Non laser liposuction is the most commonly performed plastic surgery procedure in the world. Yet as many as 20% of people who have had this surgery have skin irregularities, lumps, bumps and wavy line on the skin after non laser liposuction. Many more people complain of loose skin after non laser liposuction. The new laser liposuction accomplishes fat removal but also leaves the skin smooth without the lumps, bumps, wavy lines, and skin irregularities called contour deformities. This new laser liposuction technology is a revolutionary advance in plastic surgery and particularly is the area of liposculpting and body contouring. The new laser liposuction allows the plastic surgeon to melt and remove fat, tighten skin and really accurately achieve body shaping and body contouring and leave smooth tight skin in almost any body area for the first time.

What causes lumps, bumps and skin irregularities?

The traditional operation removes fat by creating high pressure suction within a metal tube called cannulas, which is inserted beneath the skin to suction or vacuum the fat out from beneath the skin. This is a rather traumatic process as the fat is essentially avulsed or ripped out from its location beneath the skin. It is also a “blind procedure”, that is the surgeon cannot accurately see exactly where the fat has been removed because the procedure is being done beneath the skin and not under direct vision. It is therefore, easy for areas of fat to be missed or left behind after the suction process. These areas of fat left behind appears as lumps or bumps, contour deformities after the patient has healed form the procedure, usually between 6 weeks and 3 months.

Skin depressions and wavy lines, the other contour deformity occur because the suction tube or cannula is placed too close to the underside of the skin and suctions or pulls fat out that should be left behind to make the skin stay smooth looking. Surgeons always try to leave ½ inch of fat beneath the skin to make the skin surface uniformly smooth. However when the suction tube, cannula, gets too close to the underside of the skin, this important superficial fat layer is removed and a divot, depression or wavy line on the skin can occur. In summary, contour deformities are caused by:

·Irregular, inconsistent fat removal beneath the skin

·Fat removal too close to the underside of the skin

·Loss of superficial skin smoothing fat layer

How does laser liposuction avoid contour deformities?

Laser liposuction is done very differently. A tiny laser fiber is placed beneath the skin and used to melt the fat into a thin liquid before any suctioning is done. As the procedure advances and the fat is liquefied, it is very easy to pass the fiber into all of the deep fat areas, so it is less likely that the surgeon will miss or leave behind any areas of fat that could become contour deformities.

The heat generated during fat dissolving also tightens the skin so that loose skin will not be left after the fat has been removed.

Because the fat has been dissolved into a thin liquid, removal is much easier and less traumatic than with the older technique. Tiny 2mm and 3 mm cannulas, suction tubes, can be used to gently aspirate or suction the liquefied fat out. Fat is not pulled or ripped out in chunks as is done with older suction techniques.

This makes it much less likely that that the suction tube or cannula will be forced too close to the undersurface of the skin and create a skin depression, divot, wavy line or deformity after fat removal is completed. In my experience during the past year I have not had one contour deformity following this new procedure. In summary this new technique avoids loose skin and contour deformities by:

·Liquefying fat before suction

·Use of tiny instruments

·Gentle technique

·Tightening of skin

How does this new technique correct old contour deformities from previous surgery?

The tiny fiber that is placed beneath the skin has a red blinking light which is visible through the skin. Because of this for the first time the surgeon can actually see exactly where he is operating in the fat beneath the skin. Using this technique I use the fiber to only treat and liquefy fat in the areas of lumps and bumps and contour irregularities. This allows me to remove the lumps and bumps and level the skin to the same level as the other areas surrounding the deformity.

In addition, I use the fiber to treat, smooth and tighten all of the surrounding skin to create a uniform appearance to the entire skin surface. My result so far treating post operative skin deformities have been truly stunning. My patients have been “thrilled” with the improvement. See before and after pictures of laser lipo to correct lumps and skin deformities caused by previous old time liposuction in my patient below:

If you are considering fat removal, body contouring, body sculpture or liposculpture you really need to learn more about the new modern technology. There are many different machines and technologies and some work better than others. You need to be an informed consumer so that you will end up being a happy and satisfied patient.