The Facts About Liposuction

Understanding the Different Types of Liposuction
and the Benefits and Downsides of Each.

As in any industry, competing providers and manufacturers put great emphasis on marketing their products and services. Quality and benefits are touted while other less appealing facts and aspects are often glossed over.

To help clear up their true differences and identify the primary liposuction options that are available to patients today. We have prepared the following facts-based clinical examination of each type of liposuction. And in an effort to eliminate confusion for those who are considering liposuction, we have detailed the four most common types of liposuction, how each respective type is performed, its benefits and downsides with extensive details about laser lipolysis and a head to head comparison of the top two laser lipolysis lasers.

Types of Liposuction

About “Tumescent Liposuction”

Before we take a close look at the different types of liposuction, we need to clear up some confusion. You may have read or heard about “Tumescent Liposuction” as being one of the safest or most effective forms of liposuction. While it is the most popular form of liposuction, Adding the word “Tumescent” to rename traditional liposuction is an attempt to make the oldest form of liposuction sound more advanced or better than what it has been since 1985. Tumescent liposuction is the traditional type of liposuction.

“Tumescent” is actually a necessary preparatory step that is taken in all types of lipo. Tumescent refers to a necessary large volume injection of a solution commonly comprised of lidocaine, epinephrine, sodium bicarbonate and saline into the areas that will be treated. Further, tumescent injections are a part of all types of liposuction including power assisted liposuction and the various laser assisted liposuction options because it helps the doctor controllably remove the unwanted fat, reduces bleeding, bruising and swelling, and provides a local anesthetic to help manage discomfort immediately after the procedure.

The tumescent step in liposuction is not unique to the traditional form of liposuction and should not be consider to be a special step for any one specific type of liposuction. Tumescent liposuction is simply the original form of liposuction.

The four most  popular types of lipolysis.

Traditional
Liposuction

The most popular form of liposuction is still being performed the same way it was back in 1985. Many now refer to the original form of liposuction as “Tumescent Liposuction”.  But again, as we noted above, tumescent solution is used in all types of liposuction. Local or general anesthesia is used depending on the areas to be treated and tumescent injections are performed to prepare the area for treatment. The doctor performs the lipo procedure by inserting a hollow wand called a cannula through incisions and the fat is forcefully vacuumed from the treated area.

Benefits:

  • Effective in removing large amounts of fat.

  • Effective in removing large areas of fat.

Downsides:

  • Considerable swelling and bruising.

  • Pain lasts 3 to 7 days.

  • Swelling and discomfort can last 2 to 4 weeks.

  • Does Not tighten skin in treated areas.

  • Return to work in 1 to 2 weeks.

  • Possible asymmetry and skin irregularities.

Power Assisted
Liposuction (PAL)

PAL Liposuction is performed in the same way traditional liposuction is performed with one significant difference. Local or general anesthesia is used depending on the areas to be treated and tumescent injections are performed to prepare the area for treatment. But with PAL Liposuction, the cannula vibrates. This makes breaking up and vacuuming out unwanted fat more controllable and easier for the doctor. However the cannula is still inserted through small incisions into the fat and the fat is forcefully vacuumed from the treated area.

Benefits:

  • Effective in removing large amounts of fat.

  • Effective in removing large areas of fat.

Downsides:

  • Considerable swelling and bruising.

  • Pain lasts 3 to 7 days.

  • Swelling and discomfort can last 2 to 4 weeks.

  • Does Not tighten skin in treated areas.

  • Return to work in 1 to 2 weeks.

  • Possible asymmetry and skin irregularities.

Ultrasound Assisted
Liposuction (UAL)

UAL Liposuction is usually performed under twilight sedation. The doctor will insert ultrasound probes into the fatty areas to be removed. Ultrasound  helps to break up the fatty tissue and separate it from the underlying muscle. A hollow wand called a cannula connected to a vacuum pump is then inserted through small incisions into the fat and the fat is vacuumed from the treated area.

Benefits:

  • Back to work in 7 days on average.

  • A shorter procedure than conventional Lipo.

  • Most patients experience some skin tightening.

Downsides:

  • Though small, incision scarring is likely.

  • Swelling can last up to 2-3 months.

  • May need medication for excessive swelling.

  • Possible hyperpigmentation, asymmetry and skin irregularities.

Laser Assisted Liposuction

Laser lipolysis offers patients a number of benefits over other forms of lipolysis and is best suited to body contouring. It is not typically recommended for removing large quantities of fat or for patients with a body mass index, (BMI) over 35.

When performed by an experienced doctor using the lasers with the most effective frequencies for dissolving fat, laser lipo results can be amazing. Benefits include a speedy recovery of 1.5 to 7 days depending on the laser used, little to no bruising, little to no scaring and smoother, tighter skin.

