Laser Liposuction

Laser-assisted liposuction, or the zapping of unwanted fat by directed light energy, is one of the most promising methods of improved fat removal. Traditional liposuction, while effective, is fairly traumatic to the body and can cause a lot of bruising and swelling and usually involves some recovery after surgery.

As opposed to the traditional technique of a hollowed-out cannula insertion, loosening and beating up the fat tissue, and then sucking it out, this mechanical particulation is replaced by the heat of laser energy. Inside the liposuction cannula, fibers carrying laser light deliver their heat to the targeted fat breaking it down into a liquid 'soup' which can be suctioned out. In theory, the heat from the laser also causes the overlying skin to tighten.

As of this date, there are three such laser-assisted liposuction systems available in the United States. They are under the marketed tradenames of SMARTLIPO (Cynosure), COOLLIPO (CoolTouch), and PROLIPO (Sctiton). All of them tout more effective and efficient fat removal, less bruising and swelling after the procedure, a faster recovery, and some skin tightening and improvement in the appearance of cellulite over the treated areas.

The real question is....are they really better than traditional liposuction...and are their increased costs over traditional liposuction worth it? (someone has to pay for the equipment purchase...and that someone is you the patient!) To date, laser-assisted liposuction is tremendously appealing, particularly to the general public. In the past, any medical treatment that included the word, laser, always enamors the public. No clinical trials have yet been reported however, that I have seen, that have ever directly compared any laser-assisted vs traditional liposuction procedure in patients. No clinical trial, large or small, has yet been done that has compared the results of any touted liposuction method in a prospective, controlled clinical study. FDA approval of these devices implies that they are safe for patient use but that does not mean they are necessarily more effective than other liposuction methods.

Much like ultrasonic-assisted liposuction when it was introduced 10 years ago, laser-assisted liposuction may be a popular trend that, in the end, will fare no better. It will undoubtably have its place in liposuction options and armamentarium but I doubt if it is magic or whether it offers a quantum leap forward in patient outcomes and recovery times. It may offer some improvement in fat removal efficiency, but I am truly dubious of overall better outcomes, a much better and faster recovery, and skin tightening (of which I remain the most skeptical)It will take some time to separate the marketing claims from true patient outcomes.

I am enthusiastic about any potential advancement in liposuction surgery, which in its basic form is still a very traumatic procedure to the body. While effective, liposuction is still one of the most 'brutal' procedures that we as plastic surgeons do. Is laser-assted liposuction a better method of liposuction?.....ask me again in 5 years!

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Dr Barry Eppley is a board-certified plastic surgeon at Clarian Health in Indianapolis. To learn more about the latest trends in plastic surgery, spa therapies, or skin care, go to his daily blog, www.exploreplasticsurgery.com .

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