* Required Fields
Types of Liposuction
Fairfield County and Norwalk, Connecticut
If you have stubborn areas of fat that can’t be removed by diet and exercise alone, you may be considering liposuction. Liposuction, or lipo, is the surgical removal of fat from the body using suction, via a thin sterile tube called a cannula. Liposuction has been safely performed for many years. It has helped both women and men improve their appearance and reshape their bodies, particularly in such hard-to-reduce areas as the buttocks, abdomen, hips, thighs, and arms. Lipo is also used in male breast reduction, and as a sculpting technique to remove smaller deposits of fat in the neck, under the chin and in parts of the face.
If you are considering having liposuction, your doctor can describe the different kinds of liposuction available and the relative advantages of each. Please call Dr. Rick Rosen’s office for additional information or help planning your liposuction procedure.
Tumescent Liposuction
The technique most often used today is tumescent liposuction, in which the fatty deposits of targeted areas are “plumped up” with fluid before the procedure, by injecting dilute solutions of local anesthetics into them. This decreases the bruising and bleeding of tissues, thus easing discomfort and speeding recovery.
Often the suction action of liposuction is enhanced by another technique which disrupts or dissolves the fatty (or adipose) tissue before it is removed. For example, a vibrating cannula tip may be used to mechanically break up the fatty tissues and make it easier to remove them. This results in a smoother body contour.
Ultrasound-assisted Liposuction (UAL)
In this technique, high-frequency sound energy, or ultrasound, is directed into the adipose tissue to liquefy the fat. This allows the cannula tip to move more smoothly under the skin. It is helpful when removing large amounts of fat, or when the adipose tissue is very firm or fibrous, as it can be in the sides and back, in the male breast, or around the navel.
Laser-assisted Lipo
In this technique, heat from a special high-energy light beam, or laser, is directed into the adipose tissue to melt the fat before it is suctioned out. As in ultrasound-assisted lipo, this allows the cannula tip to move more easily, and it has the added advantage of somewhat tightening the skin above the treated area.
SmartLipo™ and SlimLipo™
In recent years, some of the newer laser devices have received considerable attention in popular magazines and on talk shows. You may have heard of SmartLipo™, which was introduced in 2007. This system uses a certain type of laser energy (with a wavelength of 1064 nm) which the manufacturer claims will “target” red blood cells and thus reduce bleeding. Its laser dissolves fat with a short, discrete burst of energy, so that surrounding tissues remain unharmed. This is said to provide better results than older types of lipo, with smoother and tighter skin.
Similarly, the SlimLipo™ system uses select laser wavelengths (in this case, 924 and 975 nm) to better target adipose tissues. Its special cannula tip is said to “glide easily” through fibrous areas, and it has a special aiming beam to help the surgeon more precisely locate the target tissues. It, too, is said to give smoother, more regular results than other types of liposuction devices.
If you are considering liposuction, you may have additional questions about your options. Or you may wish to schedule a initial consultation. Please contact Cosmetic & Reconstructive Plastic Surgery and Dr. Rick Rosen, M.D., F.A.C.S. today to schedule your no-cost initial consultation.
