Laser Assisted Liposuction FAQs

Laser assisted liposuction (or “laserlipo) combines liposuction, the most popular and effective fat-reduction procedure available, with the proven technology of laser light to create a superior treatment that offers all the benefits of liposuction with the following advantages:

• Faster healing, with decreased post-procedure downtime
• No general anesthesia
• Minimal bruising and discomfort
• Superior skin contraction post procedure

Liposuction is a minimally invasive procedure that contours the body by removing excess fat from specific areas, including the abdomen, love handles, back, hips, thighs, upper arms, chin, and neck. Because skin laxity and irregular skin contouring may occur following liposuction, laser assisted liposuction employs a focused laser during the procedure, prior to suction, to, provide a multitude of: While heating the tissue, it causes contraction of the collagen bundles that comprise the skin and fibrous bands that anchor the skin to muscle. This promotes tighter skin during the healing process and helps produce a more uniform appearance once all final healing has occurred. Additionally, the heating action liquefies fat in the treated area, allowing for easier fat removal with less bruising and less post-surgical discomfort. Finally, the laser’s heating action cauterizes many of the small blood vessels that run through the fat layer, decreasing postprocedural bruising. Less bruising and less effort during suction means faster healing, so that you can return to your regular daily activities much faster than with traditional liposuction (often within 48 hours).

The best candidates are people who are close to their target weight targeted areas of fat that “just don’t fit” the contour of the surrounding area. Because laserlipo is a body-contouring procedure and not a weight-reduction tool, it’s best for those who have isolated pockets of fat that do not respond well to diet or exercise. If the area still looks the same in relation to the rest of the body when you lose weight, then laserlipo is likely a great option for you. While the amount of fat removed in a laserlipo procedure is limited to a maximum of approximately 10 pounds, more commonly about 2-6 pounds are removed, depending upon the particular area(s). Don’t be fooled by those low numbers, however – fat is a great insulator, meaning that not a lot of weight still fills a significant volume. Even a couple pounds of fat removed can make a significant difference in one’s body shape. With traditional liposuction, best results are usually limited to those with firm, elastic skin because the elasticity lends itself to smoother contouring after fat removal. With laserlipo, the addition of the laser allows for better overall skin-contouring results for more patients because the heat stimulates the skin to tighten faster and make more collagen than it would if left to its own healing devices. Patients under the age of fifty will generally enjoy better skin contraction and smoothing than those in their sixties and beyond, but the heat produced by the laser can help improve results at all ages.

Typical areas include the upper and lower abdomen, flanks (love handles), back, neck and chin, hips, inner thighs, outer thighs, upper arms and male chest. While some surgeons will treat knees and ankles, we find for the most part that this is a low satisfaction procedure for those very fibrous, dense areas.

All invasive procedures involve some risk. Potential complications may include infection, bleeding, asymmetry or contour irregularity (dimpling), poor healing, skin pigmentation changes, temporary superficial blisters or skin pigmentation changes, scars, nerve injury and/or reaction to anesthesia. If you are a smoker, you may be at risk for further complications, so you will be asked to stop smoking for at least 1 month prior to the procedure for your safety and optimal healing.

Medalase utilizes the “awake” tumescent liposuction technique when performing laserlipo. Pioneered in 1985 by Dr. Jeffrey Klein, tumescent liposuction has been used safely in tests of thousands of cases around the world. By infusing a mixture of saline and lidocaine (anesthetic) into the treatment areas to “separate” the fat from surrounding structures, the fat is much more easily localized and removed. Once the solution has been infused, a laser will be inserted into very small incisions (about 3-4mm) around the area, and moved through the area to help break up and liquefy the fat and provide a consistent heating to the skin to promote post-procedural tightening. After the areas are lased, small hollow tubes (or cannulas) are inserted through those same tiny incisions and into the layers of fat that lie deep beneath the skin. The cannula is connected to a suction device that literally vacuums the now liquefied fat out as the physician uses a repeated push/pull motion.

Laserlipo is a fairly simple procedure for the patient. About 30 minutes to an hour prior to treatment, you will be given antibiotics and a mild sedative to help you relax. The physician will then mark the treatment areas with a marker and take mandatory pre-surgery photographs. The procedure begins with an injection of tumescent solution as described above. You will be fully awake and able to provide feedback to the physician during the procedure, which can last from 1 to 3 hours depending upon the areas to be treated. You may even be asked to stand for parts of certain procedures to better reach the treatment area. Once the procedure is over, you will be helped into an extremely tight, form-fitting compression garment to help begin molding the desired contour of the body, helping to maintain a desirable shape. You will then relax in our waiting room for approximately an hour so that we can monitor your immediate recovery, at which point you can be released into the care of a family member or friend to drive you home.

You may return to work within approximately 48 hours of having Laserlipo. The small incisions are left open to allow the tumescent solution to drain after the procedure, and you will drain large amounts of fluid from those incisions for the first 24 to 48 hours. The recovery period usually lasts a few weeks, with full, final results being seen in 6 months to one year, depending on the patient and the extent of the procedure. Swelling typically subsides after a week while bruising, though minimal, may last 3 weeks or longer. You may resume more strenuous physical activity after 2 to 4 weeks.

You may feel sore, but excessive pain is rare with Laserlipo. You may be prescribed pain relievers to manage your comfort, but unlike traditional liposuction, most people need nothing more than extra-strength Tylenol to manage their discomfort afterwards. Bruising is generally quite minimal. Because there will be swelling and the structures underneath the skin will have shifted and changed, you will be required to wear a compression garment postoperatively to enhance your recuperation and results.

Because the fat cells are removed forever, the results of Laserlipo are permanent with a sensible diet and exercise. If you gain a significant amount of weight, the remaining fat cells can enlarge and/or the fat may be distributed to other areas of the body.

This is dependent upon the amount of fat removed, but most people begin to notice a difference in their shape after the swelling subsides, which can be as soon as a few days, but for many people, is several weeks. Before and after photos will be taken so that you can fully appreciate the results. The final outcome will generally be reached approximately 6 months after the procedure, but can last as long as 1 year.