Traditional Liposuction vs. Laser Lipo

It is well documented that laser-assisted lipolysis, commonly known as laser liposuction or laser lipo, is safer and produces much better results with fewer complications than traditional liposuction. When compared to patients who undergo traditional liposuction, laser liposuction patients experience faster recovery times and report a more gentle procedure. There is little or no scarring with laser lipo, and most patients experience smooth and even skin after surgery, compared to saggy and loose skin after traditional liposuction.

Differences in Anesthesia

Traditional liposuction surgery requires general anesthesia, which increases the risk of postoperative complications.

Laser lipo patients receive local anesthesia (numbing). Laser liposuction patients are awake and alert during their laser surgery and can communicate with their doctors, describing any discomfort or unusual sensations.

Benefits of being awake for the procedure:

• low risk of anesthesia complications
• ability to communicate with your doctor during the procedure (further lowering risks)
• ability to walk out of the physician's office within three to four hours on average

Bruising, Bleeding, and Infection

Traditional liposuction requires a larger surgical instrument than laser lipo, and the surgical technique used to break up the fatty tissue is more aggressive which causes more significant deep bruising. Bleeding is also a risk factor with traditional liposuction, and heavy bleeding can occur if a blood vessel is damaged during the pushing and pulling of the metal rod.

Laser liposuction is a procedure, which involves the doctor making small funnels through tiny incisions. Infection is less likely to occur with laser liposuction because of the smaller incisions and greatly reduced risk of tissue damage.

Skin After Surgery

With traditional liposuction surgery, a metal rod is inserted into the body and the surgeon pushes and pulls the device across and around the fatty areas of the patient to break up the fatty tissue. The cells are then suctioned out of the body as solid matter, sometimes leaving dimple-like pockets where the tissue was removed. Many traditional liposuction patients develop large amounts of loose, sagging skin over the extracted fatty tissue. This excess skin can be physically restrictive, lead to chronic infections, and cause health-related issues. Further surgery, such as a tummy tuck, is often required to treat the sagging skin and alleviate the associated problems. Scars from the surgical incisions remain visible after surgery.

With laser lipo, a small instrument called a cannula, which is about the size of a piece of a cooked piece of spaghetti, is gently inserted, usually in no more than one or two locations per area. The instrument is so small that the incisions are usually barely noticeable after a few weeks, often appearing like a freckle or blemish. The laser melts the fat, and the fatty tissue is removed from the body in liquid form, leaving no dimples. Additionally, the thermal properties of the laser promote skin tightening, making laser lipo a true body sculpting technique.

Recovery

Traditional liposuction patients are often in a hospital setting; they receive general anesthesia, must remain in a recovery room until fully awake and ambulatory, and they sometimes require an overnight stay. Traditional liposuction patients commonly require a friend or relative present to assist them for several days after surgery. They cannot return to work or other normal activities for one or more weeks.

Laser liposuction recovery varies from patient to patient, but most patients are back at work and back into their normal routines much faster than patients who undergo traditional liposuction. In fact, a majority of patients return to work and other normal activities in one to two days.

Summary

Laser liposuction not only provides a gentle and less painful experience for the patient, but has also been proven to be much safer than traditional liposuction, with patients experiencing a lowered incidence of bleeding, clotting, and other serious complications. Patients are generally more satisfied with the results of laser liposuction because of the skin tightness and smoothness. While no procedure can guarantee results or satisfaction, the vast majority of laser liposuction patients see visible results in three to six months.