The explosion in medical aesthetic technology has resulted in a market that is literally flooded with new products, devices and procedures, like Smart Lipo, all claiming to be the ‘latest and greatest’ or the ‘next big thing’. A great deal of dedication (and caution!) is required to sort through all of the new (and often not-so-new) technology which is marketed simultaneously to aesthetic professionals and to the public.
I have not seen a single study that shows any advantage of Smart Lipo to traditional liposuction. But, there may be increased risk of complications, particularly since it seems this device is used by many physicians with absolutely no formal surgical training who and are just entering the world of aethetic medicine.
Vaser is an ultrasonic liposuction technology. Vaser is useful for treatment of areas that are densly fibrous such as the back and male breasts. For treatment of areas that have some asscociated skin laxity, Vaser can be helpful in providing skin retraction.
Liposuction is the most commonly performed surgical procedure each year in the United States. Surprisingly, the majority of physicians performing liposuction in the United States are not plastic surgeons; in fact, many do not have any formal surgical training whatsoever. It seems hard to believe, but many physicians performing liposuction or Smart Lipo have had no more training in liposuction than a 'weekend course'.
I fear that some practitioners, and now consumers view liposuction as a 'simple' surgery, since it does not involve making large incisions, and it requires little, if any, suturing. Nothing could be further from the truth. Liposuction, in my mind, is a very challenging operation that requires careful planning and preparation, and a great deal of care and finesse when it is actually performed. It requires a three-dimensional understanding of the layers of human anatomy, an understanding that is second nature to a surgeon alone. I think that it is often an inadequate understanding of anatomy (and, perhaps, of the body's response to surgery) which leads to the poor results in liposuction and body contouring that unfortunately are so often seen.
Although many aesthetic cosmetic surgery procedures are not performed in hospital operating rooms, the fact that a hospital has granted a surgeon privileges for a given procedure ensures that the surgeon has met an accepted standard of competence. It also means that your surgeon will be able to take care of you at a hospital should any complications from cosmetic surgery arise.
If you are planning to have any type of cosmetic surgery performed, you should do your due diligence to determine if your surgeon has the appropriate credentials and experience.
