Liposuction
A discussion about liposuction in general
Liposuction, one of the most commonly performed cosmetic procedures, can be divided into either "non-power assisted" or "power assisted" techniques.
Non-Power Assisted
This is the "Traditional liposuction" where fat cells are sucked out of the body by a large tube connected to a high pressure pump. The force of the pump as well as the elbow movements determines how much fat is removed. Fats come out in clumps - hence lumpiness is common and skin retraction is poor.
Large areas can be treated in a short period of time. But the forceful elbow actions inevitably pull out some blood vessels, muscle fibres and nerves. Recovery time for traditional liposuction is quite something else.
Power Assisted
There are many power-assisted liposuction techniques. Some use a vibrating tip, while others use a jet of water or ultrasound. All with the aim of easing the surgeon's job of having to suck out large areas of fat.
Second generation machines incorporate mechanised tips to assist in liposuction. Third generation machines add one more step between the anaesthesia and the suction. It breaks up the fat either with a jet of water or with ultrasound like in VASER before the loosened fat is sucked out.
Our system, the VASER is the third generation power-assisted liposuction technique that selectively loosens up fat deposits prior to suction. VASER uses high-frequency sound waves to do this. The loosening up of fats makes the job of sucking out large areas easier. As such, there is less force needed during suction and hence less trauma to the surrounding tissues. Recovery time is only a fraction of that of traditional liposuction.
The precision of the VASER probes also means that it can even be used to treat very close to the skin for skin retraction. This allows loose skin to tighten up after VASER. This ability to remove fats close to the skin also gave rise to hi-def VASER.
Smartlipo is also a third generation liposuction technique. But it is in a class of its own because the fat cells are actually destroyed, albeit very slowly and very little. With the fat cells destroyed, there is actually no need for suction anymore. In its purest form, no suction is needed. The destroyed fats are absorbed into the lymphatic system. When suction is applied after Smartlipo, it is actually a hybrid "Smartlipo/Traditional Liposuction."
THE TUMESCENT TECHNIQUE
This is NOT another technique of liposuction. It is an anaesthesia technique that is widely used in traditional and power-assisted liposuctions. By infusing a solution containing xylocaine, adrenaline and buffered saline into the areas to be treated, the anaesthesia can also minimize bleeding. Very large area of fat can then be treated only under sedation. The tumescent technique gave rise to Office-Based Liposuction. Liposuction in a clinic setting as opposed to having it done in an operating theatre. But Tumescent Anaesthesia is so good at reducing bleeding that even liposuction done in operating theatres and under GA, use it.
Read more on VASER
Read more on high-def VASER
Watch our YouTube Video on Vaser LipoSelection
For more information on the Liposuction options, call us (+65) 6733 5300