Liposuction is one of the most commonly performed cosmetic procedures, and there are many named methods of liposuction.
VASER stands for Vibration Amplification of Sound Energy at Resonance. It is a method of liposuction that uses sound waves to loosen up dense fat deposits before they are removed. This a form of power assisted liposuction.
Vaser HD – High Definition Vaser Liposuction – is a method of creating muscle shapes out of subcutaneous fat deposits during Vaser Liposuction to give the illusion of an athletic and toned body. Must match the general physique of the patient of course.
Fat Transfer, also called Fat Grafting or Lipofilling is a method of transplanting fat cells removed during liposuction to another part of the body. Most commonly done on the face, but it can also be used for the breasts, buttocks or even to correct defects created by previous liposuction anywhere in the body.
Smartlipo is a method of small area liposuction that gently removes fat deposits from the cheeks, under the chin, the neck, and bra-strap areas. For larger areas, Vaser liposuction would still be the preferred method. This is a form of power assisted liposuction (see below).
For this discussion, I will divide liposuction into either “non-power assisted” or “power assisted” techniques.
This is the “Traditional Liposuction” where fat cells are sucked out of the body by a cannula connected to a suction device. The force of the pump as well as the elbow movements determines how much fat is removed. Large areas can be treated in a short period of time. But an element of exhaustion on the part of the surgeon can sometimes affect the results. Under good hands, the results can be very even and trauma to the surround tissues quite minimal. As with all things, but particularly in liposuction, the learning curve is steep and long. It is easy to do (liposuction is techincally not difficult), but it is hard to do it well.
1. Small incisions are made strategically (usually along creases that conceal the scar) and local anaesthetic is then injected. The Vaser probe is inserted under the skin into the fat layer to deliver ultrasonic waves which loosens up the denser fat selectively. After this, a cannula (hollow tube) attached to a suction pump, is inserted under the skin to drain out the loosened fats.
2. During the Vaser Liposuction procedure, there is usually very little pain because of the local anaesthetic called tumescent anaesthesia. After the anaesthesia has worn off, it sometimes feels like the aches and pains that follow a vigorous workout. For bigger areas, it becomes harder to administer adequate tumescent anaesthesia, and hence we do the procedure in a Day Surgery with an Anaesthetist to administer sedation.
3. Compression garments are applied after the surgery and the patient goes home to rest.
4. Follow-ups are very important. At one week, we will commence on a session of radiofrequency to massage away the swelling. At 3 months, we will have a followup of the final results. Corrections of minor irregularities can be easily done in the clinic. But they are rarely needed.
Doctor’s Note
If a patient is not properly assessed by an experienced aesthetic surgeon prior to the procedure, the removal of fat can lead to poor liposuction outcomes Add-on procedures that prevent these include Bodytite and Facetite
Read more about Liposuction with our add-on skin tightening procedures here
Our Founder
Dr. David Loh founded David Loh Surgery in 2002, during the early days of Aesthetic Medicine. He obtained his Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery from the National University of Singapore and has over 30 years of clinical experience, with more than 20 years dedicated to aesthetics.
Dr Loh is Accredited by MOH to perform liposuction. He is best known as an international trainer for BTX and Dermal Fillers. He has published extensively on injection techniques and the management of serious complications, with one of his papers awarded a Gold Medal by the PRS Global Journal. His contributions to the field include serving as the immediate past President of the Society of Aesthetic Medicine in Singapore.
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