Voorhees Liposuction doctors

I get ladies (and men) coming to see me every single week asking specifically for Smartlipo.  They have read different websites and advertisements which claim that it is a "better" type of liposuction.  They believe it is less invasive and thus a better procedure.  They believe it will cause their skin to shrink.  As a plastic surgeon who has used Smartlipo extensively I do not believe that is is any better than regular liposuction.  In fact, I believe that ultrasound assisted liposuction is often an easier recovery.  Each type of liposuction has advantages and disadvantages.  The advantage of smartlipo is a small incision and less bruising.  I do not find it removes nearly as much fat so it only is good for very small areas.  I do not find it shrinks the skin much.  There is a risk of burning the skin by heating it up too much with the laser.  Ultrasound liposuction works very well in the love handles or in the male chest.  For people that have liposuction before it works extremely well.  I believe the skin shrinks just as much with VASER as it does with smartlipo in my experience.  Burns were a risk with early ultrasound machines but are only a very small risk now.  Regular liposuction is still a good procedure but the type of vacuum machine being used makes a huge difference.  New machines remove fat with good uniform suction versus old machines which can be less predictable.  At one hospital I go to the machine is so old and worthless that I will not do liposuction cases there.  Unfortunately surgeons often do not have control over the equipment at the hospital unless they own their own facility and make all of the equipment choices/purchases.  At my own facility I have two different suction machines that deliver predictable uniform suction and this is something that I often have to explain to prospective patients who think the "hospital is safer" than an accredited surgeon's facility.  Do your homework.  Speak to a board certified plastic surgeon.  Ask him what type of equipment is being used.  Smartlipo has many different manufacturers and strengths.  Is the ultrasound a Lysonix machine, a Vaser 1.0, or a Vaser 2.0?  What type of "regular" liposuction machine is being used?

In my area there are several "non plastic surgeons" who offer smartlipo.  They take weekend courses and extensively advertise it.  They claim it shrinks the skin and you can avoid a tummy tuck.  They do not have other procedures to offer and heavily push Smartlipo.  

I use Smartlipo on very small areas such as the neck or the isolated inner thigh.  It works well for a small touchup the size you can cover with your hands.  Otherwise I do not find it works well enough for most people.

The best recommendation is to go see multiple real plastic surgeons for consults who use all of the equipment and have all of the different machines.  They can't give you an honest recommendation if they have no experience with the technology.  Good luck!

There are risks involved in every surgical procedure.  Your goal needs to be to minimize risk.  Some surgeries such as liposuction have risks not present in other procedures (such as fat emboli where fat can become loose and travel in the bloodstream to cause problems.)  Risks of liposuction depend very much on what type of liposuction is being performed, who it is being performed on (medical history and general health,) how much liposuction is being done, is it being done under anesthesia or awake, and multiple other factors.  This is a good question, but one that is only best explained by a board certified plastic surgeon who can evaluate your health, see your areas of concerns and make recommendations.  Be very wary of non plastic surgeons perfoming noninvasive procedures in a non-accredited facility.  Many ladies who want "smartlipo" simply are not candidates for this procedure under local anesthesia.  Local anesthesia sounds safer than general anesthesia until you critically look at the large volumes of fluid and lidocaine being given often in unmonitored situations.  The fact that you are asking questions is an excellent first step.  Meet with a plastic surgeon so you can ask many questions about your options and risks.  I linked below to a blog entry about a recent death from fat transfer and liposuction in Las Vegas.  Good luck!

It is entirely possible that it is still too soon to tell.  Without photographs it is hard to tell, however it should be followed with your plastic surgeon so that the two of you can decide if more correction is needed.  Allow time for the swelling to subside. 

Dr. V- South Shore Plastic Surgery