Smartlipo Liposuction

Click here to get SmartLipo treatments.  One of the most exciting developments in the field of body sculpting was announced in early November when the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved SmartLipo, a new LaserBodySculpting procedure that enables plastic surgeons to use a high-powered laser to reduce fat cells and is far less invasive than traditional liposuction treatments.

 

Developed by Cynosure, Inc., the SmartLipo laser is introduced into the skin through a small cannula, or tube, that is only one to two millimeters in diameter. As in conventional liposuction, the cannula is moved back and forth and the laser turns fat deposits into an oily substance that is absorbed and eventually eliminated through the body’s lymphatic system.

 

Doctors who have used SmartLipo, the first-ever laser-assisted lipolysis device available in the U.S, are impressed with the new technology. They say their patients experience less swelling, bleeding and bruising — mainly because the laser immediately seals small blood vessels. Stitches are not required and there is little scarring. Post-operative results are evident within a week and continued improvement is seen over several months.

 

In addition, treatments can usually be performed in one 45-minute session under local anesthesia, enabling the patient to more rapidly resume a normal lifestyle. Patients are required to wear compression garments after the procedure for a period of time depending on the area of treatment.

 

Although it is not a substitute for traditional liposuction, SmartLipo is ideal for treating smaller areas with localized fat deposits — such as the face, neck, arms and breasts — that cannot be reduced through exercise or diet. SmartLipo is also very effective for treating loose and hanging skin. Patients in good health with normal body weight are good candidates for the procedure, which costs from $3,000 to $5,000.

 

Patients will also be pleased to know that SmartLipo produces lasting effects by permanently removing fat deposits. Adults do not create new fat cells. When people gain weight, their fat cells expand and are deposited into areas that have not been treated with laser-assisted liposuction.

 

Cynosure Chairman and CEO Michael R. Davin, whose company owns exclusive North American distribution rights for SmartLipo, indicated that the product will be launched in 2007. At first, Davin said, the company will be training only 15 leading plastic surgeons in the use of SmartLipo.

 

Cynosure, manufacturers of an array of non-invasive aesthetic treatment systems, is hoping to capitalize on a rapidly growing market. In 2005, according to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, nearly a half-million liposuction procedures were performed in the U.S., making it was the most popular cosmetic surgery among both men and women.