Liposuction – Laser Lipolysis

About Liposuction

Liposuction is a surgical technique used to contour the body by removing excess fat from areas where it stubbornly accumulates despite efforts to achieve ideal body weight. It is not considered a weight loss method but rather a way to achieve a slimmer and more proportionate body shape, sometimes referred to as body sculpting. Traditional liposuction has been used for these purposes since the 1970s, and growing demand for aesthetic improvements has led modern surgery to develop less invasive and effective fat removal methods. This evolution has led to the use of lasers in body sculpting, known as laser lipolysis, which uses heat to melt and extract fat in liquid form, offering patients less pain, faster recovery, and significantly reduced risk of complications. However, in cases of significant excess fat, traditional liposuction remains an indispensable method for achieving optimal results.

What is Liposuction?

Liposuction is a surgical procedure that removes excess fat from parts of the body where it has not been reduced despite diet and exercise.

Typically, these areas include:

• Abdomen and waist
• Legs (thighs, inner knees, calves, and ankles)
• Back
• Upper arms
• Face, chin, and neck
• Chest (in cases of gynecomastia in men)

There are several liposuction methods: traditional liposuction involves extracting fat through small skin incisions using a cannula and vacuum suction.

At our Polyclinic, we categorize the regions treated by this procedure into larger and smaller areas. Larger areas include the buttocks, thighs, calves, back, or arms Smaller areas include the knees and lipomas.

What is Laser Lipolysis?

Laser lipolysis (also known as laser liposuction) is a gentler form of liposuction. It is a minimally invasive procedure that uses laser energy to heat, melt, and remove fat deposits. The advantages of this method are numerous.

Unlike traditional liposuction, which uses a cannula to break up and extract fat cells, causing more tissue trauma, laser lipolysis melts the fat, sparing surrounding tissue, and uses coagulation of small blood vessels to reduce bleeding and hematoma formation. Additionally, the laser’s heating of deep skin layers causes skin contraction, and microtrauma to the skin stimulates collagen production, resulting in firmer and tighter skin (visible after a recovery period of about three weeks). Furthermore, the use of lasers ensures a uniform degradation of fat cells, reducing the risk of skin irregularities often seen with traditional liposuction. This method is also used to improve results after traditional liposuction by smoothing and evening out the skin surface.

How is Liposuction and Laser Lipolysis Performed?

Traditional liposuction is performed under general anesthesia, meaning the patient is completely unconscious and insensitive to pain during the procedure, which can last up to 4 hours depending on the size of the treated area. Small incisions are made in the skin, through which a cannula (a needle with a rounded tip) connected to a vacuum device is introduced. Controlled movements of the cannula break up fat cells and remove them. The procedure ends with the closing of the incisions with sutures and, in some cases, the placement of surgical drains to prevent seroma (fluid accumulation at the site).

Laser lipolysis takes between one to three hours, depending on the size of the treated area, and is performed under local tumescent anesthesia. This involves the application of an anesthetic mixed with a saline solution, increasing its volume and making it suitable for larger areas. This method provides pain relief during the procedure and significantly reduces postoperative discomfort. After the anesthetic is applied, small (about 3 millimeters) incisions are made through which a laser probe is inserted to heat and liquefy the fat cells, which are then suctioned out with a cannula. The incisions are closed with sutures that are removed after 10-14 days.

Who are the Candidates for Liposuction/Laser Lipolysis?

Candidates for fat removal are individuals who, despite proper diet and exercise, are unable to reduce fat volume in specific areas of their body. The general criteria for an ideal candidate are an adult who is:

• Within 30% of their ideal body weight
• Has elastic skin and good muscle tone
• In good overall health (without serious chronic illnesses)
• A non-smoker

Generally, fat removal methods are not recommended for individuals prone to significant fluctuations in body weight and unhealthy lifestyles.

Whether a candidate is suited for traditional or laser liposuction is assessed by the surgeon during consultations, considering the amount of excess fat and the goals you wish to achieve. Traditional liposuction is typically performed for patients with significant excess fat – general anesthesia is more suitable for removing fat volumes greater than 5000 ml.

Depending on the desired appearance, liposuction may sometimes be performed in conjunction with other procedures, such as gynecomastia surgery, abdominoplasty, breast augmentation, etc. There are numerous possibilities for improving appearance, so if you are considering this procedure, a consultation with our surgeon at Polyclinic Sinteza is the first step towards your desired change in appearance. We approach each patient individually to find the best solution and provide optimal aesthetic outcomes with the quickest and easiest recovery.

Risks of Liposuction

Risks of liposuction include rare complications typical of surgical procedures: reactions to anesthesia, increased bleeding and swelling, or infection.

Other potential complications that may arise later include:

• promjena u oChanges in skin sensation in the treated area
• Seroma (fluid accumulation).
• Skin irregularities
• Poor healing and hypertrophic scarring

In very rare cases, deep vein thrombosis, nerve damage, blood vessel damage, or muscle injury can occur.

Laser lipolysis, being a less invasive and gentler method than traditional liposuction, significantly reduces the risk of these complications. However, complications related to anesthesia reactions, increased bleeding, swelling, or infection can still occur.

Preparation for Liposuction/Laser Lipolysis

Preparation for traditional liposuction, performed under general anesthesia, involves the usual preoperative steps, which include:

• Laboratory blood tests, ECG, and anesthesiologist consultation (chest X-ray and internal medicine consultation depending on age)
• Showering with antibacterial soap the day before and on the day of the procedure
• Fasting for 8 hours before the procedure
• Removing jewelry and nail polish from hands and feet before the procedure

For laser lipolysis, some of these steps may not be necessary if performed under local anesthesia; detailed instructions are provided during the consultation with the surgeon.

For both procedures, it is advisable to:

• Discontinue blood-thinning medications (such as Andol, Aspirin) and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (such as Brufen, Voltaren, Ketonal) two weeks before the procedure

Recovery from Liposuction/Laser Lipolysis

In the first week after the procedure, mild pain and swelling in the treated area are expected. Return to work and usual light activities is expected after 2-3 weeks, with more intense physical activities allowed only after 6 weeks.

After laser lipolysis, the postoperative course is lighter and faster with minimal discomfort, requiring only 1-3 days of rest. Light exercise can resume after one week, and more intense physical activities after 2 weeks.

After both methods, a medical compression garment should be worn for about 3-4 weeks.

Results from liposuction are visible immediately after the procedure, with gradual improvement over the following two months. The results are considered permanent because the removed fat cells do not tend to regenerate in adults, although a significant weight gain can cause fat deposits in untreated areas.

Postoperatively, all patients at Polyclinic Sinteza receive necessary analgesics, antibiotics, dressings for the first few days, as well as showering products and scar creams.

Cost of Liposuction

Check the current price list for the procedure cost. For more information, contact us at the phone number or via email: info@sinteza.hr. For direct appointments for consultations, click on the link.

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