Laser Liposuction & Liposuction Technologies

Frequently Asked Questions About Laser Liposuction

• Is laser liposuction right for me?

  Almost anyone can be a good candidate for laser liposuction. In general, the ideal candidate:

  • Is healthy and gets regular exercise
  • Is within 30 pounds of their ideal body weight
  • Has fat deposits that don’t seem to respond to diet and exercise
  • Has good skin tone with reasonable elasticity
  • Is willing to work at maintaining the great results by keeping fit
• What happens during laser liposuction?

  First, the area to be treated is marked by the doctor while the patient is standing to ensure that trouble spots are clearly defined. This is important as the contour of the body shifts when the patient reclines for the procedure, masking the problem areas the patient sees in the mirror every morning. During the treatment, we make tiny openings and inject a numbing fluid that makes the procedure comfortable, reduces bruising and aids in the removal of the fat deposits. A laser fiber is inserted under the skin to liquefy the fat cells and heat the innermost structures of the skin, providing a noticeable lifting and tightening. Finally, thin suction wands called cannulas are used to remove the liquefied fat cells. Patients are back on their feet quickly, with most returning to work a day or two after the procedure and enjoying the results of the treatment.

• Will my results last?

  Laser liposuction shouldn’t be viewed as a replacement for diet and exercise; rather all three should be seen as partners in success. At Reflections, we believe integrating regular exercise and smart nutritional choices is vital for getting the most out of the procedure and sustaining your results.

• Can I use laser liposuction to jump-start a healthy lifestyle or weight loss?

  Laser liposuction isn’t a weightloss procedure, and those looking to lose a signficant amount of fat should be aware of the limitations of laser liposuction, namely that results are best when isolated to just a few areas, that results are always about improvement over perfection, and that we are limited by the state to a total fat volume per procedure maximum of 5 liters.

  All that having been said, we do believe that starting to feel good about yourself can be a positive catalyst to a lifestyle change – and we believe it because we’ve seen it in our patients. Liposuction is not a substitute for a healthy lifestyle, but it can help motivate you to make some changes and stick with them. The patient shown below took her procedure as a turning point in her life and continued on with a healthy lifestyle for a full year before returning to have another sculpting procedure. As you can imagine, this has been a life-changing transformation for her.

  

• What areas can be treated?

  Laser liposuction can be used to remove fat and improve the contour of the skin all over the body, including the abdomen, love handles, flanks, hips, bra fat, back fat, arm, inner and outer thighs, and under the chin.

• Does laser liposuction hurt?

  Laser liposuction is a well-tolerated and comfortable procedure. The patient is given a mild sedative and relaxes while the area to be treated is gently filled with a tumescent solution, which numbs it from the inside. Once the area is fully desensitized, the laser and suctioning commence. The patient usually relaxes and listens to music or watches videos as the treatment is being performed and experiences little to no discomfort.

• Why choose laser liposuction over traditional liposuction?

  Laser liposuction has the significant advantage of being performed while the patient is awake using a special fluid to numb the treatment area and make the procedure comfortable there’s no need for general anesthesia and the risks that come along with it. Being awake allows the patient to be moved into the ideal position during treatment, which increases safety and the quality of the result sometimes we will even stand a patient up during a procedure to see how the treatment area looks. Another big advantage is the fat melting and skin tightening provided by the laser, which allows for smoother, tighter, and more pleasing results than traditional liposuction methods. There’s also far less bruising, swelling, and downtime with laser liposuction^1,2,3. Traditional liposuction offers no real advantages for the patient.

  Click here to learn more about our unique surgical experience with Comfort Calm Local Anesthesia.

• What happens before the laser liposuction procedure?

  The laser liposuction process starts with a complimentary consultation, where you will discuss your body contouring goals with a physician. If it is decided that laser liposuction is right for you, we will schedule your treatment date. You’ll also be fitted for a compression garment that you will wear once the procedure is completed. In the weeks before the procedure, lab work will be performed to confirm that you have no underlying health issues and that you are a good candidate for the procedure. We always recommend getting a good night’s sleep the evening before the procedure.

• What happens just before and during the procedure?

  Before you enter the treatment room, the doctor will mark the area to be treated with sterile colored markers to use as a roadmap during the procedure and will take a series of photographs. You will be given a mild sedative. You will then lie comfortably on a soft, warm treatment bed and we will use a small needle to inject local anesthesia into the incision sites to be used during the procedure. You may feel a slight pinching sensation, but these injections are generally painless and are often the only discomfort felt during the procedure. Next, the doctor will make a few tiny openings and the treatment area will be filled with a tumescent solution to make it numb. The doctor will then insert the laser fiber and make several passes to liquefy the fat and to lift, smooth and tighten the skin. The fat and tumescent solution will then be suctioned out with small cannulas. Once the procedure is completed, absorbent pads are placed on the incision points and a compression garment is fitted.

• What happens after the procedure? Is there downtime associated with laser liposuction?

