Does the Technique of Liposuction Surgery Make a Difference?

Yes, liposuction addresses both excess fat and fat distribution

LIPOSUCTION is the most common plastic or cosmetic surgery procedure performed in the United States. It’s the removal of fat from the face and/or body using suction to create a more pleasing face or body contour.

Body shape is related to one’s bone structure, muscle mass, fat distribution as well as the quality and amount of excess skin. Bone structure cannot be changed. Muscle mass can be improved by patients with muscle strengthening exercises before and after surgery.

Liposuction addresses both excess fat and fat distribution. The most difficult anatomical concern is the skin. Skin tightening to either reduce the amount of excess skin or improve the skin appearance is paramount to an optimal outcome.

Liposuction can be performed with suction alone or a variety of energy based systems can be added to improve outcomes.

These devices either facilitate fat removal and/or facilitate skin tightening:

1. Ultrasound (VASER)
2. Lasers (Smartlipo, SlimLipo, etc.)
3. Radiofrequency {RF} (Thermi)
4. RF combined with Helium gas- Renuvion or J-Plasma

Skin tightening has been shown to be the best with ultrasound or VASER (53% better than suction alone) compared to laser (28%). Ultrasound also yields 26% less bruising and bleeding compared to suction alone. The world’s trainers of high definition liposuction, like myself, all incorporate ultrasound to create the chiseled abdominal and chest appearance by maximum fat removal and skin tightening.

There are patients predisposed to excess skin postoperatively, those significantly over their ideal body weight, women having more than two children, and those who have undergone massive weight loss surgery. If they don’t want to undergo a procedure to excise skin (tummy tuck, arm, back or thigh lift), than more skin tightening is required than with ultrasound alone.

A new technique using radiofrequency (RF) combined with Helium gas known as Renuvion or J-Plasma has shown to provide an additional 30% skin reduction. After the ultrasound is performed and the fat is removed, the Renuvion probe is placed under the skin to optimize kin tightening. Additional skin tightening can be performed after the procedure, with external, non-surgical energy systems using ultrasound (Vasershape) and RF (Venus Legacy).

However, in inexperienced hands the incidence of skin contour irregularities and skin burns increases using energy based devices in combination with liposuction.

Nothing is a substitute for an experienced, well trained surgeon who can minimize skin contour irregularities and create an aesthetically pleasing body contour of the New You.