Since its introduction in 1975 liposuction has become an increasingly popular technique and, in the United States today, is the most commonly performed procedure in cosmetic surgery. However, this technique is also useful in the treatment of a number of other conditions such as gynecomastia and lipomas/lipomatosis, and as an adjuvant procedure to surgical procedures such as reduction mammoplasty, abdominoplasty, and defattening of flaps. The article describes the technique and its indications and possible complications.