Archive for the ‘liposuction benefits’ Category
What Is SmartLipo?
Friday, May 13th, 2011
One of the most exciting and dramatic aspects of today’s cosmetic medicine is the growing list of treatment options and procedures now available, from new plastic surgery techniques to a new generation of injectable fillers and prescription skin care products. Here at the Peer Group in northern New Jersey, many clients come in for a consultation because they’ve heard about a particular breakthrough, and they want to know if it’s right for them. One such procedure we’ve been getting lots of inquiries about is a form of liposuction called “smart” lipo. This new liposuction technique, which uses a laser to emulsify fat, is getting quite a bit of attention because it’s promoted as being less invasive and easier to recover from than traditional liposuction procedures. Here’s what we tell our patients about SmartLipo:
First and foremost, there have been no peer-reviewed studies of outcomes that demonstrate a significant benefit of SmartLipo over traditional liposuction surgery. Meanwhile, reasonable concerns regarding the potential for thermal injuries resulting from this laser liposuction technique have been raised by plastic surgeons who specialize in performing liposuction cosmetic surgery – especially when smart lipo is performed by novices. In general, scientifically unproven devices should be avoided until they have been shown to be safe and effective. Remember that the practitioners who perform these procedures do not have to be board certified plastic surgeons, or even have significant experience performing liposuction surgery. It’s true, there have been many positive accounts in the media about how simple and effective SmartLipo is, but these reports come from the practitioners who perform (and promote) the treatments, not from independent plastic surgery experts or medical review boards.
Our advice is to avoid new procedures and products until they have been thoroughly tested and the outcomes of treatment have been studied. We know traditional liposuction is safe and effective, and when performed by a qualified, board certified plastic surgeon, recovery after liposuction can be easily managed to minimize discomfort. This new technique may prove to be a good addition to the options for liposuction procedures. But we believe you should only have thoroughly vetted cosmetic surgery procedures performed on your body. To us, that’s the definition of smart lipo!
Types of Liposuction
Thursday, May 5th, 2011
Liposuction is among the most popular cosmetic procedures today, and our clients in northern New Jersey make lots of inquiries about it. Many of them are confused by all the different kinds of liposuction surgery available, so here’s a summary of some of the best known liposuction techniques.
Tumescent liposuction, a standard form of suction-assisted liposuction, uses high volumes of fluid containing an anesthetic infused directly into the fatty tissue being removed. This procedure can be performed in an office setting under local anesthesia usually with sedation, rather than general anesthesia, which has helped make it a popular procedure.
Super-wet liposuction is similar to tumescent liposuction, and uses about the same volume of infused liquid as the volume of fat expected to be removed. It is most often used for procedures where a high-volume of fat is being suctioned from the body.
Ultrasound liposuction, another form of suction-assisted liposuction, uses a specialized cannula that transmits ultrasonic vibrations that burst the walls of fat cells, liquefying the fat – a process called lipolysis – and making it easier to suction out.
Laser liposuction uses thermal and photomechanical energy for lipolysis – that is, to help liquefy the fat.
Power assisted liposuction uses a cannula with a mechanized movement, relieving the surgeon of the need to manually maneuver the cannula.
These various liposuction techniques can be used to remove fat from many different parts of the body – liposuction for thighs, the abdomen, buttocks, neck, backs of the arms and even liposuction on the chin. Women most often have lipo – as the procedure is often called – on the abdomen and thighs, while men have lipo on the abdomen and flanks – their love handles. Sometimes removed fat is used as filler in other areas of the body, to reduce wrinkles or fill out areas like the cheeks that have been depleted of natural fat stores over time.
As with any cosmetic weight loss procedure, you need to understand what liposuction can and cannot do, and have realistic expectations about results. Your physician can discuss all liposuction procedures available to you. Ask to see before and after liposuction photos of patients. Liposuction is a fascinating subject, so you can expect to see more about it in our blog.
Benefits of Liposuction
Monday, February 28th, 2011
You’ve been dieting and exercising, and still you can’t get rid of the last ten or fifteen pounds you want to lose – excess weight that seems to persist in pockets around your midriff, thighs, neck or other areas of your body. The solution could be as near as the closest board certified plastic surgeon who provides liposuction treatments.
Liposuction benefits
By now everyone’s heard about liposuction, a cosmetic plastic surgery technique in which fat is suctioned from parts of the body where it accumulates. If you’re considering liposuction, it’s important to understand who the procedure is right for. First of all, liposuction cosmetic surgery isn’t an alternative to diet and exercise – it’s more appropriate for contouring the body than for shedding weight. The procedure works best for getting rid of deposits of fat that defy a diet and exercise regimen you are already practicing. If you’re not following such a regimen, you have a greater chance of gaining back the weight you lose in liposuction. You should also be over 18 years of age and in good health. However, in older people the skin is less elastic, so liposuction surgery won’t be as effective because the skin has lost elasticity, and won’t tighten around your new body shape.
It’s not uncommon for liposuction to be combined with other procedures, for more dramatic overall cosmetic surgery results. But there are times when liposuction should not be performed concurrently with other plastic surgery treatments because of the risks of complications. That’s one reason it’s important to work with an experienced plastic surgeon. He or she will be able to advise you on the procedures that can be combined with your liposuction, and those that should not be. Also, you should not have liposuction if you have an infection. And people with cardiac or circulatory problems should not have liposuction, either.
Another way of judging if you’re a good candidate is to look at the results. Ask your plastic surgeon to show you photographs of patients taken before and after liposuction was performed, so you can see the difference the procedure can make. And if you live in Millburn, Basking Ridge, Warren or anywhere in northern New Jersey, come in for a consultation with one of the certified plastic surgeons here at The Peer Group to find out more about what liposuction can do for you.
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