How to Choose the Best Laser Liposuction Technique

There is a great deal of interest in the new laser liposuction technique. Many feel that laser liposuction is revolutionizing the way liposuction is done. The new laser liposuction technology melts fat into a liquid which makes removal of the fat easier.

Melting of the fat also allows a more uniform removal of fat which has so far, in my Boston area practice, resulted in smoother skin without the lumps, bumps and contour deformities which occur in as many as 20% of "old time" suction assisted lipectomy methods.

In addition, the heat generated during the laser liposuction procedure also tightens skin which helps avoid another problem of the older techniques, loose skin after fat removal.

There are very significant differences between the major laser liposuction machines in use today. Because of patent restrictions, many companies have had to use wavelengths that are not the most specific for fat removal. In the article below I will first try to explain the procedure. Then I will describe the technologies used in the most popular machines. Hopefully this information will help you choose the best technique for your procedure if you choose to undergo this new operation.

How Does Laser Liposuction Work?

Older standard suction assisted lipectomy techniques removed fat by inserting a metal tube called a cannula beneath the skin to remove fat by aspiration with high powered suction.

The fat cells are actually ruptured and sucked out from beneath the skin. Other supporting tissues beneath the skin are also removed. This procedure is quite traumatic and can produce bruising and swelling and post operative pain which can lead to a prolonged recovery.

Results for fat removal are excellent, however lack of uniformity of skin appearance and loose skin after the procedure have been reported in as many as 20 % of patients.

The new laser liposuction technique first involves the placement of a tiny laser fiber beneath the skin to melt or liquefy the fat before removal.

This allows for a much less traumatic fat removal because much smaller aspiration cannulas can be used and there is less tissue trauma and injury to the non fatty tissues. After the laser fat melting process a small cannula about half the size of the older cannulas is used to remove the liquefied fat.

In addition, the heat generated by the laser causes the skin to tighten, and results in my Boston area patients have shown improved skin tightening following laser liposuction.

In addition to liquefaction or melting of fat, many more fat cells are injured, but not removed, by the laser. much of the fat is reabsorbed by the tissues, so that the actual volume of suctioned fat is typically less using this new technology. Small areas may be treated without suction.

SlimLipo Machine

SlimLipo laser liposuction uses a patented 924nm laser wavelength to melt fat. The 924nm laser is the most specifically and highly absorbed laser wavelength by fat tissue. The 924nm laser melts 3-5 times as much volume of fat as the other wavelengths in use today. The SlimLipo uses a 924nm/975nm blended wavelength for skin tightening effect.

SmartLipo MPX Machine

SmartLipo was the first machine on the market. The original SmartLipo used a 1064nm wavelength to melt fat. The target of the 1064nm is water, thus the SmartLipo melted fat by heating the water in the fat and the fat is melted secondarily.

Recently, SmartLipo MPX has been introduced, which uses a combination 1064nm and a 1320nm laser to improve fat melting. In the resource box below you can link to a video which shows a comparison of the fat melting power of the SlimLipo vs. the SmartLipo. MPX technology.

Cool Lipo Machine

Cool Lipo uses a 1320nm laser wavelength to dissolve fat. Although the 1320nm wavelength has better fat absorption than the 1064nm wavelength, water is still the primary target of the 1320nm. Thus the fat melting mechanism is the same for the 1320nm as with the 1064nm used in SmartLipo.

Lipotherme Machine

Lipotherme is a new entry in this field and uses a 980nm wavelength for fat melting. Again the primary target of the 980nm wavelength is water, so again this new technology melts fat by first heating water rather than by fat absorption of the wavelength.

Why is Wavelength So Important?

The importance of using the appropriate wavelength to melt fat is that the greater the absorption by the fat of the laser energy, the easier and more complete the fat melting process. This is graphically demonstrated in the video link at the end of this article.

Not only is the 924nm wavelength used in SlimLipo capable of liquefying 3-5 times as much fat per unit of energy as the other technologies, but the fat melting mechanism is entirely different. The 924nm is completely absorbed by fat and a much larger area of fat is dissolved. The other lasers which use water targeted wavelengths have to heat water to boiling and the water the heats ad destroys the fat. This water heating process is slower, less efficient and as can be seen in video is essentially chipping away at fat.

