Smart Lipo/Tumescent Liposculpture

This technique, which removes excess fat from just under the skin using hollow tubes (cannulas) with blunt ends, results in “sculpting” the body to a shape that many in our society deem to be more pleasing to the eye. It has evolved over the past 40 years to become a very safe and excellent technique. SmartLipo is the latest, most advanced liposuction technique available and consists of an FDA-approved laser assisted liposuction procedure that is less invasive and has a shorter recovery time. One of the greatest benefits of SmartLipo is that it stimulates the underlying skin foundation cells to generate increased collagen, which has the positive effect of tightening the tissues beneath the skin and so adding to the tighter, sculpted, more defined body shape that you desire.

The ideal body areas for liposuction include the face, neck, arms, under arms, chest, abdomen, hips, waist, upper back, thighs, knees, and ankles.

How they work

Tumescent liposculpture is a method of body sculpting in which the excess fat from just beneath the skin is removed by suction using hollow tubes (cannulas). The development of the “tumescent” technique of liposuction in the late 80s significantly improved liposuction safety and patient satisfaction in a number of ways. The treatment area is first anesthetized using dilute local anesthetic solutions and the patient is given oral sedatives. This means the patient can undergo treatment comfortably without the use of general anesthesia or IV sedation. Tumescent liposuction under local anesthesia is extremely safe with very little bleeding and very mild post-procedure pain. Dr. Menkes has been performing liposuction for many years with little to no complications and a very high patient satisfaction rate.

SmartLipo is a laser that is used to prepare the body tissues prior to the actual liposuction procedure. The effect of the laser is to actually liquefy the fat cells which makes it possible to use a smaller size cannula to remove them. This means that only a very small incision is required and it also makes SmartLipo almost pain-free compared to other tumescent liposuction methods. In addition, the recovery time from the procedure is considerably reduced with most patients returning to their everyday routine within a day or so.

What to expect

Prior to the procedure, sedation via intramuscular injections and local numbing is administered. While the procedure time varies depending upon the number of areas and the amount of fat removed, the procedure lasts around 1-4 hours. Afterwards, a compression girdle (think Spanx) is worn around the clock for 2-3 weeks, except for showering. Patients will feel a deep muscle soreness, which is similar to what is felt after a hard workout, and will experience some bruising and swelling that will fade gradually over 2-4 weeks. We recommend 2 days away from work for typical desk jobs, and longer for more active jobs. Patients cannot exercise (with the exception of walking) for 1 week. Bruising and swelling typically fades after 1 month, and final results appear within 4-6 months post-op.

Liposculpture/SmartLipo benefits

• Done entirely under local anesthesia
• Safe, excellent results
• Tumescent technique developed and improved upon over the past 20 years
• Minimal discomfort and downtime
• Laser assisted procedure to liquefy fat cells before removal
• Smaller incision, less invasive
• Minimal pain, improved experience
• Fast recovery time, usually 1-2 days
• Produces collagen to tighten tissues and skin