When it comes to different types and varieties of liposuction, everyone can put together their own long list of procedures that have one thing in common: sucking out fat from the body with a cannula attached to a suction machine.
Based on the technique and the technology used, liposuction can be divided into the following main categories:
Suction-assisted Liposuction (SAL)
Also known as traditional liposuction, this is the oldest and most conventional type of lipo. Suction-assisted liposuction is used to remove fat from various areas including the abdomen, thighs, arms, back, and waist. However, due to its lack of preciseness, it is not suitable for small areas like under the chin.
The advantages of traditional lipo are its lower cost compared to newer methods of lipoplasty and that it’s been performed for years, so most plastic surgeons are completely familiar with it.
Traditional liposuction has some disadvantages too. The first drawback of traditional lipo is that it causes more bleeding and swelling compared with other types of lipo. The second downside is that controlling the fat removal is more difficult in this technique, which may cause skin dimpling and irregularities after the procedure.
This type of liposuction, unlike most of the newer methods, is usually done with general anesthesia
Tumescent Liposuction
In tumescent liposuction, a sterile solution is injected into the target area to make the fat removal easier and with less severe side effects. The solution, which functions as both a local anesthetic and a tissue-firming liquid, is comprised of lidocaine, epinephrine, and saline.
Lidocaine is a strong anesthetic drug that numbs the treatment area, epinephrine temporarily constricts the blood vessels to reduce bleeding during the procedure, and the saline dilutes the solution.
Tumescent lipo has the advantage of milder bleeding and bruising than the traditional method. It can be done for any area all over the body such as the abdomen, buttocks, arms, back, legs, and neck.
The main advantage of tumescent liposuction is less severe bleeding and bruising and thus a shorter recovery time. It also provides smoother results compared with the traditional technique because it is easier to remove the fat due to the effect of the injected solution.
Tumescent liposuction is also called ‘wet’ liposuction as opposed to ‘dry’ liposuction, which is the traditional suction-assisted method. There is also the newer tumescent lipo called ‘super-wet’ liposuction, which involves injecting an evenly distributed, fast-infused solution with a solution-to-fat ratio of 1:1.
Ultrasound-assisted Liposuction (UAL)
Ultrasound has been used in plastic surgery in general, and liposuction in particular, since the late 1980s. In the UAL approach, high-frequency sound waves are focused on subcutaneous fat, which break down fat cells, making it easier to remove them using suction.
Ultrasonic liposuction is typically done for areas with stubborn fat, like the male chest, neck, back, and outer thighs (saddlebags).
The advantages of ultrasound-assisted liposuction include:
- Removing tough fibrous fat in one session that might otherwise require several sessions in other methods
- More precise fat removal
- Lower chance of damaging surrounding nerves and tissues
- Less bleeding and bruising because the fat is liquefied and required less pressure to suction it
- Shorter recovery time
Ultrasonic lipo has some disadvantages as well. It can cause blisters and burns on the skin due to the high-energy rays. Other side effects of ultrasonic liposuction include blood clots, swelling, numbness, temporary bruising, and a tingling sensation. Also, the ultrasound-assisted liposuction may require a larger incision (for inserting the ultrasound probe) than other lipo types, thus leaving a larger scar in the treatment area.
VASER liposuction
VASER (Vibration Amplification of Sound Energy at Resonance) or VASER lipo is an improved ultrasonic liposuction approach that uses ultrasound energy for minimally invasive liposculpture. The advantages of VASER lipo, as stated by its official website, include:
- Less pain, swelling, and downtime
- Enhanced skin retraction
- Decreased surgeon fatigue
- Treating multiple areas in a single procedure
- Less post-operative discomfort
- Results are seen as early as 1 week with precise sculpting
Laser-assisted liposuction (LAL)
Laser-assisted liposuction, also called laser lipolysis or simply laser lipo, utilizes a laser to break down fat to make them easier to remove. In this procedure, the surgeon inserts a small laser under your skin through an incision to melt fat and then suctions it out with a cannula.
Laser lipolysis is sometimes called by the brand names of the machine that is used for the procedure, such as SmartLipo, LipoControl, LipoLite, ProLipo Plus, and LipoTherme.
Laser liposuction has some advantages over the traditional approach. They include:
- Less downtime and faster recovery
- Precise fat removal
- Suitable for different body areas even unusual areas like the face because of the high controllability
- Tightening the skin
- No need for general anesthesia
The disadvantages of laser lipolysis include:
- It may not be suitable for large areas of fat
- There is the risk of skin burns caused by the powerful laser
SmartLipo
SmartLipo is a type of laser-assisted liposuction in which two different frequencies are used, one for breaking down the fat and the other for tightening the skin and promoting collagen production.
SmartLipo is a new liposculpture approach and one of the most precise methods for lipo contouring. One of the main advantages of Smart lipo is its skin tightening capability, which sets it apart from other types of liposuction. Other advantages of SmartLipo include shorter operation time and fast recovery, which can be as short as a few days.
As for the disadvantages of SmartLipo, they are similar to laser liposuction disadvantages mentioned above, i.e. risk of burns and blistering and its limitations for removing large volumes of fat.
Power-assisted liposuction
Power-assisted liposuction (PAL) is a body contouring procedure that uses a special vibrating cannula to remove unwanted fat from the body. PAL is an innovative body-sculpting technique that obviates the need for strenuous manual work to dislodge fat from its place, resulting in reduced fatigue for the surgeon during the operation and a shorter operation time.
Power-assisted liposuction can be performed alone or in conjunction with other methods such as tumescent, laser-assisted, and VASER lipo. PAL is a precise liposuction technique that offers many advantages, including reduced side effects and recovery time, increased fat removal capability, and less operation time.
PAL may also be referred to as MicroAire by some surgeons, which is a brand name for the machine used for this type of lipoplasty.
Water jet-assisted liposuction (Body-jet)
Water jet liposuction (WAL), often referred to as body jet liposuction or simply body jet, and more technically as ‘aqualipo’, is a new body-contouring procedure that makes use of a water-jet system to apply a pressurized stream of water to the fat cells through the head of the cannula to dislodge them more easily.
Water-assisted liposuction is usually performed with local anesthesia as an outpatient procedure and lasts about 30 to 45 minutes per area. Body jet lipo is also typically performed by injecting a tumescent solution to numb the treatment area and constrict blood vessels to reduce bleeding.
Body jet is a minimally invasive lipo contouring procedure that is a great technique for lipo 360 (all areas around the midsection) with advantages that include fewer side effects, less downtime and fast recovery, and long-lasting results.
Lymph-Sparing Liposuction
Lymph sparing liposuction is aimed at treating lipedema, a condition that causes excess fat deposits in the legs and buttocks, mainly affecting women. Lipedema is a painful fat disorder that causes swelling in the lower body that doesn’t indent when pressured, which is called non-pitting edema. Painful legs, spider or varicose veins, and easily bruising legs are other symptoms of lipedema.
Lymphatic sparing lipo is done to remove lipedema fat tissues using different lipoplasty techniques like tumescent and water jet approaches. Before the procedure, decongestive therapy comprised of lymphatic drainage massage, exercise, and compression is provided to minimize pressure and prepare the patient for safer lipo surgery. Your surgeon usually removes and tightens the excess skin left after the suction procedure to prevent the recurrence of fat accumulation.