The heat generated by the water absorbed lasers is also a concern, in my opinion, as the higher temperatures generated by the water heating lasers may be more prone to cause heat injury or burning.



Who Should Do Your Procedure?

Liposuction is a surgical procedure no matter what the internet marketing campaigns imply. My opinion is that I personally would only want a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon performing this procedure on me or one of my loved ones.

Be very careful and study the credentials of your doctor. There are many doctors today who advertise themselves as Cosmetic Surgeons who have never had one day of surgical training. Check the credentials of your doctor by visiting the website of the American board of plastic Surgery.

There are many Board Certified Dermatologists who do this procedure and I am sure some are very good. However when you have surgery of any kind, it is essential that your doctor has had the appropriate surgical training to take care of you if something goes wrong.

Do your homework. Caveat emptor.

See before and after laser liposuction pictures. See laser liposuction video comparing fat melting by SlimLipo, SmartLipo and Lipotherme.

This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

Laser Liposuction - Not All Machines Are Equal For Laser Liposculpture and Body Contouring

You are very lucky if you have waited until now to consider having liposuction, or liposculpture body contouring. The new laser liposuction techniques are a vast improvement over traditional methods. The new laser technology melts fat and tightens skin resulting in a much gentler liposculpture procedure and minimal loose hanging skin after liposuction.

Whether you have a double chin, tummy fat after childbirth, saddle bags, spare tire, or just little problem areas around the hips or thighs, the new laser assisted liposculpture and laser body contouring techniques may be what you are looking for.

Not all of the machines in use are the same. Some laser wavelengths, such as the 924nm and 924/975nm work much better than others. You need to understand which technology is best if you are considering laser liposuction.

Liposuction is the most commonly performed plastic surgery operation.



Problems Associated with Traditional Liposuction-Traditional liposuction is done by inserting a metal tube called a cannula beneath the skin into fat containing areas of the body. High pressure suction is applied and fat is suctioned out from under the skin. While the procedure works well, it is traumatic as the suction pulls out not only fat but also some of the connective tissue which holds the skin tight to the body. There are several problems which can occur after liposuction:

o Loose Skin After Liposuction

o Contour Deformities-Skin Irregularities

o Prolonged Bruising

o Difficult and Painful Recovery

How Laser Liposuction Works-During laser assisted liposuction, a very small laser fiber is inserted beneath the skin. Heat from the laser melts the fat into a thin liquid. The liquid fat is then more easily removed with very small cannulas usually only2-3 millimeters in diameter. The heat from the laser also tightens the skin, and closes many blood vessels, thus less bleeding.

Advantages of Laser Liposuction

o Skin Tightening!!!!!!!

o Liquefaction of Fat = Fewer Contour Deformities

o Uniform Skin Appearance after Liposuction

o Smaller Cannulae = Tiny Incision

o Much Less Traumatic

o Can Contour Visible Areas in Thinner Patients

o Excellent for Touch Ups after standard Liposuction

Which Laser is best for Liposuction?

There are several different machines available using several different laser wavelengths-the 924nm, combined 924/975nm, the 1064nm, and the 1308nm are the most popular.

I prefer the 924nm and combination 924/975nm laser because the 924nm is very selectively absorbed by fat tissue. The 924nm liquefies 3 times as much fat as some of the other wavelengths and is also more strongly absorbed by blood vessels, which helps reduce bleeding and bruising.

Are You A Candidate for Laser Liposuction?

If you are healthy, do not smoke, and have extra fat beneath your chin, around your tummy, on your hips, thighs, arms or knees, and are relatively fit and not obese, then you are likely an excellent candidate for laser liposuction. The younger you are the better your skin tightening will be after laser liposuction. I have, however, seen good skin tightening after laser liposuction in a 70 year old person.

If you are obese and significantly over weight, you should lose weight first before liposuction.

If you are considering laser liposuction you really need to know the facts and understand the technology. Once you do the advantages of the new 924nm and 924/975nm based laser liposuction technology are obvious-there is nothing else like it on the market.

See pictures of SlimLipo? laser liposuction and laser body contouring results. Read my free newsletter on the newest aesthetic, non-surgical rejuvenation and plastic surgery techniques.

