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Traditional liposuction involves a surgeon making incisions in the targeted area, inserting a metal tube known as a cannula through the incisions, then physically moving the cannula back and forth to loosen and break up the unwanted fat. Freeing the fat is a necessary step in liposuction, because fat cells do not float freely in the body like balloons. Instead, they are fixed in place, where they hold onto their contents as stored energy. Manually breaking the cells apart by battering them with a cannula is effective, but unfortunately causes trauma the leads to bruising, swelling, pain, and lingering soreness as the body takes weeks and months to heal after.
LipoLift™ makes use of a different liposuction strategy—known as laser lipolysis—to free the fat for removal. Only a tiny incision, about the size of a cocktail straw, is made in the treatment area. The physician then inserts a small laser, which rapidly heats the fat cells with a focused beam of powerful light. The heat disrupts the cell membranes, essentially “popping” them and freeing the fat inside. This liquefied fat can then be suctioned out via a micro-cannula inserted through the incision.
Laser lipolysis is a much gentler approach than traditional liposuction because the fat is not being removed aggressively. This means only local anesthesia is required. This is a further benefit to patients, since the general anesthesia typically required for traditional liposuction carries more risks and can cause numerous side effects before it fully leaves the system. Using local anesthesia means no down time is required. Minimal bruising and swelling is to be expected, although not as significant as traditional liposuction.
The Aesthetic Medicine team strives to make every patient’s experience as comfortable as possible on their path to beautiful, customized results. Safety and patient satisfaction are as important as the ultimate effect of any procedure—including minimally invasive liposuction.
Before deciding on laser lipolysis, we will meet with you for a personalized consultation. You will meet with a medical provider and have a complete medical history and physical performed in order to ensure you are a good candidate for a LipoLift™, health-wise. We will perform an electrocardiogram and a blood workup, answer any questions you may have, and together determine whether minimally invasive liposuction is the best choice for you. You will speak with a wellness consultant, and we can also discuss your personalized quote and financing options.
If you want minimally invasive liposuction and have a BMI greater than 40, a history of blood clots or clotting disorders, diabetes with an A1C greater than 7.5, unmanaged hypertension, cardiovascular disease, a pacemaker, an abdominal hernia, or cancer, we may need to consider other possible options for achieving the body sculpting results you are seeking.
Patients who are good candidates for laser lipolysis will then have their payments processed, and we will schedule the procedure. You will receive a call two to three days before your procedure so we can go over pre-op instructions and answer any additional questions you may have about the minimally invasive liposuction procedure.
The day of your LipoLift™ surgery, you will meet with Dr. Amie Zawacki prior to your procedure, and she will mark the areas targeted for fat reduction (this is to confirm the areas being treated), take photos (for your “before” images), and assess you once again to be sure everything is as safe as possible.
Before making any incisions, we will infuse the treatment area with tumescent anesthesia to reduce sensation. You will remain awake throughout the laser lipolysis procedure—and you have the option to also take a prescribed oral sedative, such as Xanax, to further minimize discomfort. We also offer Pro-Nox™, which is an FDA-approved patient-directed 50/50 blend of nitrous oxide and oxygen to manage discomfort.
Your physician will then make tiny incisions, each one carefully positioned to camouflage or minimize scarring, and insert the laser lipolysis device. At Aesthetic Medicine, we use the SlimLipo device made by trusted manufacturer Palomar for all minimally invasive liposuction procedures.
Once the fat cells are disrupted by the laser light that gently passes back and forth in the treatment area, your physician will insert a micro-cannula and suction out the liquified fat.
Each incision is about the same diameter as a cocktail straw. Because they are small, they do not require sutures for closure, and they should heal without any significant scarring.
Unlike traditional liposuction, patients who choose laser lipolysis generally only need about a day to recover. Wearing a compression garment for the next month will help to maximize results. We also recommend routinely wearing Spanx for a few more months. The compression garment is imperative to getting optimal results. Lymphatic drainage can be used to help achieve maximum results.
Every patient will receive a care package that is tailored specifically to all your after-care needs.
Patients who want to enjoy more youthful facial contours can choose the MiniFaceLift™, which is a minimally invasive procedure for elevating sagging tissues, tightening loose skin, reducing wrinkles and fine lines, and more.
In addition to minimally invasive liposuction—which has a skin-tightening effect thanks to the laser lipolysis approach—Aesthetic Medicine also offers BodyTite and FaceTite, which use radiofrequency energy to liquefy fat for removal. Other body contouring options include radiofrequency- and ultrasound-powered Exilis for tightening skin and reducing cellulite, VANQUISH ME for reducing fat and tightening skin with radiofrequency energy, and other cellulite treatments.
