The American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery has warned that liposuction should never be used to treat childhood obesity. Brooke Bates, age 12, in the photo here, lost 35-pounds via lipo but this procedure is neither safe nor effective for children.

The Washington Post reports that many surgeons say the procedure should not be performed until a teenager has stopped growing -- and never for the primary purpose of weight loss regardless of a patient's age. It is rare to remove more than 10 pounds of fat and fluid during liposuction. The procedure is used primarily to reduce stubborn fat deposits in the abdomen, buttocks or thighs that are impervious to diet and exercise; the best candidates are of normal weight.