This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

Tumescent Laser Liposuction - Less Pain, Quicker Recovery

Most people, no matter how fit and healthy, have areas of extra fat on the body that they do not like. In men it is the waist area, and in women the tummy, hips and thighs. Many of us have often thought that it would be nice to have liposuction to remove the excess fat and start over again by watching our diet and exercising. However traditional old time liposuction is a traumatic surgical procedure which is painful and with a prolonged recovery. Worse, a large percentage of people who have old time liposuction end up with lumps bumps, divots and irregularities on the skin after liposuction.

I have been using tumescent laser liposuction with the new SlimLipo laser lipo technique for almost a year now and I am amazed at how much better the tumescent laser liposuction technique is than the old time non-laser liposuction method. My patients have smooth tight skin after laser liposuction, and their recovery after laser lipo is much easier and less painful.

The benefit of the new tumescent laser liposuction technique is that the laser melts the fat before it is removed, making fat removal much easier with laser lipo. The tumescent technique minimizes bleeding and discomfort. The laser also tightens the skin as the fat is melted. The result is more uniform fat removal, smooth skin, less bleeding and less pain after tumescent laser liposuction.

What Is Tumescent Laser Liposuction?

Tumescent laser liposuction is a new liposuction method that combines the use of tumescent solution with laser melting of fat before fat removal. Tumescent solution is a liquid that contains an anesthetic or numbing solution and a vasoconstrictor, a medication that helps control bleeding. The tumescent solution is injected beneath the skin, into the fat to be removed, before the laser liposuction or laser lipo is started.

The tumescent solution numbs the skin area for pain control which can last up to 24 hours. The solution also prevents bleeding which reduces post laser liposuction bruising and swelling, which speeds recovery.

The tumescent solution is injected under pressure, which swells or distends the fat and makes removal easier. The distention and hydration (adding water to) of the fat also improves the effectiveness and safety of the laser treatment to dissolve the fat.

The benefits of the tumescent laser liposuction technique are

Excellent pain control

Less bleeding and bruising
More effective fat removal
Less risk of skin irregularities after liposuction

How Is the Tumescent Laser Liposuction Treatment Done?

Tumescent laser liposuction may be done with you awake or asleep. Many areas can be treated with you awake using only the local anesthesia provided by the tumescent solution. However, the benefits of tumescence are so important that tumescent solution is also used when laser liposuction is done under general anesthesia, for control of bleeding, improved fat removal and for post operative pain management.

After your skin has been cleansed with a sterile anti-bacterial soap, the skin area to be liposuctioned is sterilely draped to prevent contamination. Tiny punctures are made in hidden areas of the skin, and a small needle inserted beneath the skin into the fat to be removed. The tumescent solution is then injected into the fat under pressure to swell the fat and deliver the anesthetic and vasoconstrictor (prevents bleeding) solution.

After a brief waiting period until your skin is numb and the tumescent fluid has taken effect, the laser fiber is inserted through the same puncture sites and the fat is melted with the laser. The fat is liquefied into a thin liquid which is much easier to remove than fat that is removed with traditional old time liposuction.

After the fat has been liquefied, a small tube called a cannula is inserted and the liquid fat removed by suction. Because the fat has been liquefied, much smaller cannulas can be used than with traditional non-laser liposuction. This fact results in a less traumatic procedure with tiny hidden scars, very different from old time liposuction.

The laser also tightens the skin as the fat is lased. The laser heats the fibers that attach your skin to your body, and causes these fibers to shorten which pulls the skin closer to the body. Microscopic studies have shown that many more fibers, called connective tissue, are left after laser liposuction than after non-laser liposuction. I believe that this fact helps explain the improved skin tightening and smooth skin after laser liposuction.

How Will I Feel After Surgery?

Because the new technique places numbing solution in the liposuction area, you will have very little discomfort immediately after and up to 12 hours after your procedure. In addition you will be given strong pain killers to manage any discomfort.

The second day you will feel discomfort in the treated areas, however in my experience, the level of discomfort is certainly much less than that experienced with traditional non-laser surgery. By day 3 most patients are very comfortable.

You will be wearing a supportive compression garment on the treated areas which adds additional support and comfort.

