Knee liposuction - How to lose knee fat

What does it involve?

Your knee liposuction will be carried out as a day case at our award-winning Chelsea clinic.

On the day of the procedure, you will be sedated and the consultant will then make a series of tiny incisions before inserting a fine tube called a cannula into the treatment area. The cannula is moved around to break up the fat cells before the unwanted fat cells are sucked out using a vacuum. The treatment area is drained of any excess fluid and blood before being stitched and bandaged. You will be able to leave the clinic with a friend or family member on the same day as your thigh liposuction.

Once these fat cells are removed, they do not grow back, meaning your knees will keep their new shape, as long as you maintain a healthy weight.

Liposuction to remove fatty deposits from the inner side of the knee is a quick and easy procedure, which can be carried out under a local anesthetic. Lipo will remove this fat without leaving any loose skin behind. Knee liposuction can also remove fat sitting above the front of the knee.

However some of the small bulges visible at the front of the knee are caused by deeper pockets of fat. Sometimes these can prove inaccessible to liposuction. However our expert surgeons at the Cadogan Clinic have developed a special technique for this problem area.

It is important that you follow all the aftercare instructions issued by your surgeon, including wearing a compression garment and not exercising for a certain period of time. If you follow these instructions, you should expect a full recovery from your knee liposuction within six weeks.

What are the benefits?

Knee liposuction is a simple procedure, but it can produce life-changing results.

The main improvement you will notice is that you will be left with thinner knees. If knee liposuction is combined with thigh liposuction, this will leave the whole leg looking leaner and more toned. Sometimes thigh liposuction will need to be carried out to enhance the result of the knee liposuction treatment. For example, fat and skin at the front of the lower thigh tends to fold as a crescent above the knee, so additional liposuction of the thigh will help to enhance the overall result.

Liposuction is also a great way to tackle the problem of asymmetry, making sure the knees look the same size and shape.

By improving the aesthetic of fat knees using liposuction, this can improve self-confidence and self-esteem. If you are so unhappy with the appearance of your knees that it prevents you from wearing certain items of clothing, for example shorts, skirts or swimwear, then knee lipo will give you back the confidence to dress how you want. This in turn will improve your mental wellbeing. It is important to understand that knee liposuction is not a treatment for cellulite. However there are treatments which can be carried out alongside knee liposuction to help with this particular problem. Any sagging skin left behind after your knee liposuction can be removed via surgical excision.

Who is suitable?

Cadogan Clinic considers individuals fit for knee liposuction, if they meet the following criteria.

• Are physically and psychologically fit and healthy 
• Are a healthy weight and not obese
• Are bothered by the appearance of fat knees
• Have knee fat which cannot be removed by diet and exercise alone
• Have realistic expectations of what can be achieved through knee liposuction

What treatments can be combined with this form of liposuction?

Knee liposuction can be combined with other treatments, including liposuction on other parts of the body, such as the calf, ankle, buttocks and back. Inner thigh fat is associated with knee fat, so many patients opt to undergo thigh liposuction at the same time as knee liposuction.

Once fat has been removed from the knees via liposuction, it can be used in a treatment called fat transfer. This surgical treatment sees the fat removed from one area of the body and introduced to another part of the body via injection. Fat transfer is often used by surgeons to introduce volume to parts of the body such as the lips and cheeks. If you want to use the extracted fat in a fat transfer procedure, the surgeon will opt for the best liposuction method to preserve this fat.

If your knee fat is the result of gaining weight during pregnancy, knee liposuction can be incorporated into our ‘mummy makeover’ surgery. A 'mummy makeover' is a combination of surgeries mainly involving the breast, abdomen, waist, hips and thighs designed to restore a woman’s body to its original contours and appearance prior to childbearing.

Another treatment that you may wish to consider if you are planning to have knee liposuction is Cellulaze, a sophisticated laser treatment designed to treat cellulite.

Book an appointment with our consultant to discuss which treatment options are available to you.

Why come to Cadogan Clinic?

There are a number of reasons why you should come to Cadogan Clinic for your knee liposuction treatment.

