Both approaches as well as other technologies including ultrasound and radiofrequency (RF) used in liposculpture can provide excellent results depending on how the devices are used and how the procedure is performed.
In some cases where the skin is excessively loose or in some areas of the body where the skin is thinner such as the upper inner thighs and arms, adding energy and heat to the treatment may improve the final result through more potential skin contraction and a more homogeneous result.
However, every liposuction candidate does not need these additional technologies used in their procedures and by using them there are inherently greater risks of complications due the presence of the heat in the treatment area.
The potential benefits should be balanced against the increased risks. I have had extensive experience with this SmartLipo as well as other devices used in liposuction including ultrasound.
Tumescent liposculpture performed with tiny straw like instruments (micro cannulas) under local anesthesia remains the gold standard for safe and effective liposuction results.
SmartLipo and other technologies are best used as supplemental procedures to influence the final result when it is determined to be advantageous for the patient. (Victor Michalak, MD, Issaquah Dermatologic Surgeon)
Which is Better – SmartLipo or Tumescent Liposuction?
This depends on you and the amount of loose skin you have. SmartLipo is designed for small pockets of fat with minimal loose skin. Tumescent liposuction is designed for larger pockets of fat in individuals with good skin integrity – minimal to no loose skin.
The best way to determine which procedure you are a candidate for is to schedule a consultation with your board certified plastic surgeon to determine which procedure will give you the best results. (David L. Robbins, MD, FACS, West Des Moines Plastic Surgeon)
Your Surgeon’s Experience is Most Important
I think that there are times when Smart Lipo is preferable to liposuction, but in general this is not the rule.
By far the most important factor in your outcome is your surgeon’s training, experience, and expertise in performing your procedure.
Unfortunately there can be a lot of hype about machines — typically by the manufacturer of the machine. In some cases these machines do actually work, but talking to a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon you trust and you know gets good results can help you navigate this complex question. (John K. Wakelin III, MD, FACS, Columbus Plastic Surgeon)
Put Your Trust in the Physician Not the Procedure
The most important factor when choosing treatment is not the title of the procedure, but the physician you are choosing to perform the treatment. The results come from the skill level of the physician and not the machine itself.
Go in for consultations to meet with the doctor and make sure that you feel comfortable and confident in who is performing your treatment. Another good tip is looking at their work, such as before and after photos of their actual patients.
Some physicians perform the procedure in the office while others take their patients to surgery. Everywhere you go they may do the procedure differently and call the procedure by a different name, which doesn’t necessarily make the procedure better than another.
Again, the determining factor is who is doing the treatment and the results they can give you. (Hannah Vargas, MD, Kansas City Facial Plastic Surgeon)
Tumescent Liposuction Vs. SmartLipo Triplex ~ Which is better?
A common question is which is better? Tumescent liposuction or Smartlipo Triplex. In fact, both procedures are good. – it all depends on the desired results, patient’s body composition, and the skill and experience of the surgeon.
Smartlipo Triplex offers some real benefits in terms of improved skin retraction and that this is a significant component to the quality of the final outcome. Some people are going to benefit from Smartlipo Triplex and some people are going to benefit from tumescent Lipo.
Only when you have a doctor sitting across from you who routinely performs all types of procedures can he/she tell you why one particular method is best for you. A Plastic Surgeon trained in body contouring who not only does liposuction but also tummy tucks/lifts etc. can tell you what will work best and give you the most honest advice.
Having said all of that, I would emphasize that it is the education, training, experience and skill of the surgeon at the end of the liposuction device that will make the greatest difference in your outcome & safety.
There is no substitute for the years of training Board Certified Plastic Surgeons receive in Liposuction. (Arthur M. Cambeiro, MD, Las Vegas Plastic Surgeon)
SmartLipo vs Liposuction: SmartLipo has advantages for the right patient.
A general rule about deciding to have any plastic surgery procedure is do your homework; choose a surgeon that is Board Certified and has experience with the procedure you are requesting. The question of whether SmartLipo is better than Liposuction has been a topic of much debate but I can say confidently that it is NOT just a marketing tool and can offer advantages to patients compared to liposuction alone.
As with any procedure patient selection is paramount to having good results, no procedure is right for every individual. I have been doing Liposuction for almost 17 years and SmartLipo for 7 years and have seen the technology go through now 7 generations of change ending now with the SmartLipo TriPlex with Cellulaze.
When SmartLipo was first FDA approved in November, 2006 it was a single laser, low energy system that worked well but did not always give the expected tightening. This was do to the misunderstanding that it was not the amount of energy delivered to the tissues but rather the temperature achieved that determined final outcome.
Dr. DiBernardo and Dr. Katz published a number of articles showing improved tightening skin tightening with SmartLipo compared to Liposuction alone supporting these statements. The SmartLipo TriPlex uses 3 high powered lasers to melt fat, coagulate blood vessels and tighten skin in the areas being treated.
