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Liposuction Alternatives

asked 4 years ago by anon
Latest answer by Edwin C. Pound, III, MD
Question viewed 54,946 times
Tags: body, liposuction alternative, non surgical, skin

Have zilch interest in undergoing full liposuction surgery procedure. The cost, pain, recovery etc are not appealing. i read about lots of lipo alternatives that dont require so much of investment in money and risk. Can someone explain these, pros/cons.

29 answers to Liposuction Alternatives

+1

None of the liposuction alternatives actually work enough to see any significant difference!

The tumescent technique liposculpting with the micro canulas are safe, easy and quick recovery with the most impressive results but it is still liposuction. Most patients go through it just fine and are amazed at how it was so different than what they saw on tv for liposuctions. It is essentially painless and easy to undergo with patients returning to work in just 2 days. All the nonsurgical fat treatments don't produce enough of a result to see any difference and tend... more
David Hansen, MD

Beverly Hills Dermatologic Surgeon

www.DrDavidHansen.com

+3

There's a lot of hype about nonsurgical liposuction

Traditional means tumescent liposuction. That involves placing fluid into the fat cell layer. This fluid contains a local anesthetic as well as agents to shrink blood vessels. The fluid is put in is then removed together with fat using hollow cannulas. In order to improve the results there have been several other surgical innovations including laser assisted liposuction and ultrasonic assisted liposuction. Both procedures generate heat that breaks apart the fat cells allowing them to be... more
Joseph M. Perlman, MD

Houston Plastic Surgeon

doctorperlman.com

+3

Liposuction Alternatives

Since all competent surgeons already use tumescent liposuction - please equate the mention of liposuction with tumescent liposuction. Let's address the 800 pound gorilla in the room - Despite everything you read and hear, the painful cold truth, that would save you a lot of money and recurrent disappointment, is that there are currently NO methods / no techniques / no procedures and no treatments whose RESULTS ARE CLOSE OR MUCH LESS EQUIVALENT to those of L. Think about it. For the most... more
Peter A. Aldea, MD

Memphis Plastic Surgeon
+3

Body contouring has changed dramatically in the last 20...

Body contouring has changed dramatically in the last 20 years, and procedures are now not only more effective but also much safer. In addition, more and more patients are seeking procedures which will help them achieve their ideal body contour but with minimal downtime. Liposuction itself has evolved from the use of large-bore cannulas connected to a vacuum source to the current use of lasers and VASER’s. While the VASER is simply a refinement of earlier Ultrasonic liposuction, it... more
Gregory A. Buford, MD

Denver Plastic Surgeon
+2

Liposuction Alternatives

If you have pockets of fat that do not change with diet and exercise, liposuciton is your best option. In my opinion these "alternative" measures which promise no down time and no pain are ltiile more that a great marketing ploy. If you want real results, liposuciton is the best option.
Christine Sullivan, MD

Columbus Plastic Surgeon
+2

Cheaper "alternatives" to liposuction are either worthless or dangerous.

There are alternatives to liposuction.  Endermologie kneads the skin and fat.  It hurts a little and doesn't work.  Lipodissolve will reduce fat in a region but it is painful, dangerous, and a very poor alternative to liposuction.
Vincent N. Zubowicz, MD

Atlanta Plastic Surgeon
+2

More alternatives are becoming available, BUT.....

It is part of the human condition to want a dramatic change, no downtime, and little discomfort all for a great price! The reality, is that we are moving in that direction, but very slowly! We are making great strides in diminshing pain, shortening recovery time, and improving the precision of results. The latest and greatest appears to be the Body Jet, a water assisted liposuction device that patients report is less painful. From my standpoint, there is less fluid distorting the... more
Kirk A. Churukian, MD

Los Gatos Plastic Surgeon
+2

Slim Lipo definitely works best!

