Compare traditional liposuction with its 21st century counterpart, Smart Lipo.
One way to compare the traditional liposuction procedure with today’s procedure Smart Lipo is to look at the key areas where they differ, areas that you as a patient should be aware of.
General or local anesthesia
First and foremost is the most immediate difference, how is the procedure done: under general or local anesthesia?
- For the more invasive procedures such as liposuction and breast augmentation a general anesthesia or heavy IV sedation is used. This requires that the patient be unconscious. And be admitted to a hospital or same day surgery center for the procedure.
- With Smart Lipo only local tumescent anesthesia is required. For most patients this means a visit to their physician’s office for the procedure. The patient remains awake and alert.
Pain
Another major concern for any patient is that of pain. “Will I be in pain, and if so, for how long” is a typical question posed to the physician. This is a completely legitimate question and should be asked.
- Patients choosing traditional liposuction surgery done under general anesthesia can expect 3 to 14 days of mild to moderate pain. This discomfort is usually addressed by prescribing pain medication.
- For patients selecting Smart Lipo seldom encounter post procedure pain. They enjoy an easy recovery. Most patients are able to return to normal activities immediately or within a few days. All this without the need for potentially dangerous prescribed pain medication.
Recovery Time
A third question is about recovery time. “How long can I expect to be out of commission?”
- Here again the traditional liposuction treatment requires a long recovery. 1-2 weeks time off from work. Patients are often unable to return to full activities for several weeks.
- With the 21st century technology used in a Smart Lipo procedure you can expect a return to normal activities the same day. Certainly no longer than 2 – 3 days.
Scarring
A major concern for many patients is that of scarring. If a goal of undergoing a fat removal and body contouring procedure is to look good, especially in a swim suit, then you need to know about scarring.
- Traditional liposuction requires an incision ranging anywhere from very small to several inches. And the scarring from this procedure is permanent.
- With today’s method incorporated into Smart Lipo there are no unsightly scars. In fact, most patients cannot identify any scars 12 months after the procedure.
The Final Outcome
What can you, as a patient, expect as the final outcome to your fat removal procedure? Here again let’s compare the two methods:
- Traditional liposuction requires the use of larger instruments. This often leads to a higher risk of contour and skin irregularities.
- With Smart Lipo you’ll see smoother results with most patients seeing increased skin retraction and tighter tone.
Costs
An all important question is that of cost. How do the two procedures compare in cost?
- You can expect a much higher cost with traditional liposuction surgery. This is due to the costs of anesthesia as well as the expenses incurred from either a hospital or same day surgery center.
- Here again the cost of the Smart Lipo procedure is usually less than any other method. You don’t have anesthesia or facility charges to pay. You’re in and out the same day.
Risks
Finally, there is the matter of risk. While all invasive procedures have a degree of risk it is important for you to know just what those risk factors are. Before doing this type of procedure your physician will review with you what is called an informed consent agreement. In that agreement are the risk factors you may encounter. Here is some of what you’ll read about.
- There can be significant complications possible with traditional liposuction. These include anesthesia reactions, organ puncture, infection, blood clots, severe hematomas, and contour irregularities.
- Smart Lipo has an extremely low rate of complications as documented in medical literature. No direct deaths have been reported from the use of this procedure.