You will be up and around, able to eat, walk, use the bathroom and do normal daily activities the day after your procedure. I recommend that you not go to the gym or do vigorous physical activity for the first week to ten days because I want the healing process to be undisturbed during this time.

How Long Is the Recovery?

You will be active and walking from day one. However I will limit your vigorous exercise and weight lifting or aerobics for ten days.

Your garment will be changed to a light Spanks type garment after three to five days. If small sutures are used to close the small puncture sites they will be removed at day five.

When small areas like the chin or a minor tummy procedure are done, some people return to work the next day. I do not recommend returning to work the same day-I want you to be quiet and rest the first day.

Recovery to a more normal skin appearance can take ten days to two weeks for swelling and bruising, if any, to resolve.

Your skin appearance, skin tightening and result will continue to improve for three to six months as the skin gradually tightens over the areas where fat has been removed. The remarkable thing about the this new technique technique is that the skin is much smoother than after traditional old time suction lipectomy. I believe that the laser dissolving of the fat prior to removal results in a more uniform fat removal.

Which Laser is best?

I use the SlimLipo Aspire system made by Palomar Medical. I have chosen this laser because the SlimLipo uses the only laser wavelength which is specifically absorbed by fat. The SlimLipo uses a 924nm (nm=nanometers, one millionth of a meter and describes the wavelength of the laser color in the visible light spectrum, which for 924nm is yellow, the color of fat) laser wavelength.

The 924nm laser wavelength used in SlimLipo dissolves or releases three to five times as much fat during lasing as do the other commonly used wavelengths. The other wavelengths used by different machines target water, not fat, and are less efficient and less specific at fat dissolving.

The 924nm SlimLipo also works very well in hydrated fat, meaning that fat dissolving with the laser works very well after the tumescent fluid has been injected.

How Do I Find a Surgeon?

I am a board certified plastic surgeon, thus I am very prejudiced that you should have your procedure performed by a board certified plastic surgeon. My view is that if you are going to have surgery of any kind, you want a board certified surgeon who has been fully trained and is expert at taking care of a surgical patient. You want the safety of knowing that if something goes wrong, your doctor will have the skill, experience and training to take care of you.

Many dermatologists do liposuction. If you wish to have a dermatologist do your procedure, I recommend that you make certain that your dermatologist is board certified and has had a fellowship in dermatologic surgery.

I recommend that you visit the following sites to learn more about liposuction surgery and how to check out your doctors training, experience and board certification status:

American Board of Plastic Surgery

American Society of Plastic Surgeons

American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons

What Questions Should I Ask the Doctor?

Do not be intimidated by the white coat and afraid to ask the doctor important questions. You are an educated consumer, and a good doctor will welcome the fact that you are prepared and have done your reading. I prefer to have informed patients, they always do better after surgery. Plastic surgery is no place for snap decisions or impulse buying.

In my book Save Your Face, in Chapter ten, I give details on how to choose your doctor and what questions to ask. A brief summary of important questions are:

o Are you certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery?

o How often do you do this procedure?

o Do you think I am a good candidate for this procedure?

o Are you comfortable operating on me with my particular goals?

o Do you anticipate a good result-why?

o Can you show me before and after picture of patients that you have operated on?

o Can I speak to a patient who has had this surgery by you?

o What are the arrangements for an emergency during nights and weekends-are you available?

o Will my procedure be done in an approved operating room or outpatient facility under standard sterile and safety precautions? Are emergency services and monitoring available if needed?

Most importantly, trust your gut feelings during your visit with the doctor. Is the office clean and professional? Do the doctor and staff treat you in a respectful manner? Ask yourself will I be comfortable calling these people and depending on them if I have an emergency at night or on weekends? Will I be comfortable expressing my concerns or disappointment if I feel that way? If you detect any discomfort or uncertainty, you should consult another doctor.

This new laser procedure is a remarkable, revolutionary advance in liposuction and fat removal techniques. The benefits can be very significant. However, the results of liposuction, like any surgical procedure are very dependent upon the skill and expertise of your surgeon. Choose wisely and I expect that you will have a very happy result.

See before and after pictures of tumescent laser liposuction results. Learn more about SlimLipo laser liposuction and why it is the best laser liposuction technique.

This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.