Archive for April, 2015
The Basics of Laser Liposuction
Like all forms of liposuction, laser liposuction is a type of plastic surgery. The doctor uses a laser to remove excess fat and improve the contours of the patient’s body. It has the advantage of being able to tighten skin, while conventional liposuction can not. Laser liposuction is also called laser-assisted lipolysis, Smartlipo, laser-guided liposuction and laser lipo. The average procedure takes two to three hours.
There are two main techniques. The first technique has three steps:• The laser is used to melt the fat cell walls in the deep fat, which lets fatty oils leak out and disrupts the fat cells. The laser also cauterizes the small blood vessels, which results in less postoperative bruising.
• The laser is then used to heat the skin cells in the superficial layer. That stimulates the skin to produce more collagen and elastin, which improves the quality of the skin.
• The cell fragments and oils from the first two steps are removed.In the other method, the surgeon simply performs the first two steps from the first technique and lets the body absorb the oils and cell fragments. The second technique is generally reserved for areas like the face or neck that have thin fatty areas. In such places, the emphasis is on tightening the skin.There are some similarities between laser liposuction and conventional liposuction. In both procedures, the surgeon injects a solution into the fatty area to numb it and to shrink the blood vessels to reduce bleeding. The doctor then makes a cut of about a tenth of an inch. But traditional liposuction simply involves sucking out the fat with a pen-like device, while a doctor performing laser liposuction melts the fat with a laser and then removes it.
Portland laser liposuction works best for people who have fairly small amounts of excess fat and a moderate amount of sagging skin. At around age 35, skin starts losing collagen and elastin, so the skin starts getting loose. Laser liposuction can help with other skin problems like dimpling or scars from earlier surgeries. Laser liposuction can be performed on many parts of the body including the abdomen, back, breasts, face, neck, arms and thighs.
After surgery, the patient will probably be a little swollen and sore for a few days. The doctor may prescribe painkillers. He may also recommend a special compression garment to promote and accelerate healing. Most patients can resume work within a few days of surgery. They may also resume low impact exercise like walking around the same time. Patients should wait three or four weeks before resuming high-impact exercises like running. The patient may notice their skin tightening as new layers of skin form. This process typically lasts for up to six months.
Laser liposuction has some advantages over conventional liposuction. As mentioned, it can tighten sagging or excess skin. The laser is especially designed to exclusively target fat cells, so it doesn’t harm muscles or nerves. That precision means laser liposuction causes less pain than traditional liposuction. The patient also heals more quickly and experience less bruising than with traditional liposuction. Visit Zerona in Portland for more reliable laser lipo information.
Laser liposuction is increasingly being used for patients who need only small areas to be treated. Its precision makes it a good operation for the chin, face, or jowls. In these areas, the skin tightening that accompanies the procedure almost acts like a face or neck lift.