While middle age spread was once considered the norm, we’ve learned in recent years that it isn’t inevitable, and more importantly, isn’t healthy. Consequently, many Americans are working hard to reach and maintain a healthy body weight, getting more exercise and making healthier dietary choices. However, many of those people are frustrated in their pursuit of a trim physique by stubborn pockets of fat that just won’t respond to diet and exercise. Smart Lipo, a less invasive, laser assisted form of liposuction, can improve those problem areas, helping those who have worked hard for a great figure overcome that last stubborn obstacle to achieving that goal.
Smart Lipo: A Flexible and Effective Solution for Stubborn Midlife Fat Deposits
Laser assisted liposuction combines two well-established and effective cosmetic techniques into one advanced face, neck and body sculpting procedure. Like traditional liposuction, it uses a cannula, which is a small hollow tube, to remove fat deposits beneath the skin. However, since the system uses laser technology to liquefy fat before it is extracted, the cannula and the incision necessary to accommodate it are much smaller than those used in traditional liposuction. Laser energy also heats skin tissues during the procedure, promoting increased collagen production to tighten the skin, and cauterizes blood vessels to reduce bleeding and bruising.
Middle age spread, for both men and women, often begins to make its appearance in the form of pesky fat deposits in the chin and neck that lead to the “double chin” look. Since it is done with a micro-cannula, Smart-Lipo offers surgeons the ability to address unwanted fat deposits those delicate areas with a great degree of precision, and the skin tightening effects of the procedure are of particular benefit in the face and neck, enhancing overall results.
For men, midlife often brings a stubborn pocket of paunch that hangs a bit over the belt or those infamous “love handles” that just won’t budge. Women often see localized deposits in the hips, thighs, knees, upper arms or abdomen, despite their best efforts at diet and exercise. Smart-Lipo offers an efficient and effective means of reducing those deposits and tightening the skin surrounding them, often providing smoother, more refined results than traditional liposuction.
The procedure is typically done with the use of local anesthesia, and patients typically are able to resume normal daily activities with two to three days. While some skin tightening is usually evident immediately after the procedure, skin improvements continue to develop for weeks after treatment is complete, as increased collagen gradually remodels skin tissues.
Smart-Lipo is best suited to patients that are in good general health and are close to their desired body-weight, yet have a few areas of localized fat accumulation they would like to remedy. Patients who wish to remove larger amounts of body fat may find traditional liposuction or a combination of both methods more suitable. Dr. Goldberg offers both laser assisted and traditional liposuction to her patients, and will be happy to help you decide which would best serve your individual needs.
Author: Doctor Goldberg is a board certified plastic surgeon located in Southern California. Dr. Goldberg obtained her M.D. degree at Stanford University School of Medicine and is the recipient of the prestigious Fresh Start Research Fellowship from the American Plastic Surgery Education Foundation in 2004. She has presented her research at national meetings and several publications in peer reviewed journals.