Treatment time will vary depending on the size of the area and the amount of fat being removed. Liposuction may be performed under a local anesthesia which numbs the affected areas, usually combined with intravenous sedation. For more extensive procedures, a general anesthesia may be used. During the procedure the surgeon will insert a narrow tube called a cannula through a tiny incision, typically near the buttock crease. The cannula is pushed and pulled through the fat layer breaking up the fat cells and suctioning them out. Surgeons may use a “dry” technique, a “tumescent” technique (that introduces large amounts of fluid to the area being worked on). After surgery, you will be required to wear pressure bandages on your thighs to reduce swelling.