Liposuction Cannula Types
The improved skin tightening seen with the laser may also reduce the need for additional more invasive skin reducing procedures. This then allows improved results, especially in areas of greater skin laxity like the neck, arms, inner thighs, as well as excellent results in all areas.
The take home message is that in the right patient SmartLipo can definately improve patient outcome. Whether or not that is you lies in the knowledge and experience of the surgeon you choose. (Peter Klainer, MD, FACS, Morehead City Plastic Surgeon)
Liposuction vs. Smartlipo. Which is better?
Actually, Smartlipo (Laser assisted liposuction), Vaser Liposelection (Ultrasonic assisted liposuction), regular liposuction, water assisted liposuction, and power assisted liposuction all have many things in common. These are all different forms of liposuction, but have a few commonalities.
Liposuctioned Fat
First of all, they all require tumescent fluid to anesthetize the tissue and help with bruising. Next, they all encompass liposuction technique to evacuate the fat from the body. The difference is how the fat is treated prior to the suctioning.
One uses laser, one uses ultrasonic energy, the other uses no heat at all. Each of the techniques can work well in the right surgeon’s hands. I would just make sure that whomever treats you to at least confirm he or she is a board certified plastic and reconstructive surgeon. (Joel B. Beck, MD, FACS, Bay Area Plastic Surgeon)
The main difference between smart liposuction and standard liposuction is the use of the laser in smart liposuction to help give more skin tightening. Liposuction is used to removed the excess fat. Certain areas of the body, like between the thighs, has loose skin which may not tighten well on its own.
Smartlipo Triplex Machine
The laser is used to help stimulate new collagen production, and encourage the skin to become smoother and tighter. Many physicians are not trained with the smart liposuction, and are not familar with what it can and cannot do.
Smart liposuction is not a tummy tuck, and cannot give the results of a tummy tuck. However, if done properly, it can be of benefit. I suggest ask to see photos, and ask about real results each surgeon has had. (Connie Hiers, MD, San Antonio Plastic Surgeon)
There is no best. SmartLipo is laser-assited liposuction and the laser is used to melt fat and then treat the undersurface of the skin in an effort to tighten it. This is done before removing the fat.
Tumescent liposuction is just as it sounds, removing (or suction) of fat. There is generally no energy used before removing the fat. What’s “best” depends on what one needs and the skill and comfort of the surgeon performing the procedure.
Be sure to be seen and evaluated by a board-certified plastic surgeon (Asaad H. Samra, MD, New Jersey Plastic Surgeon)
Use a skilled physician
Use the doctor you trust the most. SmartLipo is great in the right hands and most would recommend SmartLipo over tumescent lipo to get the benefits of the laser – faster skin tightening and sometimes an easier fat removal.
Most who have negative comments about Laser Lipo (SmartLipo) do not have a machine and therefore do not want to lose the business. Shop around and trust the doctor you go to. (Michael Gold, MD, Nashville Dermatologic Surgeon)
Which is Better, Tumescent Liposuction or SmartLipo?
Since I have done regular liposuction for 25 years, and then Vaser ultrasonic liposuction, power-assisted liposuction, and SmartlipoTriplex liposuction, I think that excellent results can be obtained with all of them. What I have noticed over the years is that a bad surgeon can get terrible results with all of them, including deformities, burns and disfigurement.
Not very reassuring. The point is that the most important thing about having liposuction is having a highly skilled and conscientious surgeon perform it. I like vaser-assisted and SmartLipo Triplex liposuction better than regular liposuction now, and so that is what I do.
The vaser helps break up and liquefy the fat, it is very efficient for large volumes. The SmartLipo is great for in-office tumescent local anesthetic laser liposuction. But there is a limit to how many areas and volume you can treat at once that is smaller than with ultrasonic or tumescent liposuction under general anesthesia.
Smartlipo Triplex laser liposuction tightens the skin. Regular liposuction does not. So depending on the presenting problem and the patient’s skin and goals for improvement, one of these three methods can give equivalent results. If your doctor gets good results with tumescent liposuction as we all did for years before vaser and SmartLipo, then go with it.
Also, I had the feeling that the doctor that wanted to do the SmartLipo was not a plastic surgeon. Beware. It is the doctor not the machine that gives you the good result. A good plastic surgeon doing SmartLipo is what you want if you choose SmartLipo.
A poorly trained, unskilled or naive doctor in a non-core specialty, like ER, internal medicine, radiology, gyn, is not the equivalent of a board-certified plastic surgeon, and the technology will never make up for that. (Robert M. Lowen, MD, Mountain View Plastic Surgeon)
Is smart lipo better?
Smartlipo involved using laser to liquefy the fat which makes it easier to remove. It is better? It depends on who you ask. The number one determinant of the result you get is the skill of the surgeon, regardless of the type of lipo.
The smart lipo machine is really expensive, about $200,000! guess who pays for it? You do in the form of higher fees. I perform tumescent lipo and I think I get results just a good. The laser, however, is a very good selling point from a marketing standpoint, even though it has not been shown to ultimately give better results, in my opinion. (Ronald J. Edelson, MD, San Diego Plastic Surgeon)