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What Is Laser Liposuction

Much has been made of laser liposuction since its introduction to the plastic surgery market. While it will not replace traditional liposuction methods for large scale treatments, laser lipo nicely complements other liposuction procedures and offers patients the option of liposuction surgery to small areas that would otherwise go untreated. The demand for facial liposuction procedures, for example, has exploded since the development of laser techniques for the purpose of liposuction. While the basic concept and process of removing fat cells from the body by suctioning remains unchanged, the method and techniques employed have changed drastically for better. Using a laser allows the surgeon to produce more detail-oriented results and offers faster recovery time for the patient.

Laser Liposuction

Traditional liposuction uses a suction tube known as a cannula to remove fat from a particular area of the body. While most traditional methods today use a fluid injection to soften the fat cells so they can be broken up more easily, it still eventually involves physical force to truly break up the fat cells to be suctioned from the body. This often causes a lot of problems as a result of the damage and trauma inflicted upon the connective tissue, blood vessels, and other tissue in the treated area.

Laser liposuction is a much gentler technique where a fiber is used to direct the laser energy. The heat generated from the laser literally melts fat cells allowing the fiber to easily cut through the area with the precision of a tiny fiber. The liquefied fat is then removed through a suction tube, or cannula, that is almost a quarter the size in width of the tool used in traditional liposuction. The smaller equipment means a smaller incision is required with inherently offers many advantages.

Laser Lipo Advantages

The reason laser lipo is so effective lies in the accuracy and precision in targeting fat cells. This allows surgeons to perform a major procedure on a patient and follow up with laser liposuction for the sculpting and detailing of the treated area. The increased precision of laser liposuction means less risk of damaging neighboring tissue especially connective tissue and blood vessels which are notoriously prone to damage during surgery.

Laser Liposuction Risks

Many of the serious risks associated with liposuction are in association with the amount of traumatic force used to break up fat cells. Injury to internal organs is a possibility that can cause all sorts of problems for the patient. Other surgical risks are typical of any plastic surgery procedure include the risk of excessive blood loss, swelling, scarring, bruising, and infection. Removing too much fat from one area can cause skin irregularities while leaked fluids that have not been properly drained from the treated area can cause hematomas or seromas which are visible color spots under the skin.

Laser liposuction does a good job of dealing with these risks in a number of ways. The smaller incision area means no stitches are required and lowers the risk of infection or scarring. Swelling is often the result of fluid buildup and since the laser technique causes little bleeding, the chances or excessive swelling is reduced. There is a rare possibility of burning the skin by the laser if the heat in left in one area for too long. But since laser liposuction removes fat on a small scale, there is very little chance of accidentally removing too much fat causing skin irregularities.

Laser Lipo Recovery

Most complications that arise after the surgery are the result of inadequate ‘clean-up’ procedures after the surgery. The treated area must be drained properly to avoid the pooling of blood under the skin which can cause discoloration that can last for months. In typical cases, a liposuction patient will require one or two weeks of rest for the body to fully recover from the surgery. Laser liposuction patients usually undergo smaller procedures in addition to the better precision of targeting fat cells and leaving neighboring tissue relatively unharmed. This bodes well for shorter recovery time. Most laser liposuction patients are free to return to work and normal daily activities after just one day of rest.

Laser Liposuction Prices

The cost of any cosmetic surgery procedure include the many fees that make up the final bill. The price of liposuction will always include a surgeon fee, anesthesia fee, and facility or hospital fee in addition to any overhead which might be itemized under one of the three previously named fees or listed as additional fees themselves. There are differences between laser lipo prices and traditional liposuction prices in just about every aspect of the surgery. The surgeon fee will be different because it requires more time to remove the same amount of fat since laser fat removal is a relatively slow method of fat reduction. Since most procedures are smaller in scale, most laser liposuction patients will require only local anesthesia which means a cost saving in dosage. Since the equipment is relatively new to most clinics, the cost will have to be recovered by billing patients for using the equipment.

Overall, most laser liposuction patients are very happy with their results. The reduction in fat and newly sculpted figures are permanent baring the patient maintains a safe and healthy lifestyle. This just means that there is an incredible value in paying some thousands upfront to look and feel great for many many years to come.

Estimating Liposuction Prices

The costs involved in liposuction prices depend on many things. The factors in liposuction costs are the reason why some of the estimate prices below are so wide. It depends on the area of the body to be treated, geographical location of the clinic and the type of procedure involved. Delicate procedures could end up costing more even if it is to treat a small area. The bottom line is the amount of time and effort required of the surgeon to perform the surgery. The more time and effort required, the higher costs. The overall average cost of liposuction is between $1,500 and $7,500.

Generally larger areas will cost more to treat. Below is a breakdown of the average cost across the continental United States by the area of the body.

Average Prices for Liposuction by Body Region

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Abdomen: $3,000 – $7,500
Breasts/Chest: $3,000 – $7,500
Flanks: $2,000 – $5,000
Anterior Thighs: $1,700 – $5,000
Inner Thighs: $1,700 – $5,000
Outer Thighs: $1,600 – $5,000
Hips and Waist: $1,600 – $5,000
Arms: $1,500 – $5,000
Buttocks: $1,500 – $4,500
Facial Areas: $2,000 – $4,500
Back: $1,500 – $4,000

Factors Affecting Liposuction Prices

Geographical Location

The market for cosmetic surgery affects the fees associated with liposuction surgery. More densely populated metropolitan areas will typically cost more because of the higher demand and all rates are relative to their market. Any prospective patient shopping for a deal should consider commuting or relocating to another area that might be lower in demand and cheaper without compromising the quality of the surgeon.

