Lipo with Skin Tightening - What are the most effective lipo-skin tightening procedures out there?

Be sure to get the micro canula liposculpting under local with a little iv sedation for complete comfort. Your doc can stand you up and fine tune the results right then and there. Also make sure he/she does Morpheus and Quantum/bodytite RF for the most skin tightening possible. It is worth traveling to see a doc who specializes in this. The micro canulas alone will really help the skin tighten up on its own anyway since you can rough up the underside of the skin so it contracts nicely.

You are accurate in your assessment in that liposuction can be impressive while the skin tightening procedure is moderate in results but still can be significant to the patient. The key is to make sure the patient is a candidate for the procedure. Too much laxity or looseness of the skin and soft tissue will exceed the capability of operation and be unsatisfactory no matter which type is used. Lots of stretch marks and thin skin are hallmarks of damaged skin which has lost the ability to retract which can be due to massive weight loss, multiple pregnancies and the like. No minimally invasive operation will be effective and liposuction with these patients will result in worse hanging skin in most cases since the removal of fat will also remove support of the overlying skin. People with minimal stretch marks, thick enough dermis and moderate fat to be removed have the best chance of good results and contracting soft tissue.

Once a patient is deemed a candidate for liposuction and skin tightening, what are his or her options? The principle of skin and soft tissue tightening lies in the production of collagen and elastin, naturally occurring compounds that contribute to the thickness, structural support and hydration of the skin and soft tissues. Like many things, the body makes less of these materials as we age resulting in thinner and less structurally sound skin. Controlled inflammation is key to induce the body to make more of these and other compounds following energy application. The types of energy used are varied and of differing efficacy starting with the most basic: mechanical inflammation. The act of passing a cannula under the skin imparts mechanical energy to the tissues which in itself stimulates production of these compounds when liposuction is performed. Other types of energy include laser (focused light energy such as SmartLipo), ultrasound (high frequency sound waves tradename VASER), radiofrequency (a type of electromagentic energy such as microwaves, fluorescence, etc. as in BodyTite), and noble gas carrying electrons or plasma energy (such as helium in Renuvion) all of which which heat the tissues to achieve stimulation of the cells to produce collagen and elastin.

However, not all modalities are equally effective in achieving these results and may have different risk profiles. In my opinion having used all of the above machines in our practice, radiofrequency has the most consistent and significant results in contraction compared to all the others and also has the strongest peer-reviewed body of literature demonstrating its efficacy. I also am able to perform liposuction with radiofrequency (as well as the others) under local anesthesia so the patient does not have the additional risk, expense and excess recovery time of general anesthesia if he or she chooses that technique.

All of these modalities are limited in that if there is too much laxity as mentioned above, the only effective procedure is to cut and saw in a traditional surgery such as a tummy tuck or abdominoplasty so choosing a qualified plastic surgeon with lots of experience is important. I have performed over 5,000 of these surgeries on 12 different anatomic areas over my 21 years in practice so have strong opinions on choosing the right one for each patient. Thanks for the question and good luck with your search.