What is Smart Lipo?

I don't care for SmartLipo or laser lipolysis. I don't think it has any advantages over carefully performed liposculpture with the PALS (power assisted liposculpture) technique. It is advertised as "new liposuction" with unsubstantiated claims that it is superior to conventional liposuction. I have not seen one single solid study done in this country showing it is superior to conventional liposuction and has a lower complication rate. And it has dangers that are profound, unique to the laser and not found in conventional liposuction or PALS.

Any small liposuction can be performed under local anesthesia with satisfactory patient comfort, so no advantage there.

With laser lipo techniques, Laser energy is applied below the skin to melt fat. Everybody and their sister from every possible specialty is taking a course and then doing the laser lipo because it is "New" "Revolutionary" and patients who don't know better flock like moths to the light to seek wonder treatments. However laser can also melt nerve sheaths, made of sphingomyelin, a fatty compound. What are the long term effects on nerves? We now know know about the chronic pain disasters from ultrasound liposuction when the energy is applied for too long in one spot. Laser can burn the subdermal plexus, literally the blood supply to the skin. This can burn the skin, change its texture/color or make a hole.

Are you better off having "laser liposuction" from somebody who took the course last weekend, or go to a board certified plastic surgeon with 20 years experience with various liposuction techniques? You decide that one.

I have personally seen a patient on whom laser lipolysis was performed in the submental area with a full thickness burn to her face along the jawline. She will have a scar for life on her face. This would never have happened from submental liposuction under local anesthesia without the laser. I have seen another patient with terrible irregularities in the upper abdomen from laser lipolysis. So where is the greater safety profile?

I know this will be an unpopular post, but I feel it my duty to give the other side to this marketing juggernaut.

Brent Moelleken MD FACS
Assistant Clinical Professor, UCLA
Division of Plastic Surgery

Smart Lipo is Laser-Assisted Lipolysis.  What this means is the device actually melts or dissolves fat cells.  This is done through a very small fiberoptic laser.  Smart Lipo can be performed by itself or in combination with traditional liposuction to maximize the amount of fat that is removed, especially from difficult areas such as male chest/breasts, love handles, upper back.  Additionally, the laser provides a method for tightening loose skin.  This can also be accomplished with traditional liposuciton, however the laser provides an advantage over traditional techniques.

Smart lipo now has a newer generation device...Smart Lipo MPX.  This is now 2 lasers in one, many times more powerful, faster and provides better skin tightening.  This machine combines the original 1064nm laser for fat melting with a 1320nm also for melting fat and for heating collagen in the skin to maximize skin tightening.  This  NEW device is leagues superior to the older device both for melting fat and for tightening skin.

I have found that in most cases  using the combination of Smart Lipo plus traditional liposuction provides the best body sculpting. Smart Lipo, however can be used alone for smaller areas or in areas where more rapid healing is a priority.

SmartLipo is a revolutionary and minimally invasive body sculpting procedure that uses a high-powered laser to remove fat while tightening the skin. 

The SmartLipo procedure does not require general anesthesia; the procedure is performed under local anesthesia. 

A small, 2 mm circular incision is made, and the laser goes under the skin to liquefy the fat cells while also sealing the tiny blood vessels around the fat and stimulating new collagen production, which tightens the skin. 

After the fat is liquefied, it is best to have the contents removed with suction (it is a mistake to avoid this step). 

The combined effects of the laser achieve in smoother results, less bruising and bleeding, less downtime and fewer side effects than traditional liposuction.

SmartLipo is the name of a new fat elimination treatment using a laser made by the Cynosure company. It can zap small pockets of fat or can be combined with liposuction to remove larger fat pockets.

SmartLipo is different because it uses a laser delivered with a 1mm fiber optic cable so it can be done through tiny puncture wounds instead of larger cuts. Also, it is easier to do awake (without general anesthesia) and the laser can lessen bruising and swelling, and tighten skin to a variable amount.

Cynosure is the manufacturer of Smartlipo. Smartlipo was approved by the FDA in 2006 for its use as a laser liposculpting system.

Smartlipo is an NdYAG 1064nm laser system that utilizes an extremely small laser fiber and cannula which is inserted into the fat. The advantages of Smartlipo over traditional liposuction are:

• The significantly reduced and minimal downtime; most patients can return to work in a day or two versus one to two weeks with traditional liposuction.
• Smartlipo is done under local anethesia instead of general anesthesia.
• Smartlipo melts away the fat, which allows the fat to be suctioned out much more efficiently with much less trauma to the body.

One of the greatest benefits of Smartlipo is its ability to tighten the skin so the patient is not left with sagging, loose skin after the fat is removed. The laser used in Smartlipo also coagulates the blood vessels so that there is significantly less bruising and bleeding then with traditional liposuction, leading to an overall quicker recovery!

Overall, Smartlipo causes less bruising, bleeding, discomfort and downtime - with an added skin tightening effect - compared to traditional liposuction, at an affordable cost!