Which Type of Liposuction Leaves the Smallest Scar?

Question

How big are typical liposuction scars? Are there any forms of liposuction that leve no scar at all? I am 6'4" and only slightly overweight. I am interested in getting liposuction around my stomach, buttocks, thighs and face...I was curious if its okay to get numerous body areas treated at one time and if there is a limit to how much fat they can remove in one treatment?

Emmanuel Mallol Cotes, MD · Answer

Thank you for your question. It is hard to provided with a valid medical opinion without photos.  I would suggest to be treated by board certificated plastic surgeon with experience in this procedure, to get the best desired results.
Kind Regards,Dr. Emmanuel Mallol Cotes.-

Jed H. Horowitz, MD, FACS · Answer

Vaser liposuction, also known as Vaser #lipo, LipoSelection or Liposuction, is an advanced body #contouring procedure that selectively removes unwanted body fat. An alternative to the harsh techniques of traditional liposuction, #Vaser lipo uses state-of-the-art ultrasound technology designed to gently #reshape your body. There are three types of #Vaser Lipo. Each benefit patients differently depending on their needs. Scars should diminish as you heal.  The final results of the procedure are typically most noticeable 2-4 months following the #Vaser. But, if they do not, your doctor can recommend ways to improve the appearance of the #scars, or, treat you with in-office services. There are also many products she or he can suggest for scar management. If you have concerns about your healing it is important to call your plastic surgeon to discuss these further asked to be examined.

Hooman Khorasani, MD · Answer

I use microcanulas
that are a few millimeters in diameter for tumescent liposuction under mild
sedation which leaves a negligible scar. We are able to hide the incisions in
natural skin creases. All liposuction treatments, whether with a laser (laser-lipo)
or with no laser, have the same small scar from the port of entry site. It is
best to have a consultation with a board certified surgeon to assess your medical
history as this also influences scaring. Best, Dr. Khorasani

William Ting, MD · Answer

Micro canulas no more than few millimeters in diameter is typically used in a pure tumescent liposuction under mild sedation and typically leave minimal scar. Larger canulas are typically used in traditional liposuction done under general anesthesia so that the procedure can be completed quicker but can leave behind larger liposuction scar. For a fair skin person, the scar typically is not very noticeable a year after liposuction. On the other hand, ethnic skin may experience prolonged post-inflammatory pigmentation which can make the liposuction stand out for some time.

Ron Shelton, MD · Answer

There is no way to produce an invisible scar if liposuction is done. The insertion scar can be very very small but when you stretch the skin even a year after, you can see the little fine white line. The diameter of the cannula, the round instrument used to aspirate the fat, is the determining factor in the size of the scar. Some procedures such as ultrasonic liposuction use larger cannula so the scars may be slightly bigger, but for tumescent liposuction or other types of conventional liposuction, including power-assisted liposuction, the size of the cannula is the cause of the lenghth of the scar. Most liposuction scars heal well, if not, they can often be improved.

David Shafer, MD, FACS · Answer

Liposuction incisions (by any method) are very small - less than 3/4 cm. The formation of eventual scar really depends on your body, your health and nutrition, prevention of infection and your surgeon's handling of the tissues. Many patients end up with hardly any visible scar while other patients undergoing the same technique of liposuction do have visible scars. The good thing is that we are able to hide the incisions inside your belly button and in natural skin folds. Good luck with your procedure.

Toby Mayer, MD · Answer

It makes no difference which type of liposuction machine is used. It is the good surgeon who makes the best scar which is always small.

Otto Joseph Placik, MD · Answer

There have been exxtreme reports of liposuction in which 18 liters have been removed but this has been typically performed in a hospital setting. You are requesting two diametircally opposed procedures. One is massive fat removal. The other is minimal incisions. The smaller the incision, the longer the time it will take to extract the fat. While you could attempt to remove the fat essestially with large needle like cannulas which require no repair, the time it would take would be impractical and likely dividied into several sessions. I would shy away from the non-invasive fat removal techniques i.e., mesotherapy at this point in time.

Richard Baxter, MD · Answer

The simple answer to your question is that the size of the skin incisions depends upon the size of the cannulas - the instruments that are inserted to vacuum out the fat. Most of these are pretty small in diameter, around 2-3 millimeters. Additional instruments such as ultrasound probes (VASER) are larger and require a skin protector insert, so they will be a little longer. We have seen ads here claiming that laser lipo is better because no stiches are required, but that is also true for lipo without lasers.

Scott C. Sattler, MD, FACS · Answer

Lipo scars are dictated by the width of the liposuction cannula that is used. We try to place these 'port sites' in anatomically inconspicuous locations, and try to minimize their number.
I stick with cannula sizes of 4 mm or smaller. The port sites are closed with a single suture that i remove in 5 days. The scars are minimal as there is no tension on the wounds during healing.
The type of scarring that you need to be aware of with different 'types' of liposuction is the scarring and tissue damage related to liposuction techniques that use extreme heat (laser and Vaser) and superficial liposuction techniques. These liposuction techniques can create problematic scarring and contour irregularities below the skin, which can detract from an improved body contour. These problems are far more conspicuous than a few well-healed liposuction ports.
Seek out a board certified plastic surgeon for your liposuction consultation.

Which Type of Liposuction Leaves the Smallest Scar?

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