  One of the great benefits of laser lipo is how well it fits into today’s busy lifestyle. When the procedure is completed, you will be ready to be driven home. We recommend that you take it easy for the remainder of the day and get a good night’s sleep. A friend or relative must be with you for the first night overnight. Initial post-treatment discomfort is generally mild, similar to the feeling after a hard work out, and is easily controlled with oral medication, usually Tylenol, but a narcotic can be used if needed. Be aware that there will be a moderate amount of pink or red drainage in the first 24 hours post-procedure. This is normal. You will wear a compression garment for a few weeks to aid in the recovery and body contouring process. We also like to schedule a follow-up visit shortly after the procedure to monitor your progress. Any bruising and swelling usually subside in a few weeks. The final result takes shape over several months as the skin continues to tighten long after the procedure has been completed^1,2,3.

• What's unique about the Reflections body contouring center?

  The Body Contouring Center of Reflections is dedicated to one thing: body contouring. The team of experienced physicians and staff will anticipate and understand your every need, from day of consult, to day of treatment. They will be there to guide you through the process of laser liposuction and share in the excitement of your results. Our laser lipo suite was created specifically for laser liposuction, rather than retrofitting the procedure into an existing office, which has become the norm in the region. Patient comfort and safety are the priorities. The main treatment room is spacious and connected to a bathroom and recovery suite for convenience and privacy. We provide our patients with a choice of watching TV or listening to music during the treatment. There is a comfortable waiting area for our guests with television and Internet access as well as a large retail mall nearby. The center in the Martinsville section of Bridgewater is located at the borders between Bridgewater, Basking Ridge and Warren NJ, with easy access from Rt. 78, Rt. 287, and Rt. 22.

• Is laser liposuction right for me?

  One of the most important considerations in whether laser liposuction is right for you is your BMI and weight loss goals (and keep in mind that laser liposuction should not be considered a weight loss surgery). Laser liposuction works best for small pockets of stubborn fat, although some patients with more significant fat can still benefit. It’s most often recommended that you be consistently within thirty pounds of your ideal weight since this means fluctuations won’t negatively affect your results.

• Who shouldn't have laser liposuction?

  Patients are not candidates for laser liposuction if they are pregnant or breastfeeding, have insulin-dependent diabetes, have active or chronic liver disease or hepatitis, have coronary artery disease, unstable hypertension, bleeding disorders, or are on Coumadin/Heparin. Those patients with immune-related disorders such as HIV or are allergic to lidocaine are also not candidates. If its determined you’re not a candidate for laser liposuction, we can offer many noninvasive FDA-approved alternatives such as Liposonix, SculpSure, and CoolSculpting.

• If my skin is too loose for laser liposuction, what are my alternatives?

  Depending on the degree of looseness, options include noninvasive skin tightening technologies such as Exilis, Thermage, VelaShape, or Ultherapy. If noninvasive options aren’t adequate to address the issue, there are surgical options as well. Whatever the case, our physicians will help guide you to the best solution for your particular needs.

• If I want to do multiple body parts, how long do I need to wait between treatments?

  The number of areas that can be treated in one session will be determined by the physicians at Reflections. If multiple sessions are required, we generally recommend waiting one month between body areas to give you an ample chance to fully heal.

• If I plan to have it done shortly, what should I do in preparation?

  Two weeks prior to treatment, you should stop taking any products that can thin the blood, including aspirin (or products containing aspirin}, fish oil, vitamin E, ibuprofen, herbal supplements, and St. John’s wort. If you smoke, you should stop immediately. Also, avoid any crash dieting before the procedure.

• How long should I wait to have laser liposuction after a pregnancy?

  We recommend that you wait four to six months after giving birth before having laser liposuction.

• I'm from out of town, where can I stay?

  Laser liposuction is performed in our Martinsville, New Jersey private cosmetic surgery center, and there are a number of hotels within just a few miles.

• Is laser liposuction painful?

  Laser liposuction has been performed comfortably under local anesthesia since its inception nearly 10 years ago. In fact, laser liposuction was developed with the idea of making a liposuction treatment so comfortable you wouldn’t need to be put under, because physicians knew a large percentage of the risks with liposuction were due to risks of general anesthesia. Little did they know then that local anesthesia offered several other advantages, such as better results, decreased recovery downtime, and decreased risk of complication following the procedure.

  Many patients question how it is possible to be comfortably awake during laser liposuction. We encourage you to watch the video below to get a feel for the procedure experience at Reflections.

  Patients receive both relaxing medications by mouth prior to the surgery as well as numbing injections at the start of the procedure. Only once the entire area is completely numbed does the procedure begin. Because the numbing solution also restricts blood flow to the treatment areas, swelling and bruising are greatly reduced, making for a much easier and quicker recovery afterward. Most patients require no pain medication after the first 24 hours.

• Does laser liposuction hurt?

