Laser liposuction is the hottest thing in liposuction that we have seen for a number of years. In the U.S. this has been available for approximately 2 years. Smartlipo was the first on the scene and was FDA approved in 2007. Smartlipo is certainly still the largest in this race but a few newcomers including slimlipo, LipoLite, lipotherme and cool lipo to name a few have come along.
Liposuction has been around for years. Major advances in techniques have occurred. The most significant advances are the development of tumescent technique (injection of numbing solution) and the use of smaller cannulas. Is laser liposuction the next great advancement in liposuction?
What is laser liposuction?
There is a general misunderstanding about laser liposuction. Most advertising would suggest that smartlipo and its competitors have completely reinvented liposuction. In reality all of the basic steps involved with traditional liposuction are performed including: 1. Sedation of the patient 2. Injection of tumescent fluid (numbing solution) 3. Suction of fat. With laser lipolysis there is an additional step which involves the burning of fat just before removal. Initially, the laser was intended to be used without liposuction of the fat. ‘Melted’ fat was to be resorbed by the body. This has generally been shown to be ineffective. The fat must be removed after the burning, this is achieved in the EXACT same manner as would be performed without the laser.
The claimed advantages of burning the fat are:
1. Skin tightening 2. Less pain 3. Quicker recovery 4. Smoother results 5. Less invasive procedure, some ads even call it fat removal “without surgery or scars” 6. Quicker procedure
How accurate are these claims?
According the the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, “The only study that has scientifically compared this to standard liposuction has found no differences between these techniques in terms of the results.”
The author (Dr. York Yates) is a plastic surgeon in the Salt Lake City, Utah area.
“I have been excited about the possibility of additional skin tightening with laser liposuction. This is often a problem in older people or folks who have lost a lot of weight.”
“I was recently given the opportunity to ‘try out’ a laser lipo machine on a patient we had scheduled for liposuction. She had liposuction on the abdomen,upper hips, back, and inner thighs. The laser lipo was used on the abdomen to hopefully tighten some loose skin.”
“The experience was less than satisfying. There were not any complications due to the laser, however it just didn’t live up to the hype. Although the other treatment areas were nearly painless, the abdomen (laser treated) was extremely painful and was reported as a ‘burning’ sensation. The addition of the laser did not increase the amount of fat that could be removed, nor did I see any skin tightening.”
“The only difference I can see between the two procedures is increased pain, increased cost and need for deeper sedation. It is certainly just as invasive as traditional liposuction if not more so. I have researched this extensively and cannot find any ground to support any of the claims that laser lipo is making. Hopefully these studies are done and hopefully the results are favorable for skin shrinkage.”
Disadvantages of laser liposuction:
The purported advantages of laser liposuction don’t seem to be accurate. There are, however a few disadvantages of laser liposuction in the authors opinion:
1. Most surgeons (not all) using laser liposuction are not experienced plastic surgeons. “Cosmetic surgeon”, is not the same thing and may be an oral surgeon, family practice doctor, OB, radiologist or anyone with a medical degree. 2. The burning is painful 3. The burning requires a longer procedure with more time and risk. Does it make any sense to burn tissue before you remove it? 4. Burning of fat makes it a more (not less) invasive procedure 5. The procedure is more expensive (the equipment is very expensive)
How has laser liposuction gotten so popular if it doesn’t do what it says it does?
Purely marketing genius. Add a laser to anything in medicine and the assumption is that it must be better. This undoubtedly true in Lasik eye surgery and laser hair removal. The bombardment of billboards, TV and print media have made it extremely popular. Many of these ads have been misleading and irresponsible. The claims make laser lipolysis sound like a quick lunch hour procedure. It is simply not the case. Liposuction is one of the most dangerous procedures that plastic surgeons do and all plastic surgeons take it very seriously. The fact that the procedure can be done with light sedation and the incisions are small should not be misinterpreted as minimally invasive. The majority of the deaths (although very rare) in cosmetic surgery are liposuction related.
