What is the difference between SmartLipo and WaterLipo?

I use a combination approach to get the best outcome.  I find that Ultrasound (VASER) does much more for tightening than laser.  Water assisted lipo is great for fat harvesting but not for fat removal.  Best, Dr. Emer.

Both of these are types of tumescent lipo (awake lipo). Tumescent lipo has a numbing phase followed by a suction phase. Smart lipo is tumescent lipo with lasering of the superficial fat in between the numbing and the suction phases of the procedure. Lasering is supposed to help the skin shrink down faster than without lasering. Water lipo can also be done awake. It involves numbing followed by suction. During suction a jet of water (tumescent fluid) helps loosen the fat.

Smartlipo uses heat to melt or burn the fat and Waterlipo uses water to dislodge the fat. I do not usually use smartlipo to remove fat but it is excellent to use after the fat is removed to tighten the skin as the heat from the laser causes skin retraction. Water Assisted Lipo is a great tool to use for fat transfer and I do not usually use Water lipo to remove fat unless I am harvesting fat. The Vaser is a wonderful device to use for fat removal.

One uses laser energy and the other water pressure to assist in breaking up the fat before it is removed by regular liposuction. All of the methods for "liposuction" work well. It is the Doctor more than the specific technique she or he uses. Hope this helps.