I-LIPO

Pros

• Laser lipolysis requires no incisions or anesthesia. 
• The procedure itself is painless, with no reported side effects. 
• It's suitable for all skin types and tones.  
• Downtime is minimal to nonexistent, so you'll be able to resume normal activity right away. 
• It’s more affordable than traditional liposuction. 
• You may lose a few inches from your waist, hips, thighs, or other body areas.

Cons

• You may need up to eight sessions to see results, which may not be fully apparent for two to six months. 
• Laser lipolysis doesn't actually kill fat cells, it just releases their contents. Because of that, results aren't necessarily permanent: the treated fat cells could expand again if you gain weight.
• While many clinics tout "dramatic body reshaping" after the initial treatment series, patient reviews tell a different story. Many RealSelf members say they saw no results at all, hence its low Worth It Rating.

Your price will depend on the experience level of your provider, their practice location, how many areas of the body you have treated, and how many treatment sessions you have. 

Providers often offer a discount if you buy a series of treatments up-front.

An i-Lipo laser treatment takes about an hour. Because i-Lipo's low levels of laser energy are painless, you won't need any anesthesia. They also won't damage any of the surrounding structures in your tissue—only the fat cell membranes.

You'll lie down, and your provider will place four laser pads on the targeted areas. The energy emitted by the pads' 36 laser diodes triggers a chemical signal in the fat cells, causing them to break down stored triglycerides (your body's natural energy reserves) and release them through the cell membranes as free fatty acids and glycerol. 

If you're having an i-Lipo Ultra treatment, the lasers will be paired with infra-red energy, as well as a vacuum massage in the treatment area, to boost your metabolism and help your lymphatic system process the released fat cell contents.

Whichever type you have, you’ll need to follow it with 30 minutes of post-treatment exercise, to boost blood circulation and support your body's natural process of metabolizing the freed fatty acids and glycerol. Depending on your provider’s facilities, you may be able to do this at their office, or you might have to head to your gym within three hours of your treatment.

Related: How to Speed Up Your Lymphatic System Post-Body Contouring

i-Lipo's manufacturer says you may see immediate results, as the contents of the fat cells are released. They also claim that "ultrasound imagery shows up to 30% reduction in the fat layer depth after just one treatment."

However, it takes months for your body to fully metabolize the released fat cell contents, so your final results may not become apparent for two to six months. 

Many RealSelf members say they saw no i-Lipo results at all, even after a series of treatments and months of waiting—hence the unusually low Worth It Rating.  

You’ll also need to stick to a healthy diet and exercise regularly to maintain your results. Without a consistently healthy lifestyle, triglycerides will once again build up in your fat cells, reversing any benefits you saw.

Laser liposuction and i-Lipo laser lipolysis are both body sculpting procedures that target fat. While their names are similar, the treatments themselves are very different.

Laser lipo is a minimally invasive surgical procedure. Typically done under local anesthesia, it uses the heat from laser energy to liquefy fat cells, which are then suctioned out through a thin tube called a cannula.

Liquified fat is easier to remove, so this is a less aggressive procedure than traditional liposuction, with just three to five days of recovery time. The heat from the laser energy also boosts collagen production and gives you some mild skin tightening benefits. 

Compared to i-Lipo cold laser treatments, laser lipo typically costs much more: about $5,300, according to RealSelf members. It also comes with risks, including burns (though this should happen only rarely, in the hands of an inexperienced provider), as well as bruising, swelling, and several days of downtime. 

So why consider laser lipo? The procedure has a significantly higher Worth It Rating from RealSelf members because it consistently delivers fat reduction results. 

The fat that's removed is gone for good, so laser lipo results can be permanent, as long as you stick to a healthy diet and regular exercise. 

The bottom line: if you're willing to consider a minimally invasive surgery, you'll probably be happier with the results from a true laser liposuction procedure or another type of energy-assisted liposuction, like VASER lipo.