Many of the doctors using these devices learn to do liposuction over a weekend course, a craft that takes plastic surgeons 6-7 years. The consumer should be very careful. Find the right doctor and together determine what would be your best treatment option. The technology behind the doctor is less important when it comes to liposuction.
Dr. York Yates is a board certified plastic surgeon in Utah. Offers online and in-office opinions and information about cosmetic surgery, reconstructive surgery and hand surgery.
Visit http://www.yorkyates.com for additional information about Dr. Yates and the services he provides.
Reproduction allowed only with inclusion of author information.
If you have ever considered liposuction as an option to sculpt a part of your body you weren’t happy with, then you’ve probably run across the many cosmetic options that are available out there. Laser liposuction (also sometimes referred to as a “smart laser” procedure) and ultrasonic liposuction are two of the most popular procedures around, and are often compared to one another when a patient is trying to decide what is right for them.
The laser form of these procedures is done with a laser that “super heats” the fat cells in a specific part of the body causing them to rupture and split, and then the body can flush them naturally. Normally only a local anesthetic is needed, numbing the area of treatment without having to put the patient under for even a short amount of time.
This is similar to ultrasonic, but instead of a laser this operation uses an injection of gel along with ultrasonic sound that combine to rupture and flush out the fat cells.
Both use only a general anesthetic, and when done properly both of these procedures tend to have a very fast recovery time.
Both of these methods are sometimes called non surgical liposuction because neither one requires full anesthesia and both methods are designed to cause as little damage and discomfort as possible. While both have the same desired end results, these are still two very different types of operations and should be treated as such.
In many ways, there are more similarities between laser liposuction and ultrasonic liposuction than there are differences. That said, if you are considering a fat removal cosmetic procedure of some kind, then it’s best to consult a local plastic surgeon or expert to figure out what the best option is in your specific case.
Wide Awake Lipo at Andlos in Sarasota Florida performed by Dr Robert Carlson of Sarasota, FL. The cost of anesthesia is a large portion of the price of a traditional liposuction procedure. A liposuction procedure without general anesthesia allows patients to remove small pockets of fat (2-10 lbs depending on total body weight) at a significantly lower cost than traditional liposuction (often less than 00). Additionally, full recovery from the procedure is as little as a day. The more fat removed, the longer the recovery time.
Through the years, liposuction has been the immediate solution for people who want to regain their slim and trim figure through removing unwanted fat from their body. Food diet and exercise might be an option, but some choose to undergo this surgical method for instant result.
Decades have passed and now, the traditional liposuction that involves incision lost the halo above its head as laser liposuction steals the spotlight. Through the use of laser, the slimming procedure becomes more convenient and simpler.
In fact, laser lipo is no longer “liposuction at all”. Instead of using the regular medical suction, the new method uses laser energy to melt and neutralize fat in the target area. The laser permanently removes the fat cells, and it is drained through the hole used by the probe. The remaining fat, meanwhile, gets absorbed and naturally excreted by the body.
Another benefit of the new procedure is that it is less-invasive, meaning fewer incisions are required. Whatever incisions are made are smaller due to the streamlined laser node, compared to the large holes needed by bulkier and more cumbersome suction devices. Thanks to this smaller incisions, the scars usually heal within six to nine months. In contrast, the scars of larger incisions are usually permanent and harder to hide.
There are issues that process of liposuction sometimes leads to complications since the adjoining tissues are sensitive until sheer recuperation. However, laser liposuction is free from this danger since that problem only rises with incisions. Furthermore, the dilemma of having loose skin is out of context when it comes to laser liposuction, since this only occurs when fat cells were torn due to the insertion of steel tubes, as well as the suction method, which all occur when the traditional liposuction is done.
General anesthesia is often required in other types of liposuction or cosmetic surgery and it is already a common knowledge that this can be a source of complication. But with laser liposuction, only a local anesthesia is needed to be injected to the part where the process will be applied. Hence, the dangers of anesthesia are reduced.
