View male & female Smart Lipo before and after photos of chin, neck, arms, abdomen, back, flanks etc., performed by leading US, Canada & Australia plastic surgeons.
Smartlipo is a technique where the fat is melted by a very small fiberoptic cable that is inserted thru a tiny incision.
The first step is that local anesthetic and some fluids are infiltrated into the area to have the liposuction.
The second step is the insertion of the fiberoptic cable and the third step is the removal of the liquified fat by a small liposuction cannula.
The biggest advantages of the Smartlipo is that the procedure can be carried out either under straight local or with some oral sedation.
No IV are required. You can return to work in 1-2 days. There is usually little to no bruising or pain (the latter is somewhat variable).
You do need to be patient as with all liposuction cases, since it may take several wks to see the difference and the maximum benefit may take 5 months or so.
There may be some additional skin tightening due to heating the skin from the Smartlipo. Since the fiberoptic cable is so small, Smartlipo is best reserved for those who only have smaller areas for fat removal.
Liposuction vs. Smart Lipo
Traditional liposuction is all mechanically done with back and forth motion to suction fat from the surrounding tissue. Smart lipo uses laser light to melt the fat first before removal. There is more skin tightening with the smart lipo system measured around 50% tighter.
The laser heats up the collagen in your skin stimulating the collage to thicken and tightening the skin on top. Traditional liposuction does not result in as much skin tightening. Also traditional liposuction is more aggressive resulting in more swelling and bruising.
It is really more important to focus on seeing a board certified plastic surgeon with experience with all types of liposuction. The surgeon’s experience and results are more important that which machine he or she uses.
Cost of SmartLipo
SmartLipo is usually a per area cost. However, if you are doing more than one area, i.e.: several areas at a time, there is a sliding scale on the cost. For example, so much for 1st area, a little less for 2nd area, and even less for 3rd area.
Prices typically start at $3500 per area, and other areas can be added on for typically $2500 to $1500 per additional area. It does not typically matter how much fat you have taken out. Keep in mind that the SmartLipo procedure is typically less than traditional liposuction under general anesthesia.
Also, there is the added benefit of the laser for melting fat and tightening skin. All of this is considered in the price.