Maximum Fat Volume That Can Be Removed by Laser Liposuction?

Question

How many cc's or Liters of fat have to be taken out for a laser liposuction procedure to be considered a large volume? Is it more than ten pounds worth of fat?

Larry S. Nichter, MD, MS, FACS · Answer

Outpatient Liposuction - No more than 5 liters = guidelines for most states regardless of whether it is laser lipo, ultrasonic lipo or standard liposuction
	
	Liposuction Limits - depends on State and Safety

	5000 cc's (5 liters) is the guideline limit for outpatient liposuction for many states including California. For smaller patients with more areas for liposuction removing less fat may be safer.

Sean Younai, MD, FACS · Answer

general speaking some plastic surgeons believe that Laser Liposuction is not as safe as Tumescent liposuction. Laser liposuction can creat much heat and tissue inflammation which limits the amount of liposuction significantly.

Leila Kasrai, MD, FRCSC · Answer

If you are overweight liposuction is not a great option. If you have a certain area of your body that you don't like and has a stubborn pocket of fat then liposuction is the answer. I usually tell patient that is they don't like their abdomen then removal of 1000cc of fat from the abdomen will create the same result as them having lost 10 lbs because when you lose weight it won't all come off you abdomen.

Jeffrey E. Schreiber, MD, FACS · Answer

Whether it's laser liposuction, ultrasound liposuction, or regular liposuction, make sure you're in a hospital or fully accredited surgicenter where you can be observed if more than 2 liters of fat is removed. The way your body reacts after large volume liposuction may require your urine output to be monitored and extra fluid given intravenously. Also, make sure you're comfortable with your plastic surgeon and his/her post-operative care before proceeding with surgery. Good luck!

Steven Teitelbaum, MD · Answer

5 liters is generally the most that can be removed at one time wth liposuction.  In general, even smart lipo advocates do not recommend it for larger volumes.
The bottom line, as i said in your last question, is to not dwell on any procedure, particularly one that is of unproved and dubious benefit.

Richard Baxter, MD · Answer

Liposuction is a safe procedure when it is done for the right reasons. There has been a lot of interest in the question of whether doing larger volumes is safe (I agree with Dr. Rand on the 5000 cc limit, which would be at the most 2 or 3 pounds), but adding the laser doesn't automatically mean that you can start doing it for weight loss. We are seeing clinics promising seemingly miraculous results, more than 10 liters (10,000 cc's) painlessly under local anesthesia with no downtime. Extreme caution is advised in making your decision here. And remember, it isn't the laser technology that determines the outcome, it is the surgeon.

Kenneth R. Francis, MD, FACS · Answer

Dear Flawed,
Laser liposuction is generally reserved for smaller volume contouring of the body.  The recommended maximum volume of fat to be removed with standard liposuction is 5 liters.  Since fat is lighter than water, 5 liters of fat would not weigh 11 pounds.  At any rate, you should not rely on any form of liposuction for weight loss.  Liposuction is a contouring procedure, not a weight loss plan.  Good luck!

Peter E. Johnson, MD · Answer

Liposuction can be performed by many different techniques, traditional, ultrasound, laser assisted, and there have been no clear advantages of one over another. Some surgeons simply prefer one 'system' over another. Typically though many apply laser liposuction only to smaller areas. As a whole studies have confirmed a safe limit of 5000cc or five liters for a given liposuction procedure on an outpatient basis. Higher volume liposuction is possible for special circumstances, however the risks increase disproportionally to the rewards of the procedure. Remember liposuction is a contouring procedure, the weight of fat removed should not be the issue.Best of luck,peterejohnsonmd

Darryl J. Blinski, MD · Answer

The question shows the confusion concerning Laser Liposuction vs Traditional, Ultrasonic, Vaser, Power-Assisted, and Body Jet Liposuctions. In Laser Liposuctions, ie Smart Lipo, the concept is a sculpting more than a fat removal in terms of pounds of fat or cc's of fat. Therefore, Smart Lipo is NOT for fat removal of, let's say, 2 pounds or 3 liters of fat. Versus the other lipos, especially Body Jet Lipo (Water-assisted Liposuction -- WAL) that can do 'large volume liposuction', up to 10 to 12 liters. But bear in mind, large volume liposuctions are an in hospital overnight stay to 2 night stay operation. And a very extended recovery of up to 1 month. If the lipo is in an outpatient setting than by Florida medical rules ONLY 4 liters of fat can be removed . 
Just remember, get a good informed consent and fully understand what you are getting.

Joel B. Singer, MD · Answer

Hi:
The maximum safe volume of fluid including fat that should be removed as an outpatient using traditional liposuction with the superwet or tumescent  technique is 5000cc( or five liters).
My experience with Slim Lipo laser assisted liposuction is that the volume of fat and liquid removed is much less. This is due to the vaporization of fat by the 924 wavelength laser. Using Slim Lipo the total volume removed is usually 1/3 of the volume removed by traditional means. 
The most important aspect of liposuction is not the amount of fat removed but the improvement in body contour that the procedure achieves.It is not a procedure for weight loss. My experience with Slim Lipo laser assisted liposuction  has convinced me that this new technique results in improved body contours with less bruising, and post operative pain than the traditional method. The vertical contraction of the subcutaneous tissue that occurs after three months is quite impressive.

Maximum Fat Volume That Can Be Removed by Laser Liposuction?

Answers (15)

More Liposuction Questions

Do You Think Neck Liposuction is Worth It?

Redistribution of Fat After Liposuction?

Liposuction for Protruding Chin?

Will I Lose Some of my Curves After Liposuction?

Breast Reduction Through Liposuction Price Range?

General or Local Anesthesia for Liposuction?

WE SEND PRETTY
EMAILS