The apparent simplicity of liposuction and the ease with which it is performed, may lull the novice plastic surgeon into overlooking the evolutionary developments that have brought it to today's level of popularity in body contouring surgery. Patients who may benefit from liposuction range widely from the thin patient desiring contouring of localized areas of stubborn adiposity to the obese patient in whom diet has failed to control weight. One of the major drawbacks of liposuction is its ability to thin, but not tighten. Reliance upon skin retraction to affect a proper outcome will only lead to disappointment, and this patient may instead benefit from an excisional-type procedure. Careful patient selection, education, and proper administration of the technique as a primary or an adjuctive tool will help deliver the most desirable aesthetic result.