Like many of you I have thought that liposuction would be a great way to get rid of the belly fat or spare tire, but old time liposuction is a very traumatic operation. Many people who have had liposuction complain of a painful recovery, have bruising for many weeks, and are often left with loose skin and lumps, bumps, and skin irregularities after liposuction.

I have been using the new laser liposuction technique called SlimLipo for almost a year and have been very impressed with the results. The new laser lipo technique leaves the skin looking smooth after liposuction. Laser lipo also tightens the skin as the fat is melted by the laser fiber which is placed under the skin. Thus the fat is much easier to remove after laser lipo than with the old time liposuction techniques.

Before and after Laser Liposuction Tummy for Tummy Tuck

How Does Laser Lipo or Laser Liposuction Work?

Laser lipo is a technique for removing excess or unwanted fat from beneath the skin in certain areas of the body. Most commonly laser lipo or laser liposuction is done to remove belly fat from the tummy, chin or neck fat in a double chin, and fat from the inside of the thighs, outside of the hips, and the buttocks, knees and arms.

The laser lipo liposuction procedure involves placing a tiny laser lipo fiber beneath the skin into the fat pockets under the skin, and melting the fat with laser energy. Laser lipo melts the fat into a liquid which is much easier for the plastic surgeon to remove than with traditional liposuction methods. Because the fat is a liquid it can be removed with a very tiny tube called a cannula. The cannulas used after laser lipo are 2-3 millimeters in diameter, less than half the size of the cannulas often used in old time liposuction.

The heat from the laser lipo laser fiber not only melts or liquefies the fat, but laser lipo also tightens the skin as the laser lipo procedure is done. This prevents the loose skin that is so common after traditional liposuction techniques.

Why is Laser Lipo Better than Old Time Liposuction?

While traditional non-laser liposuction has been very successful for removing fat and improving body contour, many patients are disappointed by loose or irregular skin after liposuction. As many as 20% of patients who have traditional liposuction complain of lumps, bumps, swellings, wavy lines or skin irregularities after recovering from liposuction. Plastic surgeons call these problems contour deformities. If you check your surgical consent given you before non-laser liposuction, you will read that these deformities are expected in a certain percentage of cases.

In my experience to date I have been truly amazed at how smooth the skin of my patients is after laser lipo liposuction. My opinion, based on my anecdotal experience, is that because the fat is liquefied by the laser lipo fiber before removal, the fat removal process is more uniform. Non-laser liposuction cannulas actually use strong suction pressure to pull, avulse or rip fat from beneath the skin. This technique not only causes trauma to the skin, but also leaves skipped or missed areas of fat which appear as lumps and bumps on the skin afterwards. See before and after picture below of laser lipo correction of skin deformities (circled in purple) that had been caused by old time liposuction done two years before.

Before and after Laser Liposuction to smooth lumpy tummy caused by prior non laser lipo

In addition, the laser lipo fiber produces heat beneath the skin which not only melts fat but also tightens the skin. This skin tightening achieved by the laser lipo laser liposculpture method helps prevent the problem of loose skin after non-laser liposuction. This is a major advance in liposuction technique in my opinion.

While skin tightening has been possible with invasive ultrasound non-laser liposuction technology, the size of the ultrasound probe and the risk of skin burn, has limited the use of this technique to the abdomen. The laser lipo fiber is so small that it can be used in any body area that can be treated with liposuction.

How is laser Lipo Done?

Laser Lipo can be done under local or general anesthesia. The most important thing is that your laser lipo liposuction be done in an approved, licensed, operating room where strict sterile and surgical precautions are used. Resist the temptation to bargain shop for a low priced laser liposuction in an office. You may save money but you could lose your life to an infection.

Prior to your laser lipo liposuction procedure, a small needle will be inserted beneath your skin and a special liposuction fluid called tumescent fluid is instilled beneath the skin. The purpose of this tumescent fluid is to minimize bleeding, provide pain control for up to 24 hours, and to loosen or prepare the fat beneath the skin for later removal. The fluid causes the skin to bulge or tumesce, which makes the movement of the laser lipo fiber easier through the fat layer.

Next, very tiny holes are placed in hidden locations on your skin, for example inside the belly button, to allow the laser lipo fiber to be placed into the fat beneath the skin. The laser is turned on and the fiber is moved back and forth in the fat to dissolve the fat and tighten the skin.

After the laser lipo fiber has dissolved the fat beneath the skin, a small tube, the cannula is inserted beneath the skin and the fat removed by suction. Because the fat is now liquid, I use a small syringe to remove the fat and do not usually use the more powerful liposuction machine, unless I am treating a large area.

When finished, the tiny entrance holes are closed with one suture or a stere-strip. The area that has been treated will be placed in a tight compressive garment to support the skin.

