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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.

How Much Is Liposuction

The cost of liposuction surgery is more than just the price for surgery. There are costs to pay for other related and necessary steps such as pre-surgery laboratory tests, anesthesia administered for the surgery, compression garments after the surgery as well as any drugs prescribed by the doctor. The necessary drugs are commonly anti-inflammatory for swelling, antibiotic to fight infections, and pills to relieve pain and discomfort during recovery. The surgery itself will cost the amount of paying the surgeon for their time and effort as well as for the use of the facilities such as the surgery room, bed, and liposuction related tools and equipment.

Beyond the financials there are other prices that liposuction patients must also carefully consider. These are the risks and dangers of potential side effects that come along with every single surgical procedure. Some risks are specific to the particular liposuction technique while others are inherent with almost any surgical procedure. One big area that poses very real danger to any surgery patient is the administration of anesthesia. Improper dosage accounts for a large percentage of all mishaps and the results can sometimes be serious, even deadly. Some possible anesthesia related risks include cardiac arrhythmia, allergic reactions, breathing complications and brain damage from lack of oxygen resulting from breathing problems.

Most liposuction specific risks are not lethal but the severity is up to the individual to judge as they are not always health risks. Things like skin irregularities, skin necrosis, hematomas, seromas, and hyper pigmentation are temporary side effects that will bother most people. Risks that apply to all surgical procedures, liposuction and otherwise, include bleeding, scarring, bruising and infections.

So the cost of liposuction is now includes both financial and health risks. There is another factor that should be considered and that is the time. The most time consuming part will be recovery after the surgery. The scheduling of consultation, researching surgeons, and setting up the surgery day are time consuming but most surgeries are relatively quick. Small procedures such as laser liposuction might complete between 1 to 4 hours and patients are often released to return home that evening. Be sure to plan for a ride since no person who had received an administration of any type of anesthesia drug should drive. Larger liposuction treatments where general anesthesia is administered might require the patient to rest over night for the anesthesia to wear off.

Recovery from laser assisted liposuction procedure is typically at least one day following the day of the procedure, sometimes two days. Typical liposuction patients can expect to spend as much as one or two weeks at home to allow the body to heal. Taking time off work and normal daily activities is surely a cost of liposuction that must be factored before proceeding with the decision to receive treatment.