Different Techniques

The technique used in liposuction also affects the costs because of the equipment involved. Facility and equipment fees make up a big fraction of the total cost. Laser liposuction is very different in equipment and technique from traditional liposuction. It is generally a smaller scale procedure so the total cost is less since the procedure is smaller. But per area of treatment laser liposuction costs are relatively higher because of the special equipment required for the relatively new technique.

The cost of liposuction will vary between each individual because liposuction pricing is made up of many fees and each fee is affected by many factors.

Itemization of Prices for Liposuction

There are different fees that make up the total price for liposuction surgery. When asking a surgeon for an estimate, often you will only get the surgeon’s fee. This is what the doctor will charge for his or her services.

Then there is the anesthesia fee which comprises of the cost for the drug and the cost of the administration if a certified anesthesiologist is required. Larger procedures will require a bigger dosage of the drug. Small procedures such as laser liposuction might require only local anesthesia which means only the treated area needs to be numbed and the patient is awake during the surgery. General anesthesia means that the patient is sedated.

Other fees include charges for facility and equipment. This means that the cost of the surgery room as well as the equipment used for the procedure will determine what the final bill will be. Laser liposuction tends to be a little higher than traditional liposuction because the equipment is relatively new to most clinics and the clinics will want to recover their expense of buying the machine by passing the cost on to their patients.

Laser Liposuction Risks

For a long time liposuction has been one of the most popular of plastic surgery procedures. With the introduction of laser assisted liposuction the procedure opened up an option to a whole new market of people who have considered smaller treatment that did not warrant the full risks and surgical procedure that comes with traditional liposuction. Laser liposuction offers many benefits and further reduces the risks of a procedure already generally regarded as a relatively safe cosmetic enhancement procedure.

The Concept of Liposuction Surgery

The difference between laser liposuction and traditional liposuction is in the technique. The concept of liposuction remains intact with laser liposuction. Fat cells are broken from underneath the skin and loose fat is sucked up through a tube known as a cannula.

Traditional vs. Laser Liposuction Technique

Laser liposuction uses an optic fiber through which a laser is beamed. The heat generated by the laser literally melts the fat and a small cannula is inserted into the area to remove the liquefied fat. This is a much gentler form of fat removal.

Traditional liposuction causes more stress to the surrounding tissue because physical force is used to break up fat cells. The tube used to suck out the loose fat is larger than the one used in the laser technique.

The size differential of the equipment involved speaks a lot to the scale of the surgery. Laser liposuction is useful for small scale procedures that could not be performed in the past because the traditional method is relatively brutal compared to the finesse and accuracy of using a laser charged optic fiber.

Common Liposuction Risks

Being a more gentle and precise procedure, laser liposuction reduces or even eliminates some of the most common problems that have historically plagued liposuction procedures.

Bleeding Risks

One of the biggest problems that surgeons have reported is the excessive bleeding during the surgery. In many instances a blood transfusion is required to supplement the patient’s blood loss. Meanwhile, using a laser greatly reduces this problem because the procedure causes less damage to surrounding tissue and the small amount of blood that might leak from damaged capillaries are often dried by the heat of the laser.

Improper drainage of leaked fluids is the biggest contributor to complications that hamper the recovery period. It can cause hematomas or seromas where blood pools under the skin to cause a visible discoloration or color spots. Patients of laser assisted liposuction can expect to recover much faster as a result of the reduced blood loss.

Surgical Risks of Liposuction

Although rare, serious surgical risks such as internal organ damage are a very real possibility. This is not an issue with the laser technique. Risk of infection to the incision area is also much reduced because the equipment is much smaller and therefore requiring a small incision. That also shortens the required recovery period and reduces the possibility of unintentional scarring.

Anesthesia Risks

Anesthesia related risks are always an issue with any surgery. There is a danger in improper dosage as well as using the wrong solution. A certified anesthesiologist is required for large doses which can be expensive. Laser liposuction patients usually only require local anesthesia meaning only the treated area is numbed. This means the patient is awake during the procedure so any excessive discomfort can be communicated to the surgeon while the surgery is in progress.

Side Effects of Liposuction

Some of the most common problems with liposuction, though not particularly dangerous but aesthetically unpleasing is skin irregularities. This happens when too much fat under the skin is removed leaving grooves and dimples in the skin. The way to avoid this is by dividing a large treatment into smaller multiple treatments. That way smaller amount of fat is removed at a time. The risk of skin irregularities is not an issue with laser liposuction because the method in itself is a small scale procedure.

Managing Plastic Surgery Risks

All surgery comes with inherent risks and liposuction is no exception. Liposuction, with laser or traditional method, is a procedure to remove pockets of fat in areas that are hard to eliminate through exercise and dieting alone. It is not a weight loss strategy and should not be treated as such. Any patient considering the procedure must understand the limitations and risks of cosmetic surgery. Unrealistic expectations can lead to dangerous addictions to plastic surgery and it is up to the surgeon to ensure that the patient has an achievable goal in mind before beginning the surgery.

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