The Different Types of Liposuction

If you have too much body fat that is hard to shift with a healthy diet and exercise, you may be interested in having liposuction. Although the umbrella term of liposuction is used, there are different types of liposuction procedures available. To help you figure out which might be best for you, we are going to discuss what is involved in each different type of liposuction, discussing the pros and cons of each.

What is liposuction?

Often referred to as lipo for short, liposuction is a special body-contouring treatment that is designed to remove unwanted fat that is hard to remove with just exercise and diet alone. What you will find is that although the ultimate goal of all forms of liposuction is the same, there are various types of lipo available.

How does liposuction work?

As noted above, lipo is a technique that has been designed to remove small areas of body fat that are hard to remove. The most common areas where people tend to have liposuction are the arms, back, ankles, calves, knees, inner thighs, bottom and stomach. Depending on the form of liposuction you choose to have, it can be performed while you are under either a general or a local anaesthetic to help reduce the pain, swelling, bruising and bleeding. Cannulas, special needles, are used to shift fat cells and help with sculpting and contouring your body.

How much weight can you lose with liposuction?

The important thing to note before we answer this question is that although some weight is lost through liposuction, it is not a weight-loss treatment. Instead, the focus of liposuction is on contouring your body to give it a more sculpted and defined appearance. It is possible, though, to lose a couple of kilograms of unwanted weight through the actual physical removal of the fat.

Who is Best Suited for Liposuction?

Generally, people who are most suitable for liposuction are those who have tried healthy eating and regular exercise, but still have stubborn fat that they have not lost. There is a common misconception about liposuction that we want to set straight – liposuction is not for people who have large amounts of body weight to remove. In most cases, people who are very overweight would not be deemed suitable for liposuction.

Although it is best to speak to one of our team here at Linia Cosmetic Clinic about liposuction and your suitability for the procedure, here are some things we generally look for in patients:

Age 18 years or older

Body mass index or BMI of less than 30 (Find out what your BMI is)

Mentally and physically healthy

Do not have unreasonable expectations about the results that can be achieved with liposuction

What are the different types of liposuction?

Suction-Assisted Liposuction 

As suction liposuction, often simply referred to as traditional liposuction, is the default option and oldest form of the procedure, it is likely to be the one you imagine when you think of the treatment. With this type of lipo, after the plastic surgeon has administered a general anaesthetic (although it is possible to have suction liposuction with just a local anaesthetic, a higher percentage of patients require a general), they will then start making small incisions. These small incisions are made on the areas where the unwanted fat has to be removed.

They then use a hollow needle, known as a cannula, to slide into the incisions to suction out the unwanted fat cells. This form of lipo can be used to remove unwanted fat from a variety of different body parts such as the arms, back, abdomen, legs, thighs, and bottom. As it is not as precise as other forms of liposuction, it is not the best option for smaller areas like under the chin.

The biggest advantage of suction liposuction is the price; it is the least expensive option and is considered one of the safest because it is the oldest technique. However, it is important to note that various disadvantages come with traditional lipo. It causes more bruising and bleeding than other types and is much harder to control, which can cause more dimpling, lumpiness and other kinds of imperfections. Furthermore, people tend to need more than one treatment to achieve the results they desire.

The very fact that it needs to be carried out while you are under a general anaesthetic means there are further complications and potential side effects.

Ultrasound-Assisted liposuction(UAL) and Vaser Liposuction (VAL)

Another incredibly popular option, one that is less invasive than other types of lipo is Vaser lipo. This uses a local anaesthetic and can be performed as a walk-in procedure. Ultrasound is used to liquefy the fat and then it is removed using a needle. The ultrasound utilises high-frequency sound waves to produce the energy needed to dissolve unwanted fat cells. generates heat that breaks up your fat cells to make it easy for them to be removed. As the energy from the ultrasound encourages your skin to retract much quicker, you can benefit from a faster recovery with this technique. As it is less invasive there is a lot less swelling and bruising with this form of lipo especially compared to traditional liposuction.

Laser-Assisted Liposuction (LAL)

As you may have guessed from its name, laser-assisted liposuction involves the use of a laser to help break down the fat cells into liquid so that they can be removed through a cannula. For Laser-assisted liposuction, the powerful laser probe is inserted into the suction cannula. Epinephrine and anaesthetic are used to help with the pain and any subsequent bleeding. The benefits of using a laser to remove unwanted fat are the reduced recovery time of approximately a month, and the fact that because the laser probe is very small, only a very small cannula is required to suction the liquified fat. This means only small incisions need to be made that are likely to heal quicker and less likely to leave a scar.

The lasers are also very easy to navigate and control, making this kind of liposuction particularly precise. One of the key things about this procedure is that any liquified fat that is not removed is simply absorbed back into the body. The laser also helps tighten the skin.

The major drawback of this form of liposuction, however, is that it comes with a risk of burns or thermal injuries. Therefore, if you decide that laser-assisted liposuction is right for you, you must make sure you choose a skilled and experienced plastic surgeon to carry out the treatment.

Tumescent Liposuction 

Tumescent liposuction is a very effective form of lipo that can be performed while under a local anaesthetic as it is normally used for small areas of the body. To begin the procedure, the plastic surgeon will inject you with a special diluted anaesthetic solution to make the area that needs to be worked on swollen and numb. This is known as a tumescent anaesthetic, and that is where it gets its name. The pre-injection of the tumescent solution makes the process of removing body fat a lot easier and also helps to reduce potential risks of bruising and bleeding. The next stage of the process involves the surgeon making incisions in the areas of the body the treatments target and they use smaller diameter cannulas to remove the unwanted fat.

Tumescent liposuction is the procedure used when you opt for MicroLipo and can help avoid excessive swelling and bruising associated with other forms of lipo. As there is no use of heat in this technique, there is less chance of you suffering skin burns and there is also less chance of other complications like wavy, rippling, and asymmetry skin.

Power-Assisted Liposuction (PAL)

Power-assisted liposuction, also referred to as PAL Lipo for short is similar to traditional liposuction, with one major difference. It uses a special powered cannula. The powered cannula vibrates very quickly, around 5,000 times a minute and this helps to loosen up and break down the fat cells before the traditional vacuum suction is used. It is considered to be a much gentler form compared to traditional liposuction. Another huge benefit that comes from the fact the procedure is gentler is the fact that recovery is quicker.

PAL lipo is particularly useful for removing fat from different areas where it tends to be more stubborn such as the flanks and back. This technique is also excellent for gynecomastia removal and male breast reduction procedures.

Speak With One Of Our Expert Surgeons to Decide Which Type of Liposuction Is Best For You

If you are interested in having liposuction but are not sure which liposuction procedure is right for you, contact Linia Cosmetic Clinic today. We can arrange a free consultation appointment with one of our highly trained and skilled plastic surgeons who will be able to talk you through your options. You don’t need to live with stubborn body fat anymore – with our help you can have the body you have always dreamed of with our fat removal and body contouring treatments.

Posted In: Body Treatments Blogs

Written By: Dr Khalid Irshad