Large and small areas for Smart Lipo?

Thanks for asking this question. One of the advantages of SmartLipo is that it can treat both large areas of the body, like the full midsection, and smaller areas like the neck and chin. The classification of large and small areas varies somewhat from surgeon to surgeon. Typically, the full abdomen is considered a large treatment area, while the lower abdomen alone is small. Other large areas might include the upper and lower back and the full flank area. Smaller areas might be the bra fat around the upper back, inner thighs and calves. It is best to discuss this question directly with your board certified plastic surgeon prior to your procedure so you know what to expect in terms of how long your procedure will take and what the cost will be. Good luck to you in achieving your body contouring goals!
Best,
Jacqueline T. Cheng, MD

Hi! Thanks for asking this question. Smartlipo is great for small targeted areas, example: lower abdomen, love handles, inner thighs etc.. I consider the full abdomen to be a larger area to treat because of keeping the patient comfortable with a local anesthetic.

Large areas are either a big surface like a full abdomen or a full flanks and back or they are localized areas with a large volume of fat. What matters isn't what you call the areas, but how well the work reshapes your curves into a pleasing figure.

The full abdomen is generally considered a large area. Keep in mind, Smart Lipo is good for stubborn areas of fat, but lacks body contouring and shaping. For best results, I recommend a hi definition procedure like VASER liposuction. I use VASER HI DEF with ThermRF and fat grafting to get the most fat removal, skin tightening, contour and definition. This combination will give you the most toned result. I recommend getting a formal evaluation with a hi definition physique expert. Best, Dr. Emer

In general, large areas include full abdomen. Smaller areas can include inner or outer thighs, back / bra rolls.We usually group regions as a package.An exam and consultation with a plastic surgeon who performs these procedures is recommended to confirm you are a candidate as well as discuss your options and expectations.

That is a good question.  The best answer is that there is no straight answer.  In most instances small areas include knees, bra rolls, chin/neck, etc.  A good estimate is an area about the size of the palm of your hand.  Large areas include Abdomen, Back, Thighs, etc.  
If you are interested in liposuction, I would suggest that you schedule a consultation to review your options.

Good Luck.

Thank you for the question. Lots of parts to this answer. As someone who primarily does minimally invasive liposuction I discuss this stuff all the time. So in general liposuction prices are based on time so don't worry about cost of fat being removed by amount its simply time in the OR which will vary by surgeon based on expertise. Beyond that 5 Litres ( 3 big gulps) is the max you can remove at one time safely, most people will have about 2 liters or 20 000 calories removed in a  setting usually in areas like the belly and the waist. Clearly to get to the root of your question we would want to see you in person!

Thanks for your question. I would consider a small area to be the neck, or just the outer thighs for example. But, usually any part of the abdomen is going to be a larger area (requires more local anesthetic solution and more time to complete). I hope that helps. Best wishes.

each plastic surgeon is going to have different ideas on if an area is large or small. the only importance is the time it will take and what you will be charged and if the area is an appropriate area for Smartlipo.i personally separate upper and lower abdomen into 2 areas but also will sometimes do the mid abdominal area and call that "periumbilical".david berman md

I will give you the extreme examples in order to answer your question. In the vast majority of cases, the neck is a small area to be treated with SmartLipo. There is usually much less volume of liquified fat tissue to remove as compared to the abdomen which would be a large area. The thighs can also be a "large" treatment area depending on how much fat needs to be removed and whether or not the entire thigh needs to be treated. That would include the outside, the front and the inner portion of the thigh. Another small area would be the arms. The reason why the price does not vary at our clinic is the fact that the setup cost remains the same regardless. In our clinic, I do know that we charge less for a smaller area compared to a large area, but the complexity of the procedure also has to be taken into account.  I hope this helps answer your question. 
Thanks,
Dr. Knott