To experience best results from the modern-age laser liposuction, choose only the trusted clinic where finest experts use their preeminent knowledge and state-of-the-art FDA-approved equipment is utilize. Sono Bello Clinic offers laser body contouring and gives an option to patients to customize the procedures in order to meet the needs of their patients. For more information, visit the Sono Bello website now.
For those who wish to remove unwanted fats from certain areas of their bodies, it is important that you look at your choices for picking one procedure to get your needs done. Through the years of development, laser technology is now being integrated to improve safety and increase efficiency.
Laser liposuction, also known as , is a procedure that uses lasers in conjunction with the traditional liposuction methods. Due to this advancement, laser liposuction could effective increase safety measure in a liposuction procedure while reducing the amounts of recovery time that a patient sticks to after a surgery.
During a laser liposuction procedure, the lasers give out powerful beams of light that are controlled at certain frequencies, ranging from cool to extreme heat. Laser liposuction usually uses the lasers in close range to assist in a fast and effective removal of fat tissues.
The Benefits of Laser Liposuction
Although laser liposuction is still at its experimental stage, this procedure shows promising results when combined with traditional liposuction. While laser liposuction does not burn the skin unlike ultrasonic-assisted liposuction, long-term effects from exposure to the lasers are still unknown.
On the other hand, not only could laser liposuction assist in effectively burning fats, it could also help in tightening the skin after a traditional liposuction procedure. Since a liposuction procedure could result in droopy and loose skin, skin lifts are usually required.
Since skin lifts usually scar the skin, most surgeons are now recommending lasers in reconstructing the layers of skin by pulling the skin inwards. However, with the help of laser liposuction, inelastic skin will never be a problem again.
Although laser liposuction provides several advantages against procedures like ultrasound, you should be aware that it is still a new procedure within the world of liposuction. It does not replace traditional liposuction, but adds to its effectiveness. As a result, it is important to look for a board-certified surgeon, who has an extensive experience in handling these high-powered laser devices and performing these procedures, before undergoing laser liposuction.
In the field of cosmetic surgery, laser liposuction is one of the new innovations in technology in assisting surgeons eliminate unwanted body fat and sculpting a better body. It’s currently one of the more modern techniques used today and is considered as one of the safest among all cosmetic procedures. It works by using a laser to melt fat effectively before it’s removed. Advantages of using laser liposuction include better skin tightening for sagging skin, smoother skin, less bleeding, and a reduced recovery time.
Surprisingly, there are many types of lasers that can do liposuction. The main difference lies in the wavelength of light they use to beam energy into the one’s tissue. There are lasers who are more concentrated in transmitting the energy to the fat itself, some to water, and so on. There are also different brand names, but the results vary significantly and lie on the expertise of the surgeon.
One of the more important factors to consider is the expertise of the physician.
In order to get the best results, surgeons have to aesthetically target and remove the fat once they have been melted and contour the body accordingly.
In a traditional liposuction procedure, patients are groggy after the pain medications the day after the procedure. The next day provides the most discomfort to patients, with them required to wear a garment to help reduce swelling. Patients are able to report back to work within a week and engage in moderate physical activities after several weeks. This is not the case with laser liposuction Los Angeles procedures, with recovery time a lot shorter.
Like any other procedure, laser liposuction does have some risks.
Obviously, the laser uses heat to melt fat, so there are risks like skin burning or any injury associated with heat. In addition, if the skin gets too elastic after the procedure, scars and certain deformities may arise. Luckily, these cases are quite rare and going to reputed laser liposuction Los Angeles professionals will give you the best results.
In order to get the best results out of such a procedure, do some research and go to laser liposuction Los Angeles physicians with a proven track record, skill, knowledge, and training. Going to a reputed physician will give you a higher chance of getting the best, most satisfying results and give you a better body.
