New Info Smart Lipo, Liposuction Options

[Dr. Mark Sachs]

1. What is the difference between traditional liposuction and “Smart Lipo”?

Traditional liposuction is performed under local or general anesthesia. Once the patient is fully anesthetized, large incisions are made in the skin through which a steel rod (cannula) is passed. The surgeon utilizes the cannula to break up tissue by repeatedly thrusting it deep into fatty deposits. Subsequently, the fat is removed via the use of a suction device.

The procedure is traumatic and routinely leads to localized swelling, bruising and bleeding. It is not uncommon for the patient to suffer from significant pain which results in many days of down time. Ultimately, skin laxity and ripples may develop over the liposuctioned area leading to unsightly contour abnormalities.

On the other hand, during laser lypolysis (Smart Lipo) tiny one millimeter incisions are placed in the skin. After local anesthesia is infused a laser is passed into fatty deposits and these deposits liquefied without trauma to tissue: the liquefied fat is then removed utilizing a power aspirator.

Swelling and bruising are uncommon after surgery because trauma is almost totally avoided. Many patients are able to return to work the very next day. The skin overlying the liposuctioned area is usually without laxity or ripples. This is because the delivery of heat during the procedure causes the skin to tighten avoiding the development of contour abnormalities.

Based on these findings, laser induced lypolsys (Smart Lipo) is almost always the better therapeutic alternative.