What is Laser Assisted Liposuction?


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Laser liposuction is a modern technique, which involves inserting a laser fibre into the cannula in order to turn the fat into liquid. The fat is then drained away or absorbed by the body.

Laser Assisted Liposuction Procedure

Laser liposuction is similar to power assisted liposuction, however instead of a mechanical device being used to break down the fat a small laser fibre is inserted into the body through the cannula. Laser assisted liposuction is normally done under a local anaesthetic, which is injected into the treatment area as part of the tumescent fluid. This numbs the area and closes the blood vessels limiting the amount of blood loss caused by the treatment.

Once the area has been anaesthetised, the surgeon will make small incisions around the treatment area. These will only need to be a maximum of 3 millimetres due to the fact that the cannula and laser fibre are so narrow. This allows the laser to be directed precisely to the pockets of fat that the surgeon wants to remove. The laser energy breaks the fat down causing it to turn into liquid, which is absorbed by the body. Any liquid fat that does not get absorbed can be removed through suction. You will not feel any pain throughout the procedure but may feel some pulling. The maximum treatment duration is three hours and if a large area is treated, it is likely that this will be done over two sessions to allow your body to recover between treatments.

Types of Laser Assisted Liposuction

There are several different types of laser assisted liposuction, whilst all of them use the above procedure they differ in the wave length of laser that is used. Some such as Smart Lipo use a longer wavelength to liquefy the fat and seal the blood vessels whereas others such as SmoothLipo use a slightly shorter wavelength, which is believed to give more even results and reduce the risk of burning. CoolLipo uses the longest wavelength, which is believed to get rid of the fat and tighten the skin. This is thought to provide the best results although it carries a higher risk of heat damage.

Benefits of Laser Assisted Liposuction

Laser assisted liposuction is beneficial as it is minimally invasive requiring only very small incisions. This means that there is little or no scarring and the chances of infection are reduced.

Laser assisted liposuction is a very precise surgery as the laser fibre is fine and can be directed at the specific area that the surgeon wishes to target. This means that the surgeon can sculpt your body into a more natural and desirable shape. Due to its precision laser liposuction, can be used on delicate areas of the body including the face.

Laser liposuction is beneficial in not only removing the fat, but also tightening the skin giving you an overall more youthful appearance.

Disadvantages of Laser Assisted Liposuction

Although laser assisted liposuction has its benefits, it also has several disadvantages. The recovery time is prolonged and uncomfortable. You will normally require prescription pain killers and the recovery period is about three weeks.

Although there is a lower risk of some complications such as skin discolouration, scarring, and bleeding laser assisted liposuction has its own complications. The laser can cause heat damage to the surrounding tissue. This can be extremely uncomfortable and can take several months to heal.

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