Confused About All the Different Types of Liposuction

I agree with Dr. Baxter. Don't be misled by marketing--it is the skill and experience of the surgeon that is important.

There are essentially two types of liposuction based on the anesthesia: General anesthesia and local anesthesia.  The basis for this statement has to do with safety.  The death rate for having liposuction, irrespective of the machine used to suck out the fat is approximately one in 40,000 cases but possible more when liposuction is performed under general anesthesia.  However, the death rate for having liposuction under local anesthesia is approximately one in 300,000.  Liposuction under local is also referred to as tumescent liposuction and is typically practiced by dermatologists.

There have been a proliferation of liposuction machines.  The first wave of these were ultrasound based and new machines utilize lasers to help break up the fat.  However, ultimately the fat is still sucked out of the body.  Yet from a marketing stand point there is appears to be nothing better than to be able to advertise laser assisted whatever.  However, there is no evidence that laser based liposuction machines result in better results than the safest form of liposuction, tumescent liposuction.  Be aware that tumescent liposuction was developed by dermatologists and they remain the largest aesthetic subspecialty practicing this form of liposuction.  So don't expect a board certified plastic surgeon to offer this method.

The message here is beyond the decision to have liposuction under general anesthesia or local anesthesia, the most important decision is not what machine the surgeon is using but who the surgeon is and how are they trained, and what are their results like.  Do you like the office and does your potential surgeon spend any time with you?  You should feel like there is an actual connection with the surgeon and that they listen to your concerns rather than treat you like the liposuction in room 3.  

Evaluate your surgeon's credential, their website, look at their resume for any unexplained gaps or training that does not make sense.  Study their website for before and after results.  Just because your girl friend had successful Botox with the doctors nurse does not necessarily mean that they will do a terrific job with your liposuction.  Do spend the time to actually meet several surgeons.  Remember that there is no magic machine that does the liposuction- its the surgeon.