Vaser Lipo Vs. Traditional Liposuction - What Are the Pros and Cons?

There is alot of hype and marketing out there by the companies that make ultrasound or lasers to use for liposuction. The Vaser is one example of an ultrasound assisted device. Liposuction by itself is generally a strenuous operation for the surgeon. The human body is put together pretty firmly and quite a bit of force is needed to move a cannula in the space under the skin where the fat is. The Vaser uses ultrasonic energy to break up the fat so the surgeon can do a second pass and suction it out.
There is no question that the suctioning is easier after the Vaser has been used, but there is a down side too. The procedure may take longer as the Vaser requires two treatment passes, first the emulsification pass and the second to go over all the same area with the suction. Also, the Vaser makes things hot which can cause burning of the skin and more irritation of the tissues. Early studies showed that there were more complications than with standard liposuction too. Now Vaser does help in very firm, fibrous tissues such as the back or the male breast, but is of questionable use, in my opinion, in soft places like the thighs.
Vaser and now the new laser lipo machine makers claim that their machines can give skin tightening, but there are no scientifically controlled studies that prove this. They also claim that they cause less bruising or blood loss, and this may or may not be the case. Good tumescent technique with standard liposuction probably does the same thing. Remember, no matter what the manufacturers claim, any procedure that involves putting intruments under the skin is a surgery, will have bleeding and risks of complications. I would have liposuction of the body done only by a board certified plastic surgeon and I would trust his or her choice of device.

This question comes up a lot with patients.  The most important aspect of any procedure is that your physician/surgeon has experience and expertice in the procedure that is being performed.  Do not be to impressed with some fancy titles.  Just because someone can do a nice nose job does not make him a great Lipo Doctor .  Make sure you talk to your physician and don't be afraid to ask questions.  Talk to the nurses also and ask questions about how everything you may have concerns about.  As far as what is best between Vaser and traditional Lipo,  I prefer the Vaser Lipo.  I just have an easier time removing fat and it is easier to do under local anesthesia.  Of course this will be different between different physicians.

Hello marijr,

I appreciate your questions! Unlike the traditional liposuction methods, VASER lipo only targets specific parts of the body preserving important nerves, blood vessels and muscles, making the recovery considerably quicker. Compared to standard suction liposuction, the inter-operative blood loss is 26% less in average, resulting in significantly less bruising post-operation. Moreover, VASER is scientifically proven to offer 53% more skin tightening than traditional surgeries. Due to laser-precision accuracy, VASER lipo is highly recommended for body sculpting. Altogether, these beneficial factors positively impact the procedure final outcome and recovery process. I would suggest contacting your plastic surgeon to discuss your specific concerns and cosmetic goals. He/she has intimate knowledge about the customized surgery plan to be followed and detailed familiarity about your potential complications. Best wishes! Dr. De La Cruz.