WAL or PAL technique - what is the difference when it comes to fat / liquid removal and results?

Question

Hello surgeons, With the WAL technique, is more fluid (vs fat) removed compared to PAL? I’ve noticed that people receiving WAL in other countries seem to need more liters removed to get out the same amount of fat (or get the same results) as someone getting PAL. I’m not sure if more fluid is injected in WAL therefore they’re removing more liters of fluid than PAL? Hopefully my question makes sense. Thanks!

Gerald Minniti, MD, FACS · Answer

As the marketing teams have designed it, with the help of surgeon's who've purchased or invested in them, you've been duped into thinking that some device is going to give you superior results in liposuction, or perhaps skin tightening too. But it's never been about the machine, it's always been about the surgeon. Scientific study after study has been saying this since I was a resident in plastic surgery in the 1990's. The best results are gotten from skilled, well-trained, and experienced surgeons (the latter being perhaps the most important).

Mats Hagstrom, MD (license on probation) · Answer

There are a variety of variables that can affect the proportion of fat and water or numbing solution removed during various liposuction procedures.
The equipment used is never really all that important and what matters in regards to quality outcomes his patient candidacy and provider skill.
For those contemplating Liposuction, I suggest you simply ignore any hype about one type of equipment being superior to other types.
If one type of equipment was clearly better than we would all be using it.
Not everybody seeking Liposuction is a good candidate for the procedure.
Delivering consistent quality, liposuction results, including the ability to make an accurate assessment is more difficult than most people recognize.
The number of plastic surgeons who approach master of this procedure is in reality quite small.
Recognize that lip section is a permanent and irreversible operation that can potentially leave people disfigure if done poorly.
To understand your candidacy and what the procedure can and cannot accomplish i recommend patient interested in Liposuction schedule multiple in person consultations with plastic surgeons in their community.
Bring pictures of your body, the same way plastic surgeons take before and after pictures.
During each consultation, ask each provider to open up their portfolio and show you their entire collection of the before, and after pictures of previous patients who had similar body characteristics.Ill plastic surgeons can easily differentiate the percentage of fat compared to water removed with the procedure.
All plastic surgeons can easily differentiate the percentage of fat compared to water removed with the procedure.
WAL uses saline as part of the procedure so the aspirate will generally have much more saline. This does not make the procedure better or worse. In the end only candidacy and provider skill really matter. Avoid the temptation of trying to understand the technical aspects of surgery because there are very few sourced of non biased information and getting inundated by extraneous information can easily distract the consumer from the variables that actually matter. 
Best,Mats Hagstrom MD

WAL or PAL technique - what is the difference when it comes to fat / liquid removal and results?

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Everything you need to know about Liposuction

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WAL or PAL technique - what is the difference when it comes to fat / liquid removal and results?

Answers (2)

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Recommended reading

Everything you need to know about Liposuction

Our mission is to create a world where every investment in modern beauty is Worth It.