5 rip for deciding Smart lipo vs. tummy tuck
1. A tummy tuck is usually indicated after weight loss greater than 30% or pregnancy.
2. Lase liposuction and RFAL are continuing to improve the ability to tighten loose skin while melting fat.
3.If you are considering having children it is a better idea to get a great result with the liposuction and reserve the tummy tuck for post pregnancy.
4. Try to get several opinions from trusted board certified plastic surgeons who your primary care doctor and gynecologist respect.
5. When in doubt, having the liposuction does not compromise eventually having a tummy tuck in the future. (Douglas S. Steinbrech, MD, New York Plastic Surgeon)
Big saddlebags and belly treatment
Though I often use Smart Lipo with great results on the areas you’re describing, if you have any significant skin relaxation in your abdomen and you only want to undergo a procedure once and get dramatic results, you should probably do the tuck with lipo.
This will ensure you best and most dramatic result possible with current technology. (Deason Dunagan, MD, Huntsville Plastic Surgeon)
People are falling out of love with Smart Lipo
From your description of your problem, you have excess, loose abdominal skin and saddlebags. The only way to eliminate the loose skin is to have and abdominplasty, or “tummy tuck.” Traditional liposuction will treat the saddlebags very nicely. There is absolutely no proof that Smart Lipo or any laser-assisted liposuction provides any advantage. As a matter of fact, for over 20 years there have been articles in the plastic surgery journals stating that the addition of laser to liposuction is useless.
It adds time and lots of cost. It cannot shrink skin like the owners of the various systems claim. It is my impression that most of the laser-lipo systems are being marketed to non-plastic surgeons, and I am seeing disasters from laser-assisted liposuction procedures being performed by poorly trained doctors. (Bruce Genter, MD, Abington Plastic Surgeon)
SmartLipo for Loose Tummy Skin is NOT Smart
Every operation is a tool. A hammer is great at driving in nails or but is lousy at putting paint on walls. Similarly, when operating we pick the operation best suited for the problem. It has been said multiple time but it bears repeating – Liposuction is a tool for fat removal NOT a tool for shrinking and tightening the overlying skin. ALL claims to skin tightening are exaggerated and teeter on being fraudulent.
If you have saddle bags – you may greatly benefit from liposuction. Each Plastic surgeon has his/her preferred method of liposuction but ALL of us use tumescent fluid to cut down on blood losses, get a more uniform result and provide post liposuction pain relief. We may differ in our preferred technique, be it “traditional”, power assisted (PAL), VASER (UAL) or laser (LAL).
Personally, I have yet to be convinced that laser liposuction (LAL) is not a sham. Despite its existence for more than 7 years, we have yet to see a single scientific study demonstrating its efficacy much less superiority to the OTHER liposuction methods. More worrisome, it works by applying heat (IE cooking) the fat under the skin without sparing blood vessels, lymphatics or nerves in an effort to cause heat-related shrinkage of skin (much like we see in burns).
With SmartLipo being the most aggressive marketer in that crowd and the insatiable appetite of Americans to unthinkingly subject themselves and their bodies to ANYTHING “Laser”, many are undergoing this, in my opinion, unproven, often useless procedure with potential high complication rates. Based on YOUR examination, if you have loose tummy skin and are done having children have a tummy tuck. The results WILL be superior to anything the best SmartLipo meister out there would produce. If you have large deposits of fat, loose weight and then have (VASER or PAL) liposuction to even things out. (Peter A. Aldea, MD, Memphis Plastic Surgeon)
Lipo works great if the skin tone is good. If you have very tight & stretchy skin, then removing fat from below the surface will allow the skin to shrink down and look good. If you have skin that is already sagging, it already shows that it has poor elasticity and looks deflated.
Removing more fat from below the surface will only accentuate the problem. Yes, the heat generated from laser lipolysis does cause some thermal injury to which the body responds with scaring (collagen generation) and shrinkage, but not significantly enough to overcome overhanging skin. If you only want to do one operation, use the tummy tuck to address the skin excess, and lipo to address the flank fat excess. The results of the flank lipo plus tummy tuck will be much better than just plain laser lipo on the flanks – the additional tightening of the flank skin caused by flap rotation from the tummy tuck will enhance the flank results. (look in my video near the end.) (Michael A. Bogdan, MD, FACS, Dallas Plastic Surgeon)
Tummy tuck vs Smart Lipo? It really depends upon the quality of the soft tissues and the laxity of the skin. If the muscles are weak and you have had children, I would recommend a tummy tuck. (Steven Wallach, MD, Manhattan Plastic Surgeon)
You probably need liposuction to the saddle bags and a full abdominoplasty. Smart Lipo is a GIMMICK, that is worthless, it is like any other method of liposuctio. It does not replace a tummy tuck, it does not tighten skin, IT IS A MAKETING TOOL to part you from your money. (Samir Shureih, MD, Baltimore Plastic Surgeon)
Deciding between Lipo or Tummy Tuck
There has been a great marketing push recently to try and convince people that smart lipo will tighten skin enough to replace tummy tucks. Although there is some evidence that it tightens a little, if you have been told by an experienced plastic surgeon that a tummy tuck is in order then you will be disappointed with smart lipo on the tummy. Any kind of lipo should work for saddlebags. Go for smart surgery, not marketing hype. (Richard Baxter, MD, Miami Plastic Surgeon)
Some form of liposuction would correct saddlebags
Without photos all any of us,’expert’ posters can state is some form of liposuction whether it be traditional, UAL, Vaser or Smart Lipo would be a great choice to correct the saddle bag deformity of the hip/thigh region. As for the lower abdomen, again without a photo you could need a full tummy tuck, mini tummy tuck or just some form of liposuction.
Now as for the classification of any liposuction as a “GIMMICK”. Until you have walked in my shoes maybe a blanket statement concerning differing types of liposuctions should be left to us who have actually used them. Does Smart Lipo work ABSOLUTELY!
There is no question. Will or would it be my choice for you? I cannot answer until I see you or photos. It is like the car mechanic trying to fix your foreign car without metric tools. It can not be done. I pride myself on having as many differing tools available for my use in treating my patients. I might do traditional lipo on one and Smart Lipo + Body Jet Lipo on others. At least I and my patients have the opportunity to receive the best, most upto date treatments options. (Darryl J. Blinski, MD, Houston Plastic Surgeon)
Treatment of excess skin and saddle bags
In your case, it sounds like you have significant fat deposits (saddle bags) and excess skin in the tummy area and waist. In your case, I think “smart lipo” should be called “small lipo.” Smart lipo *may* be effective at treating really small deposits of fat. However, in your case, you are likely dealing with
1) excess fat,
2) loose/lax/excess skin), and perhaps muscle separation (rectus diastasis) if you’ve had kids.
A tummy tuck procedure with adjunctive liposuction of the waist will likely give you the best results. “smart lipo” wouldn’t be too smart for you – approach with caution on quick fix gimmicks. (C. Bob Basu, MD, FACS, )