoplasty offers significant advantages over other methods of body contouring. Extensive scars are avoided by working through small incisions –less than one-half inch in length- made in the most inconspicuous areas, such as natural skin folds. Most lipoplasty procedures can be performed on an outpatient basis and usually involve only a brief recovery period.