Laser liposuction is the hot new thing in liposuction, body contouring and fat removal. It may even be the hottest thing we have ever seen in liposuction. This only seems to be gaining popularity. Add a laser to anything in medicine and the average consumer instantly assumes it must be better. I don’t know how many times I have been asked if I am going to make an incision with a ‘laser’ for a procedure. An absurd idea!
As a plastic surgeon who considers himself well versed in the world of cosmetic surgery it leaves me scratching my head a little. How has this gained so much momentum? Is it that it really does something significant that traditional liposuction can’t, or is this just fabulous marketing?
There are dozens of new fads each year. About 90% fizzle out as the flaws become exposed and 10% “stick” and are shown to have real value. This 10% is what most plastic surgeons incorporate into their practice. There is a small minority who try everything new, try it out on as many patients as they can and jump ship when the problems arise. Not me!
I reviewed websites and literature of several of the more common laser lipo platforms including smartlipo, slimlipo, Lipotherme, cool lipo, and LipoLite.
These manufacturers claim there are several advantages of laser lipo:
- “can be performed in an office-based setting while the patient is awake. No longer is it a requirement that patients be put to sleep using general anesthetics nor do they need to be admitted to the hospital for the procedure” – www.smartlipo.com
- Skin tightening
- Smoother skin
- Less downtime
- Less pain
- Increased safety
- Quicker procedures
A little lesson on the difference between laser liposuction and traditional or tumescent liposuction is in order.
- The steps in traditional liposuction include: 1) sedation, 2) injection of numbing solution (tumescent fluid), 3) Removal of fat through small canullas.
- The steps in laser liposuction include: 1) sedation, 2) injection of tumescent fluid, 3) laser treatment of fat, 4) Removal of laser treated fat.
The laser damages the fat cells before they are removed. The heat generated from the laser is reported to cause skin tightening.
I have always been dissatisfied with the amount of skin tightening that can be achieved with traditional liposuction. The reported benefits of skin tightening with laser liposuction is a very interesting for me. Of course, training in Missouri I am a “show me” kind of person so I tried it out.
First hand experience with laser lipo!
This week I had a rep. from one of the laser liposuction manufacturers bring a unit for me to demo. The patient was scheduled for liposuction of the abdomen, upper hips, back, and inner thighs. We discussed the possibility of laser liposuction of her abdomen to help encourage loose skin to contract. I REALLY wanted that skin to contract. If it would have I probably would have been so happy I would have purchased the $90,000 unit on the spot.
Unfortunately the experience was otherwise.
- Skin tightening? – There was NO early skin tightening. Time will tell if this occurs later. (I will update you in a couple of months)
- Quicker recovery? – Although the claims are made that there is no down-time. The fine print and discussions with the rep. would suggest otherwise.
- Pain? – The pain was significantly greater, the patient reported it felt like it was “burning”. The areas treated with traditional liposuction were much less painful.
- Speed of procedure – The addition of the laser adds an extra step which takes a significantly longer time (about double the procedure time)
- Safety – Liposuction is only as safe as the skill level of the doctor performing the procedure. If anything laser liposuction is less safe as there is the potential from skin burns from the heat of the laser and more sedation is necessary from the increased pain.
There are a few definite disadvantages to laser liposuction
- Very few experienced plastic surgeons are using it. A “cosmetic surgeon” is not the same thing. (see other posts)
- It is more expensive. The machine is expensive, additionally there is $250 of disposable laser equipment on average for each procedure
- More pain (my first hand experience)
- Longer procedures (more risk)
Don’t believe the hype
It felt a little like test driving a Ferrari without a motor. It looked really cool but didn’t really do anything.
Let me repeat. I really wanted to find that this lived up to all of the claims. It would be a fantastic tool and would solve the problem of patients with loose skin.
I have no vested reason to “bash” laser liposuction or any of these companies. I didn’t report which machine I used for a reason. The gentleman was quite pleasant and honest with me about the shortcomings of laser liposuction. He said the major reason to use this technology is that with all of the marketing, patients are lining up for the procedure. My motivation for writing this is only to be the balancing “voice of reason” from someone who is not trying to sell their product.
According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, “The only study that has scientifically compared this to standard liposuction has found no differences between these techniques in terms of the results.”
As far as I know, there are no plastic surgeons in Utah doing laser lipo at this time. Competitively, there is a fortune to be made.
The business man in me would love to do just that.
The responsible doctor in me just won’t allow it.
I will update the progress of my patient in a couple of months. If there is skin retraction to a significant degree expect my next post to be about the new laser liposuction equipment I have just purchased. Don’t hold your breath!
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I most definitely agree with you and whilst i will not post the brands of laser lipo in my comment, i think the media and marketing has certainly pushed a lot of these so called, non evassive procedures into the marketplace.
However i do feel rather discruntled by the current events in the medical industry, it wasnt just the laser teeth whitening which for anyone who is unaware is also rather a scam wherby the laser just activates 2 well known ingredients to incur a bleaching affect. certainly nothing amazing or cutting edge.
Liposuction via laser, im still not jumping on that band wagon either and we respect you for also remaining steadfast. Its easy to lose the foothold and suddenly become a business man instead of a doctor.
I found your post very informative. I just added this site to my Bookmarks. I Look forward to reading more here in the future.
Very useful information. Thanks for sharing. A lot of individuals have experienced the same thing in their lives.
