People struggling to lose weight or just stay slim are often spoon-fed a smorgasbord of beliefs and theories that they’re assured will all shed inches off their waistline. They range from fad diets like Beyonce’s crash diet which consisted of drinking a mixture of water, cayenne pepper, and maple syrup as a substitute for regular meals to quirky self-hypnosis techniques that claim to banish sugar cravings. In years gone by there was only one choice for people that wanted a guaranteed quick-fix solution and weren’t concerned about cost, downtime or discomfort. That choice was liposuction but nowadays there are so many forms and variations of liposuction treatments available that it’s no longer such a simple ‘yes’ or ‘no’ decision. Patients have to choose from procedures that also tighten the skin, others allow stem cells to also be taken and injected into other areas of the body, some can remove cellulite and certain treatments have been modified to make them better at dealing with smaller amounts of fatty tissue in delicate areas such as the face or neck.
There’s also totally non-invasive procedures like Vanquish, which uses radio frequency (RF) waves to heat up and kill fat cells without harming the surrounding tissue. Although, non-invasive techniques such as Vaser are not designed to reduce weight, so anyone that needs to also reduce weight must consider one of the many other options that are available.
Vaser is an alternate technology to traditional liposuction. Fatty deposits are removed from beneath the skin to improve the aesthetics of a particular body part, it is particularly good for larger areas where the fat is denser because of there is more connective tissue such as the upper abdomen, posterior hips, and the front of the thighs. The latest generation of Vaser is one of the only liposuction treatments that can remove cellulite.
SmartLipo is actually where laser liposuction began so it also boasts the benefit of experience in the market. It uses laser energy to liquefy fat before it’s removed from the body with a small tube called a cannula. In some cases, the doctor may not remove the fat, but allow it to be absorbed by the body and eliminated naturally. It’s not intended to significantly reduce weight but instead deal with fat that’s been resistant to diet and exercise. Another advantage of SmartLipo is that because it uses a paperclip-thin probe it is minimally invasive it can be performed on very small areas such as the jowls, chin and face without scarring the skin.
Unlike conventional liposuction procedures, Water Jet Lipo uses a slightly pressurized wafer-thin, fan-shaped water-jet to dislodge fat and simultaneously remove the cells. Instead of destroying fat cells, this type of liposuction loosens the fat cells to facilitate more gentle removal. The removed fat can be injected into places where more volume is desired such as the breasts. This procedure can also be used to harvest stem cells which can then be injected into areas of the body such as the face for rejuvenation.
BodyTite uses radio-frequency assisted lipo technology to gently melt and remove excess fat through an incision in an inconspicuous location. Although it sounds extreme, by pre-melting the fat the removal is actually a far less traumatic process, greatly reducing post-procedural pain, swelling and discomfort. At the same time as the fat is being removed, radio-frequency heat is introduced under the skin to boost collagen production that leads to skin tightening. Because of these additional skin tightening benefits the procedure is very popular with women that are experiencing loose skin problems and stubborn fat deposits in the thigh area following pregnancy.
Despite the big breakthroughs and radical developments in today’s procedures, Liposuction is not for everybody so to weigh out the options and understand any possible risks, it is imperative that you have a detailed discussion with a doctor that you know you can trust to ensure that you are making the right choice for your body.
