Woodland Hills Doctors

How Much More Do You Usually Pay for a Twilight Sedation Instead of Local Anastasia During Smartlipo?

Hi , im scheduled to get liposuction done on my knees calves and ankles in a week. my surgeon is a board certified plastic surgeon and the procedure is preformed in his office under an oral sedation +local anastasia. i have read a lot of reviews and a lot of people seem to feel uncomfortable i dont want to feel a lot of pain and i want the surgeon to be able to give me the best results. what is the best way to go? what is the price difference? can a twilight sedation be done in the office?

The amount of discomfort from Smart Lipo of the ankles is really not very much, and the benefits of avoiding sedation far outweigh the extra comfort it provides.  You will feel some discomfort during the initial phases of injection of the local anesthesia, but if it is infiltrated slowly, the discomfort is minimal.

Lawrence A. Osman, MD

Woodland Hills Dermatologic Surgeon

Can a Dark Flat Mole Right on the Mucosal Lip Tissue Be Removed by Q Switch Laser?

I have a round dark flat mole right on my lip. What are my options of removing with minimal scar. How much would this cost?

As others have mentioned, it is always best to make sure the lesion looks benign microscopically as well as clinically.  If it is large, it can be biopsied and the rest treated with laser.  However, if it is small, the whole lesion can probably be removed by biopsy, and a shallow biopsy of the lip heals very well and quickly.

Lawrence A. Osman, MD

Woodland Hills Dermatologic Surgeon

What Causes the Swelling from Smart Lipo?

What CAUSES SWELLING from Smartlipo in the first place? All this talk about the swelling and how long it will last, but no one seems to wonder WHY there is swelling in the first place. Of course, there was trauma to the treated area due to surgery, but I want to know EXACTLY WHY there is swelling afterward; I do not care when it will go away (ok, I care, but it does not matter. That is not my question. Takes time, I know.)

WHY is it there? My analytical mind needs more information other than the typical answer of how long it will last.

As you stated, Smart Lipo induces trauma.  Swelling is one of the cardinal signs of inflammation.  The others are pain, heat, redness, and loss of function.  Smart Lipo causes inflammation by inducing trauma.  The process of inflammation is a complex interplay between certain blood cell types, proteins, and blood vessels.  It is a defense and healing mechanism.

Lawrence A. Osman, MD

Woodland Hills Dermatologic Surgeon