This year SlimLipoTM - the newest and most advanced laser liposuction technology thus far – was purchased for use at Northside Hospital. SLIM stands for Selective Laser Induced Melting; this new laser wavelength of 920 nm selectively melts fat three times more effectively the Smart LipoTM and twice as effectively as the CoolLipoTM liposuction technology. It is also 5 times more selectively absorbed by blood. Therefore the SlimLipoTM body sculpting laser dissolves fat and prevents... more
Marisa Lawrence, MD

Atlanta Plastic Surgeon
+2

Liposuction alternatives - some work, some don't

Liposuction is still the gold-standard for fat removal. Whether tumescent, ultrasonic, laser assisted etc., liposuction gurantees that, at the end of the procedure, the removed fat is in a container and so can be seen and measured. No non-surgical technique can promise that. There are several non-invasive procedures that claim to reduce unwanted fat. Most of these devices only manipulate the fat cells, not destroy them, and so give a temporary result that... more
Arie Benchetrit, MD

Montreal Plastic Surgeon
+2

Don't waste your money

Liposuction is designed to remove fat from very focal areas. It's an excellent technique and in the right hands is very successful. But because of marketing people that pray on peoples fears other techniques of fat removal have been developed. Other alternative to traditional liposuction include the laser lipos such as cool lipo and smart lipo. Again in this country the fat must be infiltrated and sucked out. In my opinion not an acceptable alternative to traditional lipo. Lipodissolve... more
Christopher L. Hess, MD

Fairfax Plastic Surgeon
+2

Laser Liposuction is Still Liposuction

Many patients are confused about the term "Laser Liposuction" or "Laser-assisted Liposuction". It should be understood that these procedures are not really liposuction alternatives- they are liposuction. The laser is used to help melt the fat prior to performing a traditional-type liposuction procedure. It does make the fat removal easier and more consistent. There are claims that the laser helps to tighten skin, and this may be true but is unproven thus far. Patients... more
Brett S. Kotlus, MD

Rochester Oculoplastic Surgeon
+2

The new Ultrashape treatments are completely...

The new Ultrashape treatments are completely non-invasive, do not require incisions, surgery or anesthesia and have no pain or downtime associated with them. Ultrashape is meant to treat problem areas like the lower belly or thighs and is not meant to replace large volume liposuction or to be used as a weight loss tool. Ultrashape is pending FDA approval and therefore is not yet available in the USA. It does have Health Canada approval and is available in Canada as well as Mexico and many... more
Kim Meathrel, MD

Ontario Plastic Surgeon
+2

Liposuction is not a cure-all

This reply supposes that you have a reasonable diet and exercise regimen in place, and that your shape is "genetic" in origin. Liposuction is for healthy individuals who are weight appropriate, but continue to have problem areas. If this is not your description, you should consider other options first.
William R. Burden, MD

Pensacola Plastic Surgeon
+1

Liposuction alternatives

Liposuction is probably the best method for permanently getting rid of unwanted fat. By suctioning out the fat cells you eliminate them altogether. Modalities such as endermologie or Velashape simply massage the fat but do not eliminate it. Various cellulite creams may work to some degree while you use the cream but the problem returns once you stop. For awhile, there was some interest in injecting various substances which supposedly "dissolved" fat. ... more
Edwin C. Pound, III, MD

Atlanta Plastic Surgeon
+1

Liposuction Alternatives

The alternatives to liposuction such as zerona may help with minimal improvement. However, for significant improvement you will still do best with liposuction. Don't fall into a marketing trap.
Kris M. Reddy, MD, FACS

West Palm Beach Plastic Surgeon

www.drkrisreddy.com

+1

Liposuction Alternative

ZERONA® is an FDA cleared alternative to liposuction, which reduces inches with no pain, no surgery and no downtime. Patients are losing between 3.6 to 5.5 inches and many are seeing even greater results when combined with a sensible diet and exercise program. It's the perfect way to lose stubborn body fat from: neck, love handles, arms, hips, back/bra‐line, thighs, tummy/waistline and knees in this fast pace world we live in. After just six 40 minute treatments you will see... more
Michelle Copeland, MD, DMD

New York Plastic Surgeon
+1

Alternatives to Liposuction

There are no non-surgical liposuction alternatives that will give you the results that tumescent ("traditional") liposuction will. There are, however, innovations with liposuction which make the surgery easier to recover from. There are laser- and ultrasound-assisted forms of liposuction which disrupt the fat cells essentially with heat but in doing so may increase the complication rate. I believe that there is no comparison between "non-surgical" alternatives such as... more
Larry S. Nichter, MD, MS

Orange County Plastic Surgeon
+1

Alternative to liposuction

There are alternative to liposuction such as lipodissolve, but the discomfort and post treatment swelling is much worse. Also it will need to be repeated more than once, and it is not as effective. Liposuction with true tumescent infiltration is virtually painless and requires no general or IV anesthesia. Few doctors use this technique as it was originally described. Swelling, pain, and bruising are greatly reduced. Combine this with microcannulas and the procedure is even more... more
E. Ronald Finger, MD