While there are many different laser lipolysis lasers available today, we will compare the two that most doctors agree are the top two lasers. Below we compare the SmartLipo Triplex® laser manufactured by Cynosure, and the SlimLipo® laser that was developed and introduced in 2008 by Palomar. It’s worth noting that Cynosure purchased Palomar in 2016 and promptly stopped the sale of new SlimLipo® lasers in the United States. As a result, there are very few plastic surgeons in the United States that provide SlimLipo today. Dr. Lewis J. Obi is the only doctor in Northeast Florida who still performs SlimLipo Laser Liposuction.

Laser lipo is the most delicate type of lipo available and can be used in areas such as the neck, and also for many other areas of the body again, primarily as an effective procedure for body contouring and stubborn areas of fat that do not respond to a healthy diet and exercise. Laser lipo can be performed under local anesthesia and general anesthesia. Tumescent injections of a solution commonly comprised of lidocaine, epinephrine, sodium bicarbonate and saline are made to prepare the areas that will be treated. Laser lipolysis is performed with a thin, (1.5mm) laser tipped wand that is inserted through small incisions into the fatty areas to be treated. The laser liquifies or melts the fatty tissue which is then delicately vacuumed away.

SlimLipo vs. SmartLipo

A Close Comparison of the Top Two Laser Lipolysis Lasers

SmartLipo®
Laser Assisted
Liposuction

The SmartLipo Triplex® lipolysis laser uses two laser wavelengths or frequencies of light to melt fat; 1064nm and 1320nm. However, these wavelengths, as shown by Dr. Brooke R. Seckel’s video below and as noted in various medical publications such as this update on laser lipolysis by Jason C. McBean, M.D. and Bruce E. Katz, M.D. are not optimal frequencies for dissolving fat. In fact, it takes a doctor about 45 minutes to remove the same amount of fat that the SlimLipo Laser can melt in 15 minutes or less. However, the SmartLipo Triplex® lipolysis laser is effective in skin tightening. This laser also uses the 1440nm frequency which has proven to be effective in tightening the skin in treated areas.

Benefits:

  • Can be performed with local anesthesia.

  • Effective for contouring neck.

  • Little to no visible scarring.

  • Moderate bruising.

  • Back to light work in 1 week.

  • Moderate skin tightening.

Downsides:

  • The most significant downside to the SmartLipo Triplex® lipolysis laser is the frequencies it uses to melt or dissolve fat. The 1064nm and 1320nm wavelength used by this laser target water and are not readily absorbed by fat. This significantly diminishes this laser’s ability to effectively dissolve or melt fat. The obvious problem with this fact is that it takes the doctor much longer to melt and remove fat which can lead to longer procedures and higher fees. The other issue with this fact is that the patient my not achieve the fat reductions that would be possible with lasers that use much more effective laser frequencies for melting fat.

SlimLipo®
Laser Assisted
Liposuction

The SlimLipo® lipolysis laser also known as LifeSculpt uses the most powerful wavelength or frequency for melting fat; 924nm. As shown in Dr. Brooke R. Seckel’s video comparison and graph below, 924nm is the optimal frequency for melting fat and can melt fat more than 3 times faster than any other lipolysis laser.  Fat absorbs the 924nm laser frequency better than any other lipolysis laser frequency.  The SlimLipo® lipolysis laser is also very effective in tightening skin in the treated areas with its 975nm frequency. The two frequencies of the SlimLipo® lipolysis laser combine to provide patients more fat reduction over other options and effective skin tightening and smoothing.

Benefits:

  • Melts fat 3 times faster than any other lipolysis laser.

  • Can be performed with local anesthesia.

  • Effective for contouring neck.

  • Little to no visible scarring.

  • Only mild discomfort for a day or two.

  • Little to no bruising.

  • Back to light work in as little as 1 to 2 days.

  • Skin tightening and slimming will continue for up to 6 months after the procedure.

Downsides:

  • The SlimLipo® lipolysis laser is without question, the fastest and most effective laser for dissolving fat. This fact allows patients to enjoy more fat reduction in a fraction of the time required by all other laser. Patients also benefit from this laser’s ability to tighten skin in the treated areas. The overall capabilities and faster performance offered by the SlimLipo® lipolysis laser consistently produce amazing results for the patients who choose the SlimLipo® lipolysis laser.

Fat Melting Comparison

This chart shows the laser frequency absorbance rates of fat. Note that the SlimLipo® Laser uses the highest absorbance frequency of 924nm while the SmartLipo® laser uses 1064nm and 1320nm frequencies that have a much lower frequency absorbance rate. The key to a lipolysis laser’s ability to dissolve or melt fat is how well the fat absorbs its laser frequency.

The Facts about Liposuction | Smartlipo compared to SlimLipo

Video Comparison
SlimLipo vs. SmartLipo | LipoTherm

See the SlimLipo® lipolysis laser’s ability to completely dissolve fat and how it performs in a real-time comparison to the SmartLipo® lipolysis laser and the Lipotherm® lipolysis laser. We would like to thank Dr. Brooke R. Seckel of Boston Plastic Surgery Specialists for allowing us to present his research info the effectiveness of the different lipolysis lasers available today.

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