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Smart Lipo is a minimally invasive surgical procedure to remove fat. A laser is use to liquify the fat and the fat is then removed. Liposonix is a non-invasive procedure. It utilized ultrasound energy to melt fat that is located under the skin. For liposonix you need to be able to pinch an inch of fat but cannot have a BMI greater than 30. So, not as many people are condidates. We offer both procedures in our practice.
Both are non-surgical methods of body sculpting by eliminating resistant pockets of fat. I categorize these as non-surgical because surgery typically implies cutting, stitching, linear scarring and the use of IV sedation or general anesthesia. For both Smartlipo and Liposonix, you are awake and comfortable during the procedure. Smartlipo is a minimally invasive method of sculpting facilitated by microcannulas (for suctioning) and a laser (for skin smoothing and firming). The fat cells are eliminated from the body on the day of the procedure. The procedure requires some sedation with oral medications (such as Xanax, Percocet) and local, tumescent anesthesia. There is no cutting, stitching, or scarring and there are no risks associated with general anesthesia. Liposonix, Vaser Shape, and Zeltiq are non-invasive technologies which target fat without microcannular suction or laser. Rather, they use ultrasound energy (liposonix, vaser shape) and temperature alterations (zeltiq) to destroy fat cells which are then gradually discarded by the body over the course of 2-3 months. The use of local anesthesia is not needed for these non-invasive modalities. A history, lifestyle assessment, and physical exam are necessary to determine which method is most suitable for each person.
Regardless of how it is described, liposuction is surgery. Smart Lipo uses a laser which can be helpful but also adds some risk. Liposonix is a completely nonivasive technology that uses High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU) which destroys the fat cells.
Smart Lipo is a surgical procedure meant to remove stubborn disproportional fat. Liposonix is a non-surgical way to remove small pockets of fat (no less than 1 inch). The procedure takes one hour and there is no downtime. Liposonix is not for everyone and is not a replacement for well done liposuction no matter what type you choose. If you have more than one area that you would like to have liposuction on then Liposonix may not be the most cost effective or best way to go. However Liposonix works very well on smaller targeted amounts of fat with VERY good results.
One uses ultrasound technology while the other uses lasers. There is a lot of marketing hype but in the end it comes down to choosing the procedure that gets the results you desire. Consider traditional Liposuction and discuss the pro and con with your board certified plastic surgeon.
smartlipo is surgery and the other is a non invasive method fat reduction and it actually works limited to very small amounts.
Medically speaking, smoking is never a healthy idea. For patients who do smoke, I typically recommend stopping at least 30 days before a procedure and staying off cigarettes for 30 days after. It can be difficult but it will improve your healing time and results.
The magic is not in the wand but in the magician. The scarring is very minimal in all modalities if used correctly. There is a lot of marketing hype but in the end it comes down to choosing the procedure that gets the results you desire. Consider traditional Liposuction as well and discuss...
Please return to your surgeon to discuss your results. You should have some improvement if enough fat was removed, although if there is a lot of excess skin then liposuction may not have been the right treatment for you in the first place. A tummy tuck may have been more suitable.
