Laser liposuction is a new and innovative area of technology in which an optical fiber is used to introduce laser energy underneath the skin to assist in improving the results in liposuction cases. At Allegany Plastic Surgery we feature Cynosure’s “Smart-Lipo Triplex” platform to perform laser-assisted liposuction. The platform allows many different laser-assisted treatments including “Smart-Lipo Triplex”, “Precision Tx”, “Cellulaze”, and “Hyperhidrosis Treatment”. In Cumberland, Hagerstown, and Morgantown, surgeons may offer one, or a combination of these treatments.
A brief breakdown of the individual treatments follows:
Smart-Lipo Triplex
This uses up to 3 different laser wavelengths to:
- Melt fatty tissue under the skin.
- Coagulate blood vessels to decrease bruising and postoperative pain.
- Apply heat to the undersurface of the skin resulting in long-term skin tightening in the liposuctioned areas.
The laser energy helps to melt and liquefy the fat, and also disrupts fibrous connective tissue, making it very helpful in removal of fat from firm and fibrous areas such as the love handle areas, upper buttock area, and “back fat” under the bra strap line in the upper back. These areas are traditionally very disappointing to treat with traditional liposuction alone. In addition, the laser energy seals off small blood vessels, leading to less swelling and bruising and quicker recovery. “Smart Lipo” is useful for removal of fat in both large and small areas of the body and can be performed under local anesthesia.
Precision Tx or Precision Liposuction
This uses a high energy wavelength to: Melt the fat under the skin, and to perform tightening of the overlying skin. Precision Tx uses laser energy angled 90 degrees to the optical fiber so that it can be directed specifically to the undersurface of the skin, putting the majority of the laser energy on the undersurface of the skin. This results in heating of the deep layer of skin and ultimately a healing process that leads to thickening and tightening of the overlying skin. In addition, the laser energy can be directed in a downward position to melt fat just below the skin. Precision liposuction is an excellent tool for the treatment of areas that have been difficult to achieve satisfactory results with liposuction in the past.
It is best in small volume or “precision areas” such as the:
- Neck
- Upper-inner arms
- Upper-inner thighs
- Knee and ankle areas.
Hyperhidrosis Treatment
The precision liposuction energy wavelength is used independently of performing actual liposuction. In the armpit areas, the laser energy may be directed on the undersurface of the skin of the armpits, coagulating the sweat glands. This results in a dramatic and long-term decrease in armpit sweating for those who are plagued with excess armpit sweating or “hyperhidrosis”. In this procedure, which is done under local anesthesia, no liposuction is performed, but the optical fiber is introduced under the anesthetized skin to use the laser energy to ablate the sweat glands. This procedure can be performed in approximately 45 minutes under local anesthesia with no significant downtime. In Cumberland, MD, your results will vary according to your body’s reaction to treatment.
Cellulaze
This uses the high energy laser treatment and angled delivery fiber to address the anatomical causes of cellulite or unattractive dimpling of the skin. It is the only FDA approved treatment for long-term correction of cellulite changes. The laser is used to:
- Melt the fatty bulges under the skin.
- Laser cut the fibrous bands passing from the deep tissue to the skin, which releases the cause of indentations or dimpling of the skin.
- Perform skin tightening of the overall skin.
The most common areas treated are the lateral thighs, posterior thighs, and buttock region. Most procedures can be performed under local anesthesia with minimal to no downtime. The healing process, however, does take several weeks for swelling to resolve and the skin tightening effect continues for up to six months after the procedure.
