Paul E. Cox, MD

There are lots of variables to consider. How much weight did you gain in your pregnancy and how much would you like to lose? The closer you are to your ideal weight the better your results from Smartlipo will be. Do you have help with childcare? Mothers need to consider help with small children as there may be a few days where holding your child may make you uncomfortable after the procedure depending on the area addressed, so having close family or social support during that time may be very helpful. Also were there any complications from your C section such as wound infection or scarring? Those issues may need time to completely resolve before further procedures in the area.

No, the laser energy created by the Smartlipo laser is funneled through a thermal device that senses temperature will shut off power should the surrounding area become too warm. This adds another layer of protection to the cooling provided by the fluid of the tumescent anesthesia. Rarely, the laser can penetrate a stretch mark or area of thin skin and create a thermal wound. This is extremely rare and usually heals without incident.

You should anticipate swelling following your Smartlipo procedure. Swelling can last for 4-6 weeks, it varies from person to person. Many patient do not bruise with Smartlipo, but if you do it typically resolves in 2-3 weeks.
Based on your work, I would not advise returning to work until your incisions are well healed, usually about 7 days. This is because you have more exposure to antibiotic resistant bacteria in your current work environment.

Yes, this is part of the healing process and expected up to 6-8 weeks after the procedure. This is one of the reasons we do the first follow up visit with the physician at the 4-6 week time frame. These firm areas are not permanent, they will resolve with time.

This is a good question about discomfort during the Smartlipo procedure. Some physicians administer pain medications (tramadol, hydrocodone) prior to the procedure but most of us rely on the Lidocaine anesthetic in the tumescent anesthesia to provide pain relief. My patients are awake and do very well. Most of them describe the discomfort as mild and occasionally moderate towards the end of the procedure. Most tell me on a pain scale of 1-10 they are rarely above 3-4 and only for brief moments during the procedure. The length of the procedure is generally based on how much fat needs to be removed but rarely takes more than 2.5 hours.

If you are happy with your interim results from your initial procedure, I would advise speaking with your doctor to see when they believe it is appropriate to have additional areas addressed. Generally speaking it would be advantageous to wait 2-3 months to give your body time to heal.

No, that is not the current standard of care for laser assisted liposuction. You will not have an optimal result without aspiration to remove the fat. I would advise seeking a second opinion.

I would advise waiting at least 6 months after Accutane to get any type of cosmetic procedure since the medication affects all types of tissue and could hamper wound healing.

We would need to investigate the cause of your high platelet count in consultation with your PCP. Your PCP would need to clear you before moving forward with Smartlipo.

Yes, Arnica does help to alleviate bruising. We prefer the sublingual arnica troches that melt in your mouth. We ask patients worried about bruising to start them 2-3 days before the procedure and continue for 7 days total. The great thing about Smartlipo is there tends to be less bruising and swelling for most patients than traditional lipo even without the Arnica.