Traditional Liposuction vs SmartLipo in NJ

More than 240,000 liposuction treatments were done in the United States in 2021, making it one of the most popular cosmetic surgery treatments. Fat cells are removed from the body during the treatment, which is also known as lipoplasty- fat removal surgery. It is particularly beneficial for individuals who have specific regions of localized fat deposits and have attempted unsuccessfully to eradicate them through diets, exercises, and weight reduction.

HISTORY OF LIPOSUCTION

In 1974, Italian and French doctors employed suction to remove fat from the body for the first time, paving the way for today’s liposuction treatments to be significantly more sophisticated. Since then, there have been two notable developments in the field of liposuction surgery.

The first of them, which occurred in 1985, was the shift to tumescent liposuction, which was invented by California dermatologist Dr. Jeffrey Klein and involves the use of a smaller cannula for the treatment. Dr. Klein is credited with inventing the method. The use of laser light to liposuction, a method known as Smartlipo, has also proven to be a major improvement in the field. Smartlipo was approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2006.

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SMARTLIPO AND TRADITIONAL LIPOSUCTION?

Although both standard non-laser liposuction and SmartLipo are excellent methods of eliminating excess fat, there are some significant distinctions to consider between the two.

Technique: 

Traditional liposuction suctions fat from under the skin with the use of a cannula and manual manipulation. SmartLipo makes use of laser heat to soften or liquefy the fat, making it simpler to remove using the cannula. As a consequence, the patient often has less bruising and swelling. Excessive use of laser heat during the SmartLipo treatment can also result in skin tightness as a side effect. Because liposuction alone does not give any skin tightening advantages, there is an increased risk of dimpling or sagging after the treatment, which is especially true in elderly individuals who have lost more of their skin’s elasticity.

Recovery: 

Traditional liposuction requires a lengthier recuperation period, as well as the usage of compression garments for up to 6 weeks after the procedure. The majority of SmartLipo patients have complete recovery in a few days, and they normally only need compression garments for one week after their procedure.

WHEN IS REGULAR LIPOSUCTION PREFERRED TO SMARTLIPO AND WHEN IS SMARTLIPO PREFERRED?

Due to the fact that Smartlipo may be done on practically any part of the body, there are just a few instances in which patients choose to conduct standard liposuction rather than Smartlipo. In fact, the only time it is recommended for conventional liposuction is when a patient has great elasticity and does not want to invest the extra expenditure of the laser component, nor does he or she need the additional benefit of skin tightening.

There are also alternative types of liposuction, such as Vaser liposuction, which makes use of ultrasonic energy to remove fat from the body. A more accurate type of fat removal, Vaser lipo is less invasive than standard liposuction and may be performed in less than an hour.

AM I A GOOD CANDIDATE FOR LIPO?

The patient’s BMI must be within the normal range in order for him or her to be considered for the surgery. The Body Mass Index (BMI) is computed by dividing a person’s weight in kilograms by the square of their height in meters, with the result being the BMI. If you have a high BMI, it’s probable that this is an indicator of how much fat you have in your body. Using the body mass index (BMI), you may see whether you fall into any of the weight categories that are associated with health problems, as well as get an overall sense of how healthy you are.

WHAT EXACTLY IS SMARTLIPO?

Smartlipo is a cutting-edge liposuction treatment that employs a laser fiber to liquefy fat while performing the procedure. This minimally invasive method introduces the laser fiber into the body using fewer incisions and a smaller cannula than other procedures. Smartlipo is often associated with a relatively quick recovery period.

In comparison to traditional liposuction treatments, this laser-assisted liposuction approach results in substantially less bleeding and bruising than the other options available. Aside from that, the laser promotes collagen formation, which aids in the tightening of the skin and the restoration of young firmness.

HOW DOES SMARTLIPO DIFFER FROM OTHER TREATMENT TYPES?

Smartlipo is a minimally invasive surgery that may be done on an outpatient basis under local anesthetic and with little to no downtime. It usually takes less than an hour per treatment region to complete the procedure.

PRIOR TO THE TREATMENT

In preparation for the procedure, local anesthetic is delivered, the skin is washed, and the treatment regions are designated with a marker. The surgeon makes a small incision in the fat deposit and inserts a tiny probe with a low-energy laser fiber straight into the fat deposit.

SAFE AND EFFECTIVE OPTION 

Fat cells are liquefied and destroyed by the laser radiation without causing any damage to the surrounding tissue. During the surgery, the liquefied fat may be gently suctioned out, or it may be eliminated by the body’s own natural elimination mechanisms. The heat from the laser produces coagulation in the surrounding tissue, which promotes collagen formation and skin tightening, resulting in a smoother, firmer look and a more defined appearance overall.

WHAT IS THE RECOVERY PROCESS LIKE AFTER A SMARTLIPO PROCEDURE?

The majority of Smartlipo patients are able to return home immediately after their surgery. You may anticipate a rapid recovery with little scars and pain after your procedure. You may be told to wear a compression garment after SmartLipo treatment in order to get some of the greatest results Smartlipo has to offer in order to minimize edema. Patients are usually able to return to work and their routine activities within a day or two after having their treatment.

THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN SMARTLIPO AND TRADITIONAL LIPOSUCTION

There are some significant variations between Smartlipo and traditional Liposuction treatments, including the kind of anesthetic utilized, the amount of invasiveness of the surgery, the techniques employed to remove fat, and the level of discomfort and recovery time that patients should anticipate after the procedure. Here are a few of the differences between the two types of treatments:

ANESTHESIA VARIATIONS

Traditional liposuction needs the administration of general anesthesia or intravenous sedation in order to place the patient in an unconscious “sleeping” condition throughout the procedure due to its intrusive nature. Conventional liposuction treatments are conducted in hospitals or surgical centers since general anesthesia must be delivered by a qualified anesthesiologist. Patient complications are more likely to occur with general anesthesia than with local anaesthetic owing to the comatose condition that the patient is placed in throughout the surgery.

Smartlipo is a kind of laser-assisted liposuction that is conducted under local anesthetic, with the patient being awake and conscious during the treatment. The most often used local anaesthetic is the very efficient numbing chemical, lidocaine, which allows the patient to have a nearly painless procedure. Local anesthetic is the safest kind of anesthesia, reducing the chance of complications since the patient remains awake and the effects of the anaesthetic continue for many hours after the treatment, reducing the need for narcotic pain drugs after surgery.

A COMPARISON OF INVASIVENESS AND FAT REMOVAL TECHNIQUES

Traditional liposuction removes fat cells by scraping them off the skin. 

When doing classic invasive liposuction, many large incisions about 1/2″ in diameter are made around the treatment region to facilitate the operation. These incisions are created to fit big devices known as cannulas, which will be used by the surgeon to disturb the fat cells under the surface of the skin.

As soon as the cannula is introduced under the skin, the surgeon scrapes and disrupts the fat cells with a continual jabbing motion with the instrument. As well as being attached to an aspiration equipment, the cannula is also used to suck the fat scraped from the body. Because a scraping device is used to remove the fat from the skin, it is usual for individuals to have a rippling or dimpling look after the treatment.

Smartlipo is a minimally invasive procedure that melts fat cells. 

An very small incision about 1/8″ is made in the skin during a Smartlipo treatment, enabling the laser fiber to be introduced under the skin through an implanted micro-cannula. The heat energy emitted by the laser burns fat cells while tightening the skin at the same time. Suction is used to remove the liquefied fatty fluid from the body.

The tightening caused by the laser’s heat leads to smoother skin that gradually develops once the swelling has gone, which normally takes around one month after the surgery is completed. The final outcome is predicted 6 months after the procedure has taken place.

SMARTLIPO VS. TRADITIONAL LIPO: A COMPARISON OF PAIN AND RECOVERY TIME

Downtime and discomfort associated with traditional liposuction. 

Traditional liposuction requires a large amount of recovery time. It is possible that the patient may need to be hospitalized or placed on bed rest for several days after the treatment, depending on the degree of the fat removal.

After having conventional liposuction, patients will endure severe bruising and swelling in the affected areas.

Patient’s pain and suffering may last many weeks, and they are needed to wear a compression garment for six to eight weeks after surgery.

Smartlipo Recovery Time and Pain. 

Patients are able to walk themselves out of the clinic after a standard Smartlipo treatment since they have maintained their mobility. In most cases, patients may resume their usual activities and return to work within 1-2 days after the treatment.

Patients will need to wear a compression garment for four weeks after the treatment, but they will be able to begin low-impact activity in three to five days.

Patients can anticipate pain for a few days after their SmartLipo surgery, but the discomfort should not interfere with their usual daily activities during this time.

Following a SmartLipo surgery, patients should anticipate mild bruising and swelling, which will go progressively over the course of two weeks after the procedure.

GARTNER PLASTIC SURGERY IS UNIQUE IN THAT WE CARE ABOUT YOUR LIPOSUCTION TREATMENT

A pre-emptive anesthetic is delivered before the start of your surgical procedure. Due to the fact that it reduces your sensitivity to the shock of surgery and inflammation that comes afterwards, your recuperation is much more pleasant compared to the case in which it was not utilized. As a result, you will be able to return to work and your regular activities sooner!

Over the course of more than a decade, Dr. Gartner has gained vast expertise conducting liposuction procedures using a number of methods. Depending on the region you’d like to have treated, the most appropriate procedure will be chosen in order to obtain the results you’re looking for.

If you have mild to moderate loose skin in a particular place, the laser assisted approach may be utilized to speed up the pace of skin retraction after your surgery, hence avoiding the need for excision in that area. In addition, as compared to conventional liposuction treatments, laser assisted liposuction produces far less blood. The research, Comparison of Blood Loss in Laser Lipolysis versus Traditional Liposuction, discovered that blood loss is significantly decreased when laser lipolysis is performed on the breasts, flanks, back, and abdomen.

BOOK YOUR VERY OWN SMARTLIPO CONSULTATION WITH DR. GARTNER IN NJ

If you’ve been wondering whether SmartLipo or traditional liposuction is for you, contacting our clinic is the best way to find out for yourself. It can be difficult to make the decision based on information online, this is why we provide one-on-one consultations with Dr. Gartner and his team to develop the most appropriate and accurate treatment plan specifically for you.

To learn more, contact us and we would be happy to set up your first appointment at Gartner Plastic Surgery in New Jersey!