Which is more effective and what system is better Smartlipo or SAFElipo?

SAFELipo is a technique using power assisted liposuction while smartlipo uses a laser.  The surgical result is ultimately determined by the skill and experience of the surgeon, not the technology.  I have not found smartlipo able to live up to the hype and prefer the safe, consistent, and reproducible results that I can give my patients with the SAFELipo technique.  

SAFElipo is a series of steps used to improve liposuction efficiency and reduce the risks of surface irregularities. This is an acronym (S:separate the fat, A: aspirate the fat: FE: Equilibrate the fat left behind) for the steps and technique. No technology or some form of power assisted liposuction is employed. Experienced Plastic surgeons have been using these steps for years but now it has become popularized. In most instances this will achieve optimal and equivalent results to other forms of liposuction.
SmartLipo is a technology brand that uses laser assisted fat break down and laser assisted heating of the treatment area. Studies have shown that this reduces post operative soreness and bruising and can achieve better skin shrinkage when done using strict parameters. However, the final clinical results are on average not better.
Have consultations until you feel that you can trust the advice and experience of your surgeon.

Dear Didi111,
type of liposuction will have less effect on your results than choosing the right surgeon. Finding the right Dr. is extremely challenging especially with the number of online platforms and resources available. There a lot of great Dr's available. Make sure he/she is a board-certified plastic surgeon. Definitely check to make sure your choice specializes in the procedure you want and spend the time to read through patient testimonials. There is a number of different sites where you can check for reviews (Realself, yelp, google, etc.).You can always pick up the phone and call around also, find an office you feel comfortable with and set up a few consultations.
Daniel Barrett, MD
Certified, American Board of Plastic Surgery
Member, American Society of Plastic Surgery
Member, American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery

Thank you for the question. Smartlipo is a device that uses a laser to coagulate blood vessels prior to and following liposuction. The energy can lead to increased scarring and potential for contour irregularities that are difficult to correct. SAFE liposuction is a technique that avoids thermal injury to the surgical area. SAFE liposuction is used to correct contour deformities following Smarlipo. My preference is SAFE liposuction, but I recommend you visit with your plastic surgeon so that you can make the right decision for yourself. 

This is an excellent question, the answers to this question would vary greatly based on the surgeon answering the questions own techniques, experience and biases.   I have limited personal experience with smartlipo.  I used it for a few cases about 6-8 years ago when there was a lot of hype and although I had no problems, I didn't see the point of using a laser to burn tissue I was only going to be removing.   I have a lot of experience with revision after smartlipo done elsewhere.   I see at least a patient a week with what I call smartlipo deformity, a consistent pattern of tethered scar tissue beneath the skin with a dense, stuck appearing irregularity of the skin, typically on the abdomen.   This is often irreparable and you can probably guess that I am not a big fan of Smartlipo for these reasons.   On the contrary, I think that SAFElipo is the best development in liposuction in the last 20 years.   For me, it allows more aggressive treatment closer to the skin which allows natural skin contraction.   I have seen smoother results than achievable with standard PAL liposuction.    

Thank you for your question. Smartlipo is laser liposuction which is best for small areas. It melts the fat which then needs to be suctioned with a hollow tube or cannula. You will find that most well trained body sculpting surgeons do not use this. There are many surgeons who do fat reduction only, but they coin it as sculpting. SAFE lipo is an acronym invented by a plastic surgeon and stands for separation-aspiration-fat equalization. The first step is injecting the tumescent solution with an expanded or "exploded" basket cannula which simultaneously breaks up the fat, followed by liposuction and then reintroduction of the basket cannula to even out or smooth out the areas treated.I personally like to use the VASER Hi Def liposuction technique to achieve body sculpting. Remember, there are different tools and techniques to use for liposuction, body sculpting which can also involve fat grafting to create athletic and feminine shapes. You should be more concerned about choosing the right board certified plastic surgeon experienced in advanced body sculpting techniques, rather than the tools or names people make up relating to a procedure. Review the surgeon's before/after photos and based on that go in for an in person consultation. Let the surgeon use the tools with which he/she can deliver you the results you are looking for. Good luck.

What a great question. One is not necessarily "better" than the other. Your results will likely depend more upon the experience of  your surgeon. With that being said, I believe the potential risk profile of Smartlipo is higher than the SAFELipo due to the differences in technique. The Smartlipo uses laser energy under the skin. This extra energy can cause burns to the skin, whereas the SAFELipo does not.  In fact, I believe Dr. Wall developed the SAFELipo technique to help address problems/concerns in patients who previously had Smartlipo who needed revision surgery and he didn't want to add additional energy into the areas that had previously been exposed to the laser. (The flip side is that Smartlipo advocates say that the heat generated by the laser - without causing burns - helps collagen to contract and your skin to tighten better) 

These are two very different techniques.  Smart lipo is as described below.  I used it for a time but found results were no better than liposuction alone.  It was more expensive for patients and more time consuming for doctors with no true benefit in my opinion.  In contrast, SAFE lipo stands for fat separation, aspiration, and fat equalization.  A special cannula is used to separate the fat after tumescent fluid is placed. Next, standard cannulas are used to remove the fat.  The last step involves spreading the fat left behind (or equalizing the fat) to limit the risk for contour deformities.  I utilize this technique on all of my liposuction surgeries and I love it. 

Patients frequently ask me about the various liposuction techniques, as they are all commonly advertised as being the most effective methods. Honestly, the most important factor is the experience and skill of the surgeon performing the procedure, regardless of which technique is used. A surgeon must understand how to achieve the optimal body contour and avoid complications such as unevenness of the final result. SmartLipo is laser-assisted liposuction, using a laser to help in destroying the fat that is removed by liposuction. SAFELipo uses more traditional liposuction techniques, but specialized instruments and specific methods of preparing the fat for removal, and then ensuring evenness of the final contour at the end. I have used both methods in the past, but now I only use SAFELipo as I feel that I can achieve the best results with this technique. SAFELipo also has the advantage of preserving the fat cells, so they can be reinjected for fat grafting if desired, such as to the breasts or buttocks. Again, though, I would focus on choosing a surgeon who is experienced and with whom you feel comfortable over the specific technique s/he uses. I think this factor this is FAR more important.

Great question. Acronyms are so confusing. SMART lipo is a laser assisted liposuction that heats the fat with energy. I have never seen a conclusive study that this changes results, and i have used SMART lipo quite a bit. SAFE is a technique that many of us add to standard lipo to improve fat removal and smoothing of tissues. Theoretically you could have SAFE and SMART in the same procedure, since they are different modes of surgery but sounds similar.