The Beauty Society

Its amazing the sheer number of phrases that have been conjured up in recent times to refer to our spare bits of flesh - from ‘bingo wings’ through to ‘moobs’ and on to ‘spare tires’. Though if we’re frank, we’d love not to have to use any of these phrases in reference to ourselves. Fortunately, it is now possible – laser lipo can help get rid of unwanted body fat with a minimum of fuss.

Laser Lipo is an advanced body contouring procedure that is used to selectively remove unwanted body fat, resulting in the creation of a slimmer silhouette.

Laser lipo utilises state-of-the-art ultrasound technology to gently reshape the body and is the perfect alternative to the often harsh techniques seen in traditional liposuction procedures. The laser breaks up the fat, whilst, at the same time, preserving other important tissues (such as nerves, blood vessels and connective tissue - all of which come in useful from time to time!), in turn promoting smooth results and rapid healing.

The Process

Laser lipo works through a fairly simple process, the first step of which is that the area to be reshaped is filled with a special saline solution that numbs the site and shrinks the blood vessels (minimising blood loss and reducing bruising). This solution then wets and fills the area to be treated, making it easier to break up fatty tissue with ultrasound. A small probe will then transmit sound energy, in order to break up fatty tissue on contact, while at the same time preserving other important tissues. The final step is for the liquefied fat to be removed through a gentle suction process, minimising damage to surrounding tissue.

It is possible for laser lipo to be performed under local anaesthesia (while awake), intravenous sedation or general anaesthesia – the final decision on which will be made by your physician in collaboration with you.

Treatable body areas

In the last few years surgeons have successfulyl used laser lipo to treat a variety of body parts including:

• the abdomen
• thighs
• knees
• buttocks
• hips
• back
• arms
• male and female breasts
• love handles
• chin and neck areas
• and just about any other body part you could want treated.

There are, however, limitations to the amount of fatty tissue that can safely be taken from the body. To get a rough indication of the amount, stand and bend from the waist – the amount of ‘loose-hanging’ fat that you can easily grab above/below your waist is approximate to what would be removed during the operation.

>How long until visible results?

The amount of time until visible results will increase in line with the extensiveness of the procedure (important factors include things such as the amount of fat removed and the number of sites treated). A great number of patients report visible results immediately after the procedure, with the final result showing through after around 3 to 6 months. During the process, your doctor should ensure that you have realistic expectations of the treatment.

When having laser lipo it is important to bear in mind that this procedure is not intended as a weight loss solution. The goal is to create a slimmer silhouette. You may not notice a significant amount of weight loss, but you should be pleased with your slimmer new shape.