You're feeling grumpy and lumpy, fretting about those stubborn pockets of fat that don't budge despite your dutiful workouts and healthy diet. Then the commercial on the car radio catches your ear. Why not laser away that fat, just blast it out of your life, quickly and painlessly?
Laser liposuction — or more accurately, laser-assisted liposuction — was first introduced in 2007 with SmartLipo. Since then, SmartLipo has been joined by other players, including Slim lipo, Cool lipo and ProLipo Plus.
Laser liposuction is one of many advances in liposuction surgery, which is one of the most commonly performed cosmetic surgery procedures in the United States and many other countries. Other advances include water-assisted liposuction (Body-Jet) and ultrasound-assisted liposuction procedures such as Vaser-assisted liposuction.
Laser-assisted liposuction uses laser energy. The procedure is typically performed on an outpatient basis under local anesthesia or sedation anesthesia, depending on the amount of fat that will be removed.
The concept is simple: lasers heat the fat, turning it semi-soft and making it easier to remove via liposuction.
Just as in traditional liposuction, fluid is first injected under the skin in the area where fat is to be removed. This fluid contains a mixture of saline, local anesthetic and epinephrine (which constricts blood vessels and minimizes blood loss).
Next, the laser energy is applied, and fat is suctioned from the body via cannulas (thin tubes) inserted through small incisions in the skin.
In addition to softening the fat for easier removal, the laser energy heats skin cells, stimulating the production of collagen. Collagen is the main structural protein found in skin, but its production slows with advancing age. Thus, by promoting the production of collagen, the laser energy is believed to not only aid in the removal of fat but also improve the skin's appearance.
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