After a brief stay in the recovery room to make sure you feel well and are stable, you will be discharged home. Usually you will return to the office in 4-5 days for an exam and suture removal if any were placed. I will ask you to bring your own garment such as a “Spanks” or other tight garment to wear home after your first office visit.

How Long Is the Recovery from Laser Lipo?

You will be up and and around, able to walk, eat, use the bathroom and perform other normal activities right after your procedure. I do ask you not to do strenuous physical exercise or heavy lifting for about a week.

In my experience, there is less bruising with laser lipo or laser liposuction than with traditional liposuction. If you do have bruising, it will likely be gone in 10 days to two weeks. I have not seen the prolonged bruising and swelling that I have seen in the past with regular liposuction.

Which Laser Lipo Machine Is Best?

I use the SlimLipo laser lipo machine made by Palomar medical. The SlimLipo laser lipo or liposuction technique uses a patented 924nm (nm stands for nanometer which is one millionth of a meter and is used to describe laser wavelength) laser wavelength. The 924nm laser wavelength is absorbed specifically by fat, and 3-5 times as much fat is released or liquefied with the 924nm laser wavelength as with other laser wavelengths used in laser lipo, the 1064nm and 1308nm laser wavelengths.

How Do I Find the Right Doctor to Do Laser Lipo?

I recommend that you consult 2 plastic surgeons that are certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery. There are many different doctors who advertise and do laser lipo. However, any procedure which involves treatment beneath the skin is considered surgery, and if you are having surgery of any kind, you want a board certified surgeon taking care of you. Board certified plastic surgeons spend 5-7 years of training and 2-3 years of experience before they are allowed to take the certifying examinations.

Plastic surgeons spend years learning how to provide safe surgical care and have the expertise and ability to achieve good aesthetic results. Most importantly, if anything goes wrong, they have the experience to take care of you, unlike some physicians who have never had surgical training.

Laser lipo is an exciting, remarkable, revolutionary new technique in liposuction, body contouring and body sculpting. In my personal experience it has many advantages over old time liposuction techniques.

If you are considering liposuction, please do your homework and choose an expert. The links below are excellent resources for finding the best doctor for your laser lipo procedure:

American Board of Plastic Surgery

American Society of Plastic Surgeons

American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery

For more information on laser lipo please call 978-369-4499 or email us. Read our free newsletter to learn about the newest laser and non-surgical treatments for face and body rejuvenation. Read Save Your Face to learn how to prevent facial aging.

Dr. Seckel
Concord, Massachusetts
Boston, Massachusetts

Because the laser melts fat before removal, this new technique leaves smoother skin after liposuction in my experience. Laser liposuction also tightens the skin during the laser liposuction process, a definite advantage over old time liposuction.

I use the SlimLipo because it has many advantages over SmartLipo, Cool Lipo, ProLipo and Lipotherme in my opinion. I believe that the SlimLipo is the most effective and safest laser liposuction method available today.

In the article below I will compare the various laser liposuction technologies and try to explain why I use the SlimLipo. Once you understand how SlimLipo works and the difference between the various machines, then you will be able to choose which is the best technique for you.

There are very significant differences between the major laser liposuction machines in use today. Because of patent restrictions, many companies have had to use wavelengths that are not the most effective for fat removal. In the article below I will first try to explain the procedure and then describe the technologies used in the most widely used machines.

How Does Laser Liposuction Work?

Older standard liposuction techniques removed fat by inserting a metal tube called a cannula beneath the skin to remove fat by aspiration with high powered suction. The fat cells are actually ruptured and sucked out from beneath the skin. Other supporting tissues beneath the skin are also removed which can lead to lose skin and skin sag after standard old time liposuction. This procedure is quite traumatic and can produce bruising and swelling and post operative pain which can lead to a prolonged recovery. Results for fat removal are excellent, however lack of uniformity of skin appearance and loose skin after the procedure have been reported in as many as 20 % of patients.

The new laser liposuction technique first involves the placement of a tiny laser fiber beneath the skin to melt or liquefy the fat before removal. This allows for a much less traumatic fat removal because much smaller aspiration cannulas can be used and there is less tissue trauma and injury to the non fatty tissues. After the laser fat melting process a small cannula about half the size of the older cannulas is used to remove the liquefied fat.

In addition, the heat generated by the laser causes the skin to tighten, and results in my Boston area patients have shown improved skin tightening following laser liposuction. See before and after pictures of SlimLipo laser liposuction for laser body sculpting and mini tummy tuck of abdomen below:

Before and after Laser Liposuction Tummy for Tummy Tuck

In addition to liquefaction or melting of fat, many more fat cells are injured by the laser and are reabsorbed by the tissues, so that fat volumes that are removed are typically less using this new technology. In some cases where very small areas of fat need to be removed, the laser liposuction treatment is all that is necessary and no suctioning has to be done.

