With traditional liposuction, the patient is put to sleep under general anesthesia. While under general anesthesia the surgeon can use a larger cannula and remove more fat than can usually be done using the laser. The downside of traditional liposuction is the risk of general anesthesia and excessive bleeding due to the amount of fat removed.
Laser liposuction is performed with a smaller cannula while the patient is awake. The patient is infused with a solution of saline and lidocaine, a local anesthetic in the area the fat is going to be removed.
There is no risk of general anesthesia using laser liposuction and the bleeding is minimal. In fact, most patients can return to work in a day. The laser also heats the skin and promotes collagen production which aids in skin tightening.
Dr. John Hatherley
Tags: John Hatherley