  Laser lipo is a laser-assisted liposuction technique that helps contour stubborn areas on your body. Even those who are fit and near their ideal weight might have certain areas on their body which do not respond to diet and exercise. This could be the love handles, muffin top, fatty thighs, back fat, or bra roll. Laser liposuction is not a weight loss treatment, but is simply a way to help get rid of fat in these areas. The laser produces heat in order to liquefy fat, which is permanently destroyed and can then be gently suctioned out. There is minimal downtime with the procedure, unlike traditional liposuction techniques which require some additional time off work or school.

  Your laser lipo results also offer the benefit of skin tightening. During your treatment, a numbing agent is used on the treatment area and only a small incision is required. No pain is felt during the treatment and, once the liquefied fat is removed, the incision is closed. You may experience some swelling, bruising, or soreness in the treatment area, but these resolve quickly and on its own in most cases. Most patients report that their laser lipo results are stunning and the recovery time period is much less painful than that of traditional liposuction. Since the laser procedure liquifies the fat before it is removed, the entire procedure is much less traumatic to your body.

  The fat cells you lose during the procedure do not return, and this means that your laser lipo results are permanent. If you gain weight in the future, you will not develop localized fat pockets in the treated area again.

• How many laser liposuction treatments do I need?

  Laser liposuction is used to melt stubborn fat from areas that do not budge, even when our patients follow a healthy and active lifestyle. The melted fat is suctioned out of the body to sculpt the area. Laser liposuction is less invasive than the traditional liposuction procedure since it is gentler and makes use of local anesthesia and smaller instruments. It can be used to sculpt and slim down areas like the abdomen, bra roll, upper arms, waist, chin, flanks, thighs, and hips. The laser energy used during the procedure also means that it stimulates the natural collagen production of your skin, giving you effective, skin-tightening results.
  When you book a consultation with our laser liposuction experts, your surgeon will determine if you are a good candidate after careful evaluation of your body and understanding your goals. When you have about 10 to 15 pounds to lose, you can get optimal results from the procedure. Your laser liposuction results will begin to show within 2 weeks, but you will begin to see your full results over the next 6 months as they keep improving. Usually, one treatment should allow you to experience full results; some patients may see the desired results only after 4 to 6 treatment sessions.
  You may also want to treat multiple body areas during your laser liposuction treatment. Your physician will determine how many areas can be safely treated with one session. In case you require multiple sessions, it is usually advised to wait a month before your next session to give your body significant time to heal.

• How effective is laser liposuction?

  Laser lipo is used to eliminate fat from stubborn areas that do not budge in the face of diet and exercise. If these fatty areas have affected your self-confidence and your appearance, laser lipo is an effective procedure. Laser lipo has enhanced the traditional body contouring procedure, liposuction. Performed under local anesthesia, it also offers a quicker recovery. During the procedure, a thin, fiber optic cable is passed under the skin which uses a laser beam to heat the tissue to 90 degrees and this melts the fat.
  Laser lipo has proven efficacy in reducing fat and tightening skin. When considering laser lipo, you should know that it’s one of the best options for targeting small areas of body fat. The low-level laser that is used for the procedure is also known as cold laser and it offers optimum results when used on patients who have about 10 to 15 pounds of fat to lose. It takes about an hour to treat each area. Most patients see their desired results with just one treatment session. While you may see your laser lipo results within a week of the treatment, they will continue to get better over the next 2 to 6 months. In short, laser lipo helps to remove body fat and is more effective than traditional liposuction.
  Any pain, bruising, or swelling from the procedure is minimal and most patients will also see noticeable firmness in their skin. This effective procedure can be used to contour several body areas like the knees, back, thighs, hips, face, neck, and the abdomen. Depending on the body area being treated, laser lipo cost varies from $2,500 to $5,000.

• Laser liposuction versus Coolsculpting, which is better?

  At Reflections center we offer many different body sculpting procedures, sometimes it can be hard to find the one that is right for you. There is not really a clear answer of what treatment is better, because it changes between patients and their individual goals and concerns. Both the laser liposuction and CoolSculpting treatment are minimally-invasive body contouring procedures.

  Laser Liposuction uses laser heat to break up fat cells then through a small incision, the fat is suctioned out. Laser liposuction is typically performed under local anesthesia, and there are very few side effects, and minimal downtime. Most people return to work in a couple days following the procedure, strenuous activity is usually monitored for a couple weeks following the treatment. Laser liposuction takes about an hour to complete depending on the area and results start to show quickly following the treatment. Many patients only undergo one treatment to get their results.

  CoolSculpting uses intense cold temperatures to crystallize fat cells and destroy them, then your fat cells are naturally eliminated through your body’s processes. This treatment does not require ant anesthesia as it is considered painless, some patients may feel some discomfort during the process. There is no downtime associated with this procedure, most patients go about their normal activities immediately following CoolSculpting. The CoolSculpting procedure takes anywhere between thirty-to-sixty minutes, depending on the area being treated. Results can be seen within two months following the treatment and many patients get multiple treatments to reach their desired look.

  Both procedures have various advantages and disadvantages, by consulting with a doctor at Reflections Center they will be able to help you choose the best procedure for you.