SlimLipo Laser Liposuction Machine

SlimLipo uses a patented 924nm laser wavelength to melt fat. The 924nm laser is the most specifically and highly absorbed laser wavelength by fat tissue. The 924nm laser melts 3-5 times as much volume of fat as the other wavelengths in use today. The SlimLipo uses a 924nm/975nm blended wavelength for skin tightening effect. See before and after pictures of laser liposuction fat removal and skin tightening to correct double chin below:

Above: before and after Slimlipo laser liposuction of neck and small chin implant to tighten skin and melt fat to correct a double chin.

I use SlimLipo as a Tumescent Liposuction technique which lessens bruising and provides pain control.

SmartLipo MPX Machine

SmartLipo was the first machine on the market. The original SmartLipo used a 1064nm wavelength to melt fat. The target of the 1064nm is water, thus the SmartLipo melted fat by heating the water in the fat and the fat is melted secondarily.

Recently, SmartLipo MPX has been introduced, which uses a combination 1064nm and a 1320nm laser to improve fat melting. In the resource box below you can link to a video which shows a comparison of the fat melting power of the SlimLipo vs. the SmartLipo MPX technology.

Cool Lipo Machine

Cool Lipo uses a 1320nm laser wavelength to dissolve fat. Although the 1320nm wavelength has better fat absorption than the 1064nm wavelength, water is still the primary target of the 1320nm. Thus the fat melting mechanism is the same for the 1320nm as with the 1064nm used in SmartLipo.

Lipotherme Machine

Lipotherme is a new entry in this field and uses a 980nm wavelength for fat melting. Again the primary target of the 980nm wavelength is water, so again this new technology melts fat by first heating water rather than by fat absorption of the wavelength.

ProLipo Machine

ProLipo laser liposuction also uses a combination of 1064nm and 1319nm laser wavelengths to melt fat. As with other similar devices mentioned above, the primary target of 1064nm and 1319nm is water and has the same disadvantages mentioned earlier.

Why is laser Wavelength So Important in Laser Liposuction?

Two major issues that the appropriate laser wavelength solves are:

• Efficient Uniform Fat Melting
• Safety (Less Thermal Injury or Risk of Burn)

The importance of using the appropriate wavelength to melt fat is that the greater the absorption by the fat of the laser energy, the easier and more complete the fat melting process. This is graphically demonstrated in the video link below:

Laser liposuction video comparing SlimLipo, SmartLipo, Cool Lipo, ProLipo and Lipotherme.

Not only is the 924nm wavelength used in SlimLipo capable of liquefying 3-5 times as much fat per unit of energy as the other technologies, but the fat melting mechanism is entirely different. The 924nm is completely absorbed by fat and a much larger area of fat is dissolved. The other lasers which use water targeted wavelengths have to heat water to boiling and the water the heats and destroys the fat. This water heating process is slower, less efficient and as can be seen in video is essentially chipping away at fat.

Who Should Do Your Procedure?

Liposuction is a surgical procedure no matter what the internet marketing campaigns imply. My opinion is that I personally would only want a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon performing this procedure on me or one of my loved ones. This is the advice I give to people who ask about laser liposuction,

Be very careful and study the credentials of your doctor. There are many doctors today who advertise themselves as Cosmetic Surgeons who have never had one day of surgical training. Check the credentials of your doctor by visiting the website of the American Board of Plastic Surgery.

There are many Board Certified Dermatologists who do this procedure and I am sure some are very good. However when you have surgery of any kind, It is essential that your doctor has had the appropriate surgical training to take care of you if something goes wrong.

Do your homework and protect yourself. SlimLipo laser suction is effective even in older patients as the before and after pictures of SlimLipo laser liposuction of the abdomen in a 70 year old patient show below:

Above: before and after picture of SlimLipo laser liposuction of abdomen in 70 year old patient-note skin tightening as well as fat removal.

For more information on laser liposuction call 978-369-4499 or email us. Read our free newsletter to learn more about plastic surgery, laser and non-surgical face and body rejuvenation, and skin care. Read Save Your Face to learn how to prevent facial aging.

Dr. Seckel
Concord, Massachusetts
Boston, Massachusetts

Palomar™ Medical has just introduced SLIMLIPO™ a new laser liposuction technology which will revolutionize the way liposuction is done. The word SLIM™ stands for Selective Laser Induced Melting and what is new is the laser wavelength-925 and 925/975 nm- which selectively melts fat-5 times more than SmartLipo™and 3 times more than the 1320nm laser used in the CoolLipo™ device.

In some patients with smaller fat deposits we can melt the fat with the tiny SLIMLIPO™ laser fiber and use no suction to remove the dissolved fat. This means less bruising, less trauma, and quick recovery.

New laser liposuction technology is revolutionizing the way liposuction and laser body sculpting is done.

Benefits of the new laser liposuction technique are:

· Laser liposuction is less traumatic=quicker recovery

· The laser fiber is tiny= smaller scars

· Smaller areas done under local anesthesia

See results of SlimLipo Tummy Tuck below: