Laser Liposuction and Traditional Liposuction Risks

Many people turn to laser liposuction to remove small pockets of fat cells that just won't go away with exercise and dieting. Laser liposuction is considered much lower risk than traditional liposuction simply because it is nearly the same procedure with different tools and on a smaller scale. The smaller scale is what allows most of the possible complications of liposuction surgery to be mild and therefore not as dangerous. There are risks involved with any type of surgery and any surgery is a serious matter that must be considered carefully before proceeding. Also, liposuction is a way of toning areas of the body and by no means should be part of anyone's weight loss strategy. It is not a solution for obesity and should never be considered as such. Following proper procedures and precautions will minimize the risks that could arise during and after liposuction.

Some complications attributed to liposuction surgery are really minor laser liposuction risks for patients because everything is done to a smaller scale. One of the areas that are always a risk with any procedure is the administration of anesthesia. Since laser liposuction only requires the patient to receive local anesthesia, as opposed to general anesthesia for traditional liposuction, those risks are minimized as well. The minor risks following the procedure include skin irregularities, hematomas and seromas, hyper pigmentation, and swelling of the legs and ankles. These are usually avoided with proper clean up procedures after the surgery that includes proper drainage of the area that has been treated.

Skin Irregularities

Our bodies were designed with fat cells for a reason and that is to act as a store of energy. When too many fat cells are removed from any particular part of the body, it begins to look unnatural and that is the basis of skin irregularities. Skin irregularities occur when too many fat cells were removed from one part of the body leaving the skin to appear bumpy with dimples and grooves. It is not necessarily a detriment to the person's health but can be quite unsightly which defeats the purpose of liposuction when people go in for surgery to look better and not worse. The way it can be avoided is by taking out small amounts across multiple sessions instead of taking out too much in one session. It is okay to go back and have more fat cells removed, but once they are gone it is not possible to put any back in. For this reason, make sure the liposuction surgeon performing the procedure understands this and doesn't go too far removing irreplaceable fat cells from your body.

Hematomas and Seromas

After and during the liposuction procedure, the surgeon performing the service should properly drain the area of fluids and blood. Hematomas and seromas is a discoloration of the skin caused by blood pooling under the skin. While it is not a serious condition and will go away after some time, this can be minimized by the surgeon performing proper clean up procedures. In laser liposuction, this condition is much less of a problem because there is little chances of blood vessels and capillaries being damaged by the precise laser used to break up fat cells. With less damage to blood vessels, there is less bleeding and therefore little chance of enough blood to cause a discoloration in the skin.

Hyper Pigmentation

Hyper pigmentation is similar to hematomas and seromas where the skin around the incision is discolored. This too can be prevented with adequate drainage of the incision area and this too is hardly an issue for patients of laser liposuction. This is because the incision created by the laser during the procedure is much smaller which also means much smaller chance of infection to the incision area as well. But for traditional liposuction patients, hyper pigmentation is not a severe issue and usually will go away in four to six months. In severe cases the discoloration can last for over a year and will tend of have a greater effect on patients with more pigmentation in their skin. Fair skinned patients will usually avoid the severe conditions and heal relatively quickly.

Swelling

Another problem that may arise for patients of traditional liposuction is the swelling of the legs and ankles as well as bruising of the genitals. This doesn't happen to patients of laser liposuction because is the result of major liposuction procedures to the abdomen area. While it is can be a scary situation for the patient, it isn't much of a problem and will go away with time. Proper post surgery clean up and drainage will help in healing and prevention of this problem.

Local Anesthesia

The minor possible complication related to the administration of anesthesia is due to the use of epinephrine in most local anesthetic solutions which can cause an increase in heart rate. General anesthesia used for traditional liposuction patients carry its own world of risks. Laser liposuction patients will be advised to avoid caffeine and epinephrine-like drugs, commonly cold medications. There isn't a huge risk with the elevated heart rate although some would experience some discomfort.

Major complications with liposuction are very rare and almost a non-factor when it comes to laser liposuction. They can be categorized into two areas, anesthesia related complications and surgical complications. Laser liposuction does not carry the surgical risks because the procedure uses a laser which does not risk damaging organs and blood loss is minimal since what little capillaries that do get damaged usually dry up from the heat of the laser beam.

There is a risk of allergic reactions to the anesthesia which can be deadly especially when general anesthesia is administered for liposuction patients. Cardiac arrhythmias and brain damage due to a lack of oxygen to the brain are the most common fears of general anesthesia. The local anesthesia used in laser liposuction procedures carries some risks but because the patient is still awake, if something doesn't feel right the patient can communicate it with the doctor performing the procedure.

The most important thing anyone considering liposuction or laser liposuction can do is to learn about the risks involved and find a surgeon that is well qualified to perform the surgery. Consultation with a surgeon will help both the patient and doctor to understand each other’s expectations from the procedure and an understanding between the two parties will go a long way toward achieving desirable outcomes for everyone involved. A good doctor will help determine what procedure, whether laser liposuction or traditional liposuction or something else, is best for a particular individual. Make sure the surgeon is properly trained, certified and experienced. It's not worth compromising your health and well being for the sake of saving some money. Laser liposuction prices, tumescent liposuction cost and prices for other forms of liposuction depend a great deal on the area being treated and the surgeon's level of experience.

Here is short clip from CNN about the rise in demand for liposuction and plastic surgery procedures.