How is VASER liposelection different from liposuction and SmartLipo?
Vaser is one brand name for ultrasonic-assisted lipoplasty (UAL), just as SmartLipo is one brand name for laser-assisted liposuction (or lipoplasty). Liposuction is a general term that applies to the basic procedure that has been around for over 25 years. Though "liposuction" describes a fat-removal operation understood by the public, the marketing geniuses among liposuction doctors and the companies that sell liposuction machines want you to buy a "BMW, the ultimate driving machine," not just a car. Or "STP, the racer's edge," not just motor oil. So we now have "Vaser Liposelection," "SmartLipo," and "BodyJet water-assisted liposuction." The thing is, these techniques ARE actually advances over "regular" liposuction, but because they have these clever names (notice the judicious use of capital letters), the natural scientist and cynic in me make me apologetic for the fact that they can't seem to be content to be just be better than the standard or regular old liposuction techniques. The good news is that they are (better than plain old liposuction); the bad news is that any surgeon with one of these machines still needs to be able to sculpt fatty tissues with training, experience, and excellent technical skill. Thus, as with so many things, selection of surgeon is MUCH MORE IMPORTANT than the machine or process he or she uses. There is no substitute for these factors, as no SmartLipo machine will make a lousy surgeon magically into a good one! Example: Michaelangelo was a superb sculptor with basic hand tools; imagine how much better he might have been had he been able to use power tools. But give power sculpting tools to the sculptor down the street, and there is no magic transformation to Michaelangelo! Look for a well-trained, experienced, board-certified (American Board of Plastic Surgery) plastic surgeon for advice about liposuction, and don't be suckered-in by "special" techniques or marketing terms. BTW, I have used Vaser since it came out in 2002, and Lysonix ultrasonic liposuction prior to that. SmartLipo works well, but is really best for small areas, Water-assisted lipo is fairly new, but may be promising. I can't say that it will be better than existing state-of-the-art techniques, but time will tell.
Liposuction is a general term used to describe suction-assisted removal of excessive fat deposits. A number of different devices have been introduced over the years to aid in this suction-assisted removal of fat. These devices have included various different sizes and shapes of cannulas, as well as reciprocating cannulas. More recently, in the late 1990’s, ultrasound-assisted liposuction became very popular. Unfortunately, there were problems associated with this type of liposuction, largely related to burns from the “inside out”. Sound Surgical, Inc. refined the ultrasound delivery system to specifically target and emulsify fat, minimizing the risk of damage to tissue and occurrence of burns. They refer to this specific targeting of fat cells as “liposelection” with their VASER (Vibration Amplification of Sound Energy at Residence) system. Next, laser applications in liposuction surgery entered the market. The earlier long wave-length laser applications such as Irdium were applied externally with the intention of emulsifying fat through the skin. Lasting improvements with this type of laser have not been clearly established. SmartLipo refers to the use of an internal laser for liposuction in a manner similar to that of the VASER technology, with the goal of specifically targeting and emulsifying fat cells. While this technique was very sexy when it first was released, the hopes that laser alone could remove the fat were not realized. In my practice, I use a combination of Tumescent liposuction technique with the assistance of VASER liposelection for the most consistent, even, natural-looking results with minimal post-op pain, bruising or swelling.