• Cadogan Clinic is an award-winning specialist cosmetic clinic, with a track record of delivering safe, high quality cosmetic surgery
• We successfully carry out hundreds of cases of knee liposuction every year
• Our knee liposuction specialists have the highest levels of training and qualifications
• We were founded by Mr Bryan Mayou, the surgeon who first brought liposuction the UK, and he has trained the next generation of specialists at the clinic
• We treat more liposuction patients than any other clinic in London
• Cadogan Clinic’s expert surgeons use only the most effective liposuction techniques
• We use the latest anaesthetic technologies to minimise your downtime, and allow you to return home on the day of your knee liposuction procedure
• Our nursing team provide a dedicated 24/7 oncall service during recovery
• We offer a complimentary consultation and treatment with our onsite team of aestheticians to ensure you heal and scar quickly and efficiently
• We work with major bodies and organisations to ensure standards are maintained. These include Royal College of Surgeons (RCS), Care Quality Commission (CQC) and the General Medical Council (GMC)
• Our purpose-built clinic is conveniently located off Sloane Square, Chelsea, London

How much does it cost?

Knee liposuction costs upwards of £3,950 at the Cadogan Clinic. If you are having other areas of liposuction at the same time, then you can expect to pay more.

Two areas of liposuction costs £6,000 and three areas of liposuction costs £6,900.

The cost of knee lipo includes up to two 30 minute – 60 minute consultations with a leading specialist plastic surgeon at our award-winning premises in Chelsea, your procedure carried out at London’s leading specialist cosmetic surgery centre of excellence, 24/7 on call nurse assistance, a dedicated patient co-ordinator, as a personal point of contact through your journey with Cadogan, a pre-operative medical assessment to ensure you are fit for surgery and a comprehensive post-operative aftercare courtesy of our specialist cosmetic nurses.

All quoted costs online are guide prices only, and subject to confirmation following your in person consultation.

Knee liposuction cost in the UK is not subject to VAT as it is a medical procedure.

Knee liposuction is rarely available on the NHS for cosmetic purposes.

Why do we get fat knees?

Women can develop fat knees during puberty when oestrogen levels increase. In later life, with the advance of menopause, this problem deteriorates with weight gain and increased skin laxity. Once you hit menopause, your metabolism slows with age, resulting in weight gain in all areas of the body.

Fat knees often go hand-in-hand with inner thigh fat. When fatty deposits are found in the knees, hips and inner thighs, this can also be a symptom of trochanteric lipodystrophy, which is more commonly found in women rather than men.

Although age and gender play a key role in the appearance of fat knees, the problem may also be down to genetics.

Fat knees can also be due to over all weight gain, caused by an unhealthy diet and a lack of exercise and physical activity. Women also tend to gain weight around the thighs and knees during pregnancy. It can be notoriously difficult to shed pregnancy pounds.

What else can I do to reduce fat in these areas?

A lot of people struggle with how to get rid of knee fat. Luckily there are a number of things that you can do to tackle the problem of fat knees.

The biggest thing you can do to lose weight, as well as improve your overall health, is to exercise. The NHS recommends that you should do at least 150 minutes of exercise every week. Coupled with a healthy diet, packed full of fruit, vegetables, high fibre foods and protein-packed lean meats and poultry, cutting out sweet, sugary treats, you will find that you lose weight from all areas of your body, including the knee area.

Running and jogging are great ways of burning fat and strengthening the area around the front of the knees, but it is important that you do knee stretches before setting off to avoid injury. If you already struggle with knee pain or leg injury, cycling is a great low-impact alternative to running and jogging and has the extra benefit of toning all areas of the leg, including the knee.

Walking is a gentler form of exercise, but can still have a considerable impact, improving knee strength and reducing fat.

In terms of specific exercises which target the legs, squats, lunges and even skipping using a rope can all help with fat knees. 

Lunges target the front muscles in the legs, also known as quadriceps, and overtime this can tighten muscles all over the legs, including the knee area. Lunges are quite straightforward exercises and involve putting one leg forward at a 90-degree angle while keeping the upper body straight. Alternate the legs until you have done 10 lunges on each side. Squats also target the quadriceps, as well as the wider leg area. To do a squat, you should stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and, keeping your back straight and towards the floor, lower your body down. Ideally you should start with 12 reps, building up to more as your muscles get stronger.

Skipping using a rope is great for toning the legs, but make sure you do it with your knees bent and on a rubber surface in order not to damage your joints.

By strengthening your leg muscles, you are not only improving the aesthetic of the knees but you are also protecting yourself against knee pain, so we highly recommend the above exercises to improve your overall knee health.

Weight loss pills and supplements are available over-the-counter, at health food shops and on prescription, but these are not intended as a stand alone answer to weight loss. 

However, as knee fat is often down to genes, sometimes there is very little you can do to rid yourself of fat knees. Despite our very best efforts, some fat cannot be lost through diet and exercise alone. 

Knee liposuction is the best way of getting rid of stubborn fatty deposits in one quick and easy treatment. Book an appointment with one of our expert consultants here at the Cadogan Clinic to discuss how we can help you to reach your body goals.