Go to www.SunsetCosmeticSurgery.com for more information.
In the field of cosmetic surgery, laser liposuction is one of the new innovations in technology in assisting surgeons eliminate unwanted body fat and sculpting a better body. Its currently one of the more modern techniques used today and is considered as one of the safest among all cosmetic procedures. It works by using a laser to melt fat effectively before its removed. Advantages of using laser liposuction include better skin tightening for sagging skin, smoother skin, less bleeding, and a reduced recovery time.
Surprisingly, there are many types of lasers that can do liposuction. The main difference lies in the wavelength of light they use to beam energy into the ones tissue. There are lasers who are more concentrated in transmitting the energy to the fat itself, some to water, and so on. There are also different brand names, but the results vary significantly and lie on the expertise of the surgeon.
One of the more important factors to consider is the expertise of the physician. In order to get the best results, surgeons have to aesthetically target and remove the fat once they have been melted and contour the body accordingly.
In a traditional liposuction procedure, patients are groggy after the pain medications the day after the procedure. The next day provides the most discomfort to patients, with them required to wear a garment to help reduce swelling. Patients are able to report back to work within a week and engage in moderate physical activities after several weeks. This is not the case with laser liposuction Los Angeles procedures, with recovery time a lot shorter.
Like any other procedure, laser liposuction does have some risks. Obviously, the laser uses heat to melt fat, so there are risks like skin burning or any injury associated with heat. In addition, if the skin gets too elastic after the procedure, scars and certain deformities may arise. Luckily, these cases are quite rare and going to reputed laser liposuction Los Angeles professionals will give you the best results.
In order to get the best results out of such a procedure, do some research and go to laser liposuction Los Angeles physicians with a proven track record, skill, knowledge, and training. Going to a reputed physician will give you a higher chance of getting the best, most satisfying results and give you a better body.
Go to www.SunsetCosmeticSurgery.com for more information.
High volume of fat deposits is usually found in areas of the body that are naturally resistant to regular exercise and dieting. Most of these fat deposits can be found in the abdomen, waist, hips, thighs and buttocks
just under the skin. This fat called subcutaneous fat can be readily accessed by cold laser liposuction treatment; fat deposits treated with laser therapy are easily disrupted and are liquefied in the process. The body then naturally rids itself of the emulsified fat through natural means.
Cold laser liposuction is efficient and virtually painless and almost stress free. Each treatment is completed in less than 60 minutes with the low level laser utilized for just 40 minutes maximum. The procedure entails the laser to be applied on specific target areas of the body, which is typically a mixture of the hips, waist and thighs, with each side taking 20 minutes total for a full session. The complete course for cold laser liposuction is a treatment period of 2 weeks with at least 3, 40 minute sessions in a week. The number of sessions and length of time to complete those sessions may vary according to a persons’ body type, weight and the desired results.
Feedback from most patients who have gone through cold laser liposuction have described the treatments as relaxing, and is basically unobtrusive with some patients carrying on with their personal activities like business and personal calls during the treatment. As mentioned above, the laser therapy last for a total of 40 minutes while you are comfortably lying down in a soothing environment. After the procedure a patient may feel lighter as the effects of the therapy take effect within your body.
To assist the removal of the emulsified fat deposits from your body, your cosmetic surgeon may suggest a diet that is heavy in fiber and fluids, especially water, these can aid in the efficient disposal of the unwanted
excess fat from your system through urination, sweating and bowel movement. You may also consume laxative tea to cleanse your body further speed up the evacuation of the disrupted fat deposits. The low level laser technology used in cold laser liposuction is quite different from conventional liposuction techniques and even some contemporary laser methods, since cold laser liposuction is fully external in application and does not require any incisions to be made or cannulas to be inserted into a patient’s body to extract the fat. The treatment is so non-invasive that patients’ can go on with their before, during and after the procedure is completed, it just takes several minutes of lying down and relaxing while the cold laser therapy is being completed.