Talk to us about what approach—from laser-assisted liposuction to RF-powered skin tightening to a combination of treatments—would be best for you based on your goals.
During your scheduled consultation, you will have the opportunity to speak with both a Wellness Consultant and a Medical Provider who will address your expectations and assess the specific areas of your body that you wish to treat. The Medical Provider will also evaluate your medical history to determine your suitability for the procedure. To provide you with a better understanding of the expected outcome, we will present you with before and after photos of patients who have undergone the same procedure, showcasing the Physician’s techniques. Lastly, during the consultation, we will review the quote and go over any financing options available to you.
Once this is completed, all of your payments will be processed if you are a candidate and you are interested in moving forward. You will be scheduled for your history and physical to be done before your scheduled procedure. Our practice has taken additional measures during the COVID-19 pandemic, and all our patients will be screened for antibodies IGG and IGM. This measures whether you’ve previously been exposed to/contracted COVID or if you have current active antibodies. This is the first part of your history and physical, we will come out to your car with a quick and easy finger poke, and we wait 15 minutes to get the results. Once confirmed negative, we will bring you into our clinic for the remaining history and physical. All patients will also be screened for any COVID symptoms the day before an appointment. We will also take yours before photos that will be put into your medical chart. You will also meet with the physician in person to physically assess you further.
Our medical assistant or nurse doing your history and physical will go over all aspects of the procedure, including aftercare. A few days before your procedure, you will receive a call going over your before care instructions and answering any last-minute questions you may have. We can’t wait to see your results!
Once this is completed, if you are a candidate and you are interested in moving forward, all of your financial paperwork will be processed. Then you will come to the office, and your blood work and EKG will be completed for the physician to review before your history and physical. Your before photos will be taken for your clinical chart records, and your appointment will be scheduled. Then before the procedure, a physician or nurse practitioner will perform a complete history and physical. If at that time it is determined that you are not a candidate, you will receive a full refund and will not be charged for the blood work, EKG, or history and physical.
Each patient must do their due diligence and research before undergoing any procedure. We will educate you on the many options you have, review your expectations for results, and guide you through your aesthetic journey.
Liposuction, also known as Lipoplasty, is most commonly used in minimally invasive surgical procedures to remove excess fat, body sculpting, and contouring. Liposuction is one of the most popular cosmetic procedures performed and grows.
At Aesthetic Medicine, we utilize what is known as Laser-Assisted Liposuction or LAL. This procedure is a laser device that gently melts the fat, the laser tightens the skin, and a mechanical/clinical vacuum device is used to suction out the fat. This technique is favorable because it is gentle, thus causing less downtime and faster recovery. Local and oral anesthesia is used for this procedure. The local infiltration with lidocaine anesthesia is used to numb the area being treated while the patient is awake. An oral anesthetic, such as Xanax, is prescribed and taken before the procedure. This oral sedative is optional.
The specific device we use for Laser Lipolysis is the SlimLipo laser by Palomar, which we believe to be a superior device for many reasons given our experience. The incisions are tiny, about the size of a cocktail straw, do not require suturing, and heal without significant scarring.
This procedure is relatively benign, quick, and effective at eliminating unwanted subcutaneous fat. Typically only one day is required to recover. A compression garment is then worn for three weeks to maximize results, and Spanx are recommended for a few months after. People have different kinds of fat, and understanding the different types will help you set and manage your expectations for expected results.
Regardless of the method, any lipo procedure can only address subcutaneous fat.
The specific device we use for Laser Lipolysis is the SlimLipo laser by Palomar, which we believe to be a superior device for many reasons given our experience. The incisions are tiny, about the size of a cocktail straw, do not require suturing, and heal without significant scarring.
This procedure is relatively benign, quick, and effective at eliminating unwanted subcutaneous fat. Typically only one day is required to recover. A compression garment is then worn for three weeks to maximize results, and Spanx are recommended for a few months after. People have different kinds of fat, and understanding the different types will help you set and manage your expectations for expected results.
Regardless of the method, any lipo procedure can only address subcutaneous fat.
Subcutaneous Fat is the jiggly fat visible underneath the skin.
Visceral fat is fat that surrounds the organs. This is not visible from the outside.
Subcutaneous Fat is the jiggly fat visible underneath the skin.
This is the fat we can remove. To help you visualize any fat on top of the muscle, we can go after it. Anything underneath the muscle is only removed through weight loss.
Visceral fat is fat that surrounds the organs.
This is not visible from the outside. This cannot be treated with any variation of lipo.
To help you visualize any fat on top of the muscle, we can go after it. Anything underneath the muscle is only removed through weight loss.
The main contraindications for this specific procedure would be:
All of this will be reviewed during your consultation and your history and physical.
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