Liposuction--a process in which surgeons dissolve fat deposits and vacuum them out--also used to be thought of as a possible obesity cure. But a report in The New England Journal of Medicine refutes claims that liposuction can lower blood fats and other risks related to diabetes.“What this study tells you is that losing fat itself by sucking it out does not give metabolic benefits,” said Dr. Samuel Klein, the first author of the study and director of the Center for Human Nutrition at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.
Laser Liposuction
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Dr. Stuart A. Linder, MD , Plastic Surgery, answeredSee All 2 AnswersLaser liposuction also referred to as SmartLipo is useful when combined with traditional tumescent technique. I use the Laser liposuction to emulsify the superficial fat layer and suction the fat out with a separate cannula. First the laser is placed under the skin in fanning motions to reach a maximal joule level and then repositioned to the next area. SmartLipo is most useful for small localized areas including the face, neck and arms. It is less useful for full body sculpting procedures. I prefer the tumescent liposuction technique with 3mm cannulae for sculpting the lateral breast, bra bulge, abdomen, hips, thighs and the infragluteal folds. Small amounts of laser fat may be reabsorbed by the body without suctioning, however most larger sculpted areas require using a liposuction cannula to further remove the aspirate.
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Dr. Stuart A. Linder, MD , Plastic Surgery, answered
Laser liposuction, also referred to as Smart Lipo, does work but has its limitations. I have found laser liposuction to be most useful for facial and neck sculpting where smaller amounts of fat are removed. The laser is useful for emulsifying the fat cells that can either be resorbed by the body in smaller cases, or suctioned out in larger body sculpting procedures. Combining laser liposuction with conventional tumescent liposuction yields excellent results.
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Dr. Stuart A. Linder, MD , Plastic Surgery, answeredSee All 4 Answers
The risks of liposuction include acute versus chronic risks. Acute risks include seromas, fluid collections under the flap, bleeding, and infection of the skin or cellulitis. Long-term risks can include contour deformities, skin irregularities, permanent scarring, hyperpigmentation, fat necrosis, discoloration of the skin. Board-certified plastic surgeons have the experience and judgment to perform liposuction using the tumescent technique in a safe, reliable, and predictable manner.
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Dr. Stuart A. Linder, MD , Plastic Surgery, answeredLiposuction is very useful for reducing localized fat deposit areas with good skin tonicity. In general, there are favorable and unfavorable regions of the body that can be safely sculpted. The favorable areas include: the abdomen, hips, flanks, medial and lateral thighs, the infragluteal folds, and the medial knees. The breast is also becoming more favorable as a breast reduction technique without the scarring. The "bra-bulge" can be removed from the lateral breast/chest area successfully, as demonstrated with Dr. Linder and Dr. Oz on television. The "muffin-top" includes removing the fat along the belt-line. The "saddle-bags" are very stubborn outer thigh fat deposits that are often resistant to both diet and exercise.
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Dr. Michelle Copeland, MD , Plastic Surgery, answeredSee All 7 AnswersToday liposuction can be used to recontour the body from head to toe, including the abdomen, hips, thighs, arms, buttocks, breasts, neck, jowls, back, calves ankles, and knees. New technology that's gentler and faster than ever before not only allows the removal of large amounts of fat, but also resculpts the body.
Liposuction works best on patients who are of relatively average weight, but who need help with a problem area, or with shedding the ten pounds they regain between diets. Liposuction modifies volume by sucking out fat, and liposuction candidates need good skin tone. Because liposuction stimulates the skin to tighten, good elasticity provides a smooth contour after fat is removed. Many times, liposuction of one area provides a good jump start for further dieting and exercise, allowing you to continue to lose weight.
Smart Lipo is a form of liposuction that uses laser light to liquefy fat and tighten the surrounding skin. It involves less downtime and side-effects than traditional liposuction and is particularly good for small areas of fat deposits. It also helps improve skin laxity. Sometimes a combination technique using both Thermage and Smart Lipo is best when there is moderate skin laxity.
For the most part, recovery from liposuction is easily manageable. Since clothing can conceal areas that have been sculpted, most patients are back at work after just a couple of days. You will just need to wear a tight-fitting elastic compression garment during your first week to help the skin adhere. At a week to 10 days, you can remove the garment to shower, though you'll likely have to wear it for an additional week.
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Laser lipo is a form of liposuction that uses a laser to help remove more fat. It is still considered surgery and the benefits of laser liposuction versus regular liposuction remain controversial. In general, liposuction can be performed in a safe and effective manner under the care of a properly trained dermatologist or plastic surgeon. -
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Dr. Michael Roizen, MD , Internal Medicine, answeredSee All 2 AnswersThe ideal liposuction patient is about 10 percent above the ideal body weight with isolated fat in one area (and that one area is often genetically driven, i.e. a family where all the members are shaped with excess fat in the same place). People who undergo massive weight loss can still use liposuction—but it should be in combination with other cosmetic surgical procedures to get their body in the proportion they want.
The question you need to ask yourself before considering liposuction is this: Is there an intolerable element to your body that, if changed, would make you happy? For example, are you disproportioned (a size 4 upper body and size 10 lower body)? Or do you carry your weight in one particular area only (like love handles for men)?
Above all, remember that liposuction is not a good way to lose weight. Liposuction has little effect on weight because fat is light (remember, "fat floats.") A liter of fat only weighs about 2 pounds, and the lipo max is 5 liters of fat removed. And while fairly safe, the procedure does have risks. -
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Dr. Lawrence S. Bass, MD , Plastic Surgery, answeredLaser fat removal is a non-invasive, customizable treatment that uses heat to shock the fat cells in a very short treatment time. In this video, plastic surgeon Lawrence Bass, MD, discusses what makes this treatment unique from other treatments.
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Dr. Lawrence S. Bass, MD , Plastic Surgery, answeredThe laser fat removal procedure can bring you down a notch or two on your belt with just one treatment. In this video, plastic surgeon Lawrence Bass, MD, explains what you can expect from this treatment, and how long it takes to see real results.