I would like to introduce myself as the pleasant and honest rep in Dr. Yates’ blog and offer secondary opinion from the laser manufacturer side. With Dr. Yates and anyone else I encounter who expresses interest in laser lipo, I go out of my to let them know that by no means will this ever replace traditional liposuction and certainly isn’t a substitute for a skilled, experienced surgeon. With that said, in my honest opinion, I do feel that there is a place for laser lipo within this field. You must think of this as simply another tool that the sculptor uses to create his or her masterpiece.
Laser lipo is not meant for instant gratification or over the top dramatic results. It’s meant to be used in concert with the surgeons preferred method of liposuction (suction assisted, power assisted, ultrasonic assisted) to obtain a more enhanced result. Can it be used solo? It depends on the patient. As with any procedure, patient selection is everything and if a patient just needs some sculpting in small areas like the belly, love handles, arms or chin…laser lipo is great. It’s also great if a surgeon has a small revision to do. Again, this isn’t meant to replace traditional lipo, it’s just another tool…which in the hands of a skilled, experienced surgeon will yield some very nice results.
To return the compliment, I found Dr. Yates to be a very passionate, dedicated and skilled surgeon. I could tell he was skeptical about laser lipo to begin with and for good reason. Some manufacturers have gone out of their way to sell this technology to anyone and everyone who would buy it. In other words, non-plastic and non-cosmetic surgeons. Most competitive systems are way over priced for what they are designed for which is a “sculpting and skin tightening” tool…nothing more. Patients are always looking for what they believe is the next quick fix and some in-experienced and un-scrupulous physicians were only too happy to take their money. No wonder laser lipo has such a bad reputation with some.
For better or for worse, this is the field I have chosen as my career and without guys like me, surgeons like Dr. Yates wouldn’t have tools he needs to create his masterpieces. With respect, this was Dr. Yates’ first time using a new technology and we treated just one patient. The patient was a little bit larger than I would have liked but that’s who we had. If memory serves, this particular patient had trouble even handling the traditional liposuction so it was difficult to reach the end point I would have liked with the laser. In other words, this probably wasn’t the ideal candidate for the laser procedure and as any surgeon will tell you, patient selection means a lot. I’m sure if we would have done more than just one case, Dr. Yates might have possibly seen how this could be an effective tool for his practice. I will be more than happy to come back in anytime to do a few more cases if Dr. Yates is so inclined.
In closing, I would like to remind everyone that I ONLY sell to plastic surgeons and experienced cosmetic surgeons unlike many other companies. Does this limit my income potential? Sure…but at least I am able to sleep at night. If you are considering any type of cosmetic surgery procedure, I strongly recommend seeking out a board certified plastic surgeon at http://www.plasticsurgery.org.
Very interesting entry to read on.. I am very amazed with this post. Looking forward for future posts.
Hi,your post is really very informative. Much appreciated, this is a latest technique which seems one of the quickest way to lose weight, migraine headache treatment remedies.
Thanks for your interesting opinions. I am contemplating getting some sort of lipo done. I am in my early 30s, have two kids (done having kids) and would consider myself of average size. I am 5′6″ weighing in at around 135lbs. I have lost all the excess weight I gained during pregnancy, but have been left with sizable fat pockets, on my abs, lower back (love handles) and inner/outer thighs.
I went to a consultation with one of those “numerous billboard” companies that offer Smartlipo. It didn’t take long for them to sell me on it. He said I am an ideal candidate. (I am sure they tell everyone that.) But I know that I am not overweight and just want to get rid of the fat pockets. I have read a lot of reviews online about Smartlipo and it seems that there is more negative than positive. I have a feeling that more people write about the bad than the good, so I am sure there are people out there who have had great results.
On the advise of my mom, I started looking at Board Certified Plastic Surgeons in the area. Looking online and then reading your website and blog, I have determined that there are not any plastic surgeons that offer both Smartlipo and traditional lipo in Northern Utah. So that leaves me to compare the Smartlipo procedure to traditional lipo. The biggest drawback to me with traditional lipo is the costs. You say that Laser lipo is more expensive. But I have found that going the Smartlipo route is quite a bit less expensive that going with traditional (costs to me).
I am at a standstill, do I pay more and get the traditional lipo, with a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon or do I go with the cheaper Smartlipo with a Board Certified Surgeon PA? I think I will continue to research both and go to some consults with Board Certified Plastic Surgeons to see what they have to say about my body and what would work best for me.
In closing as David Bays says in his comment on your post, “I will be more than happy to come back in anytime to do a few more cases if Dr. Yates is so inclined.” So Dr. Yates if you are ever inclined to have David Bays bring back his laser lipo machine for you to demo on more patients, I would like to offer myself up to your guinea pig!
I wish you the best of luck.
FYI there is no such thing as a board certified surgeon PA.
You may get a great result with either or a bad result from either. In my opinion, the skill, experience and artistry that a board certified plastic surgeon brings to the table tips the odds in favor of a great result.
Thank you. I will be making an appointment to come in and talk with you about going the traditional route.
FYI this is what I found on the PA, these are the initials behind his name MPAS, PA-C and also he says this about himself, “I am board certified in general surgery and primary care medicine by the NCCPA.” I guess it is misleading to the average person. Thanks again and I can’t wait to come in and talk with you about my options.