Liposuction Glossary

SmartLipo MPX

Uses laser to heat up and liquefy fat cells, making it easier and less traumatic to permanently remove fat with light suction. This procedure is performed under local anesthesia and with a cannula that is much smaller than those used for traditional liposuction, incisions are so small that they don’t require a stitch and scars are nearly undetectable once healed. As an added benefit, the laser tightens the overlying skin. And because the laser also seals off blood vessels, there is less bleeding, swelling and bruising, resulting in a quicker recovery time, and patients can be back to work in a day or two.

Split-session Liposuction

While Mega liposuction removes all available fat in one session, Split Session liposuction involves two or three smaller sessions on separate days. Split sessions usually take place a month apart to allow the body to recuperate. Even when combined, the risks of split sessions are usually less than a Mega liposuction.

Super-Wet Liposuction

This is usually considered the preferred technique for high-volume liposuction as it better balances hemostasis and the potential for fluid overload. It may require either intravenous sedation in addition to the local lidocaine or even general anesthesia.

Thermage

Cosmetic procedure that uses radio frequency energy to heat the deeper layers of the skin in a controlled way, promoting a healing response in the underlying tissues that give the skin its support. This healing response is accomplished via the stimulation of increased collagen production and remodeling, and results in tighter, firmer, and smoother skin in the treated area.

Tumescent Liposuction

Tumescent, meaning swollen or ballooned, refers to the enlarged appearance of the tissues due to a large volume of fluid pumped into the target fat before and during the removal procedure. Tumescent Liposuction is also known as the Klein Method, after the California dermatologic surgeon who invented it in the 1980s. The tumescent fluid (also known as Klein Solution) contains sterile dilute salt water, adrenaline (to reduce bleeding), lidocaine (a numbing medication) and bicarbonate (to reduce the acidity of the IV to reduce discomfort). Recently, surgeons have also used a small amount of triamcinolone, a hydrocortisone anti-inflammatory medication to reduces post-operative soreness. Tumescent Liposuction is considered to be one of the safest and most effective form of liposuction, as it enables the surgical instruments to pass through the skin and tissue with less pain, trauma and bleeding.

Ultrasonic Liposuction

A form of liposuction in which high frequency vibrations created by an ultrasound generator shake the cannula. This vibration breaks the fat cell walls, effectively liquefying the fat for more efficient suctioning. While ultrasound-assisted liposuction techniques used in the 1980s and 1990s were often associated with tissue damage (usually a result of excessive exposure to the ultrasound energy), no serious complications have been reported in more than 70,000 procedures performed with the newer, third-generation “Vaser Lipo” device.

Houston Liposuction Glossary Cont’d…

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