Liposuction and laser lipo are both fat removal methods used in body contouring surgery. Both procedures are effective at removing unwanted fat, but they achieve this goal in different ways. But what’s the difference between laser lipo vs lipo techniques? Which of them is better for you? Keep reading to learn more about these two liposuction categories to find out which is best suited to your beauty goals.
What Is Liposuction And Its Benefits?
Liposuction is the removal of excess fats by sucking them off from under the skin. Liposuction is one of the most popular cosmetic procedures in the world and surgeons use various techniques to carry out their surgeries.
During liposuction, doctors improve body contours by eliminating excess weight from fats. These fats are hard to reduce and are resistant to diet and exercise.
Depending on the type of liposuction method, the treated fat cells may be removed through scraping, heating, or freezing before being extracted through a cannula.
The primary benefit of undergoing liposuction is getting a body with a more toned look. By removing stubborn fat layers, the skin becomes more tightened, allowing your curves and muscles to make better forms and proportions. Being more comfortable with your body will reinforce your confidence, further making you feel good inside and out.
What’s The Difference Between Laser Lipo Vs Lipo?
Tumescent Liposuction
Tumescent liposuction is the most widely known technique for extracting fat through an aesthetic procedure. It’s also called traditional liposuction because this was one of the first lipo techniques invented and made useful for beauty enhancement.
During traditional lipo, your surgeon will inject a sterile solution into the target area where fat needs to be removed. The solution will consist of saline, lidocaine, and epinephrine. This mixture makes it easier to suck out the fat from the body with less pain and blood loss. A thin tube called a cannula will be connected to a piece of vacuum equipment to suck out the fat from the body.
Traditional liposuction is invasive and may leave some scarring after the procedure. The downtime also takes a day or two, depending on how many fat areas were targeted during the treatment.
Laser-Assisted Liposuction
Laser lipoplasty or laser-assisted liposuction is an exciting fat removal procedure using innovative technologies and energy with precision and efficiency. The procedure can be performed with minimal or without pain and requires minimal sedation. This allows for rapid re-transplantation in a single step and no need for anesthesia for the patient.
Laser liposuction is also called SmartLipo in some clinics. This technology uses lasers to produce a burst of energy that is directed to the target fat areas. The fat is then heated at a safe level that’s enough to liquefy them without damaging the surrounding tissues.
The biggest differences between laser lipo vs lipo are the downtime and the scarring. With laser lipolysis, you get less scarring because it’s a minimally invasive liposuction procedure. There’s no need for a cannula because the dead fat cells that were broken down will be naturally excreted by the body.
Since it’s a minimally invasive procedure, the recovery time is also faster compared to the traditional tumescent liposuction technique. You can go home and most likely get back to your usual routine in a few hours.
Aside from laser lipo and traditional lipo, there’s also ultrasound-assisted liposuction (UAL). UAL uses sound wave energy to rupture stubborn fats under the skin. The liquefied fat makes it easier to be sucked out of the skin through a cannula. VASER liposuction technique is an example of a UAL procedure.
Which Lipo Treatment Is Right For You?
Whether you’re getting liposuction or laser lipo, you should align your expectations. Liposuction won’t rid you of cellulite, so if you expect that you won’t see cellulitis after the surgery, you’ll be disappointed.
You must be in good health before you receive either treatment. You should be at least within 30% of your ideal healthy weight and not diagnosed as obese. You must have firm, elastic skin so that it’ll be easier for you to recover. You should not be smoking for quite some time to avoid complications during surgery.
Your doctor will advise proceeding with the surgery if you have health problems. If you have heart disease, diabetes, or a weak immune system, you should avoid undergoing the procedure.
What To Expect Before And After The Procedures?
How Long Do The Results Of Each Treatment Last
Liposuction can be done at your doctor’s office or clinic as a day-patient procedure. Just make sure that the clinic where you’re getting your procedure is an accredited institution with certified professionals that uphold standards and patient safety to ensure good results.
The liposuction procedure lasts for a few hours and you’ll be able to go home afterward. Make sure you have someone to drive you home since you won’t be able to do it by yourself.
But if you have a lot of fat that needs to be removed, your doctor might recommend you to stay overnight for faster recovery and better observation.
Before the liposuction procedure starts, your doctor will discuss with you the parts that will be treated. They may also take photos for before and after comparison to mark the improvements and make it easier for you to visualize the changes in your body.
The doctor will administer general anesthesia so that you’ll stay asleep throughout the procedure. This will help you from having panic attacks during the operation. Alternatively, local anesthesia may be given wherein you’ll stay awake during the operation but you won’t feel any pain in the target areas.
While fat cells can be permanently removed during liposuction, you can still gain your weight back if you don’t take the necessary maintenance routines. Your body will form new fat cells in different areas of your body and make you look different from what you expected.
To keep your shape after a lipo procedure, follow the diet plan or maintenance routine that your doctor will provide. Eat lean protein, whole grains, low-fat dairy, and fruits and vegetables for a balanced and healthy diet. Exercising regularly also helps you burn fats right away and avoid buildups.
Average Cost Of Liposuction Procedures
The cost of lipo procedures will vary according to these factors:
Location
Depending on where you live, you might have to pay for higher costs to get your cosmetic treatments done. For example, clinics located in bigger cities often offer more expensive procedures because they have more skilled plastic surgeons and better facilities.
Usually, those who offer laser lipo are located in more industrialized regions because they require better equipment for treatment.
Fees
The more skilled the plastic surgeon is, the higher their fees will be. But what you’ll get from them is worth the money because you’ll have results that meet or even exceed your expectations. Having more skilled plastic surgeons also lowers the risks of botched surgeries and poor outcomes.
Aside from professional fees, there are also fees for the use of anesthesia, prescriptions, medical supplies, aftercare pads and garments, and the use of high-end equipment.
Facility
Laser lipo requires a more advanced facility compared to traditional lipo. Expect laser lipo clinics to charge more compared to those that offer traditional tumescent liposuction.
Technology
UAL and laser lipo are more advanced than traditional lipo, thus requiring even better facilities to properly perform cosmetic procedures.
The Nikolov Center For Plastic Surgery – Your Best Choice For Liposuction Procedures
Liposuction is a cosmetic surgical procedure that removes fat from specific areas of the body. It can be done on any part of your body and has been used to treat everything from excess belly fat to back rolls and flanks. Laser lipo uses laser light beams instead of knives or needles, and this results in lesser pain during treatment.
The type of liposuction procedure you should choose depends on what you’re looking for in terms of side effects, cost, duration before results are seen, and how much time until the desired result will last after completion.
If you’re looking for a clinic with a trusted name for cosmetic and laser therapy procedures, then The Nikolov Center for Plastic Surgery is the best option to consider.
Dr. Nicholas Nikolov offers a wide range of liposuction procedures, including minimally invasive liposuction techniques that are suited to those who don’t want to go under surgery. We offer BodyTite, VASER Lipo, and Smartlipo™ Laser Body Sculpting procedures – two of the safest and most popular treatments for eliminating excess body fat. We also recommend undergoing our skin tightening treatment to help you get into the ideal shape you’ve been dreaming of.
Contact us today to schedule an appointment.
