When Diet & Exercise Aren't Working, We Can Help You Shed Belly Fat.

The original form of liposuction, which we will refer to as “traditional liposuction”, was done by inserting a cannula (or metal tube) into the area to be treated, suctioning excess fat out of the body under very high levels of negative pressure. This technique, which required the use of general anesthesia and an overnight hospital stay, sometimes caused excessive trauma to the tissues, intense blood loss, nerve damage, tissue death, intense pain, and long periods of downtime. Dr. Jeffrey A. Klein, a dermatologic surgeon, invented the tumescent technique for liposuction, forever revolutionizing the procedure.

Unlike “traditional lipo”, tumescent liposuction is performed right in the physician’s office, using only local anesthesia. A large volume of tumescent liquid (a saline solution mixed with anesthetics) is injected into the body area being treated. The area to be treated becomes engorged with fluid (swollen), which creates more room between the skin and the subcutaneous tissue, helping to separate the fat cells, allowing the cannula to move more easily through the fat. Since its inception, tumescent liposuction has established an excellent safety profile.

In addition, we no longer use the large, cumbersome cannulas used in old-fashioned liposuction, which created much more tissue trauma and led to the subsequent post-op difficulties noted above. We now use “micro-cannulae”, which are much smaller, allowing for less invasive, less traumatic procedures for a faster return to normal activities.

Tumescent liposuction and the use of micro-cannulae, have allowed liposuction to become the safe and reliable treatment that it now is. This improvement provided a huge leap forward in the cosmetic surgery industry. Over the last ten years, the industry has exploded with a variety of brand names and different energy sources used to help break up the fat when performing tumescent liposuction.

Although minimally-invasive liposuction is ideal for patients who maintain a healthy lifestyle, this procedure can produce results for a wider range of patients than CoolSculpting®. Performed in the office using local anesthesia, liposuction procedures do involve some discomfort and downtime (typically 2-5 days depending on volume of fat removed). However, most patients only require one procedure in the area being treated, so even though the investment in downtime is initially greater than with CoolSculpting®, there are no additional treatments needed. Results are visible sooner than with CoolSculpting®, although patients will continue seeing results over the course of 3-6 months after treatment. As with CoolSculpting®, liposuction is not a weight loss solution, and long-term results will only be maintained if the patient is dedicated to living a healthy lifestyle.

The final results of any liposuction procedure depend on factors such as the elasticity of your skin, how well you heal, and the skill and knowledge of the surgeon performing the procedure. No matter what liposuction procedure you are considering, the tool and energy source is not nearly as important as the surgeon holding it.