Savannah Plastic Surgeon

www.fingerandassociates.com

+1

Liposuction alternatives

Diet exercise, getting a trainer and nutritionist is a great alternative i recommend...many pts come back after losing their weight and healthier to boot...once pts get to their best weight is when i think i can help best..
Michael K. Kim, MD

Fort Myers Plastic Surgeon
+1

Liposuction alternatives

I think if you are talking about something completely non-surgical, where no fat is directly removed form the body, the one I might suggest at this time is one called Cool Sculpting by Zeltiq. It is a process where the fat is frozen in order to get the fat cells to die. It is performed in the office without anesthesia and involves no cutting or needles. It can reduce the layer of fat by about 20-24%. The end result might take a couple of months to see.
Julio Garcia, MD

Las Vegas Plastic Surgeon

lvcosmeticsurgery.com

+1

CoolSculpting Option for Body Contouring

Much depends on your body habitus and aesthetic needs. The most dramatic results will be achieved with a surgical approach such as liposuction or tummy tuck. A non invasive body contour procedure known as “CoolSculpting” will work but the contour improvement will be less noticeable.
Leo Keegan, MD

Manhattan Plastic Surgeon
+1

Zeltiq for non-invasive body contouring

There is no 'non-surgical' liposuction technique available. Liposuction is a surgical procedure, and has some of the risks (and benefits) that other surgical procedures have. There are some new technologies available that can contour the body using non-invasive treatments. Zeltiq is not yet FDA approved for body contouring, but does appear to be effective for focal reduction of abdominal and flank fat. It is in use in the US on an 'off-label' manner by physicians... more
Scott Sattler, MD

Bellevue Plastic Surgeon
+1

Alternatives to Liposuction: Beware

Beware about what you see on TV regarding these "alternatives" to liposuction. Traditional liposuction has been around for quite some time and is the safest, most cost effective, and reliable technique to remove localized areas of unwanted fat if performed by a qualified physician.  These cheaper procedures are actually quite risky and actually cost you more money and pain if you develop complications. If it is too good to be true it probably is.  If you are asking... more
Scott J. Engel, MD

Sarasota Plastic Surgeon
+1

Basics on lipo

I have some basic info on types of cannulae (the tubes used to do the fat suction) and types of lipo (ultrasonic, tumescent, laser, etc.) in the video link below. Stay away from "easy" answers such as lipodissolve or laser lipo. There are a lot of disasters walking around. See the weblink below about a patient I saw with disfugured skin because of Smart lipo. see video
Ricardo Rodriguez, MD

Baltimore Plastic Surgeon
+1

No good alternatives to tumescent liposuction

Even with disciplined workout routines and diet modification, there are certain deposits of fat that do not seem to shrink much for some individuals. Currently, there is no good alternatives to tumescent liposuction in terms of the relatively instant gratification. With tumescent liposuction under mild sedation, the recovery typically is no more than few days with minimal bruising. If you are absolutely averse to liposuction, wait for Liposonix or Ultraphase (currently investigational, under... more
William Ting, MD

Bay Area Dermatologic Surgeon
+1

Liposuction alternatives?

Hi there- This is a complicated question to answer- if what you are looking for is liposuction like results without liposuction, you need to realize that things that sound too good to be true... still are. On the other hand, if what you are saying is that you would be willing to compromise on the outcome in order to avoid the surgical procedure that is liposuction (and it IS a surgical procedure, despite the fact that people do it in their office and some even under local anesthesia), there... more
Armando Soto, MD

Orlando Plastic Surgeon
+1

Non surgical fat removal as an alternative to liposuction

Liposuction is a safe procedure with minimal downtime compared to a tummy tuck or body lift procedure. Newer treatments such as Ultrashape are thought to expand the field of nonsurgical fat reduction by using an external device to reduce fat stores. This is still pending approval by the FDA.
Raffy Karamanoukian, MD

Los Angeles Plastic Surgeon
+1

There are some procedres that are "coming down the pipe...

There are some procedres that are "coming down the pipe," but they are not FDA approved in the US. As the previous person answered, Ultrashape is one, and Lysonix has a similar product. Thes are external ultrasound devices that may perform some fat reduction. It will not do the same as lipsocution in one setting, and probably will require several treatments. Avoid mesotherapy of injection lipolysis because these products are not FDA approved either, and the scientific research... more
Steven Wallach, MD

Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

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