Who is a good candidate for Smartlipo? In general, the best candidates are those that are in good health, within 25 lbs of their ideal body weight, can’t lose the fat by traditional means of diet and exercise, have one or more areas of fat they would like to get rid of, and someone who has realistic expectations about what any form of liposuction can achieve for them.
Here are some other potential advantages of Smartlipo:
- Reduced recovery time– SmartLipo patients are often back to work within days following the procedure. Large area removals may require missing a week from work.
- The hard work of diet and exercise isn’t paying off – Human fat in certain places on the body can be very hard to get rid of through exercise and diet alone. SmartLipo offers an effective shortcut for removal of such stubborn fat.
- Smartlipo is FDA approved. – The SmartLipo concept and device was approved in November 2006. This means the laser has been shown to be both safe and effective for fat removal.
- Some loose skin may be able to be tightened – Removing fat from areas with loose skin traditionally runs the risk of having the skin sag afterwards. Traditional liposuction relies on the natural ability of one’s skin to contract, which may not be good particularly if it has been previously stretched out. SmartLipo’s laser energy and heat helps tighten skin, decreasing the risk of skin sag after fat removal for some patients.
- Cost savings– Many cases of SmartLipo can be done without putting you to asleep or involving the services of an anesthesiologist. This removes a portion of the cost of the procedure as well as speeds your recovery. Small areas or a single large area can usually be done under local anesthesia. Multiple large areas, or if done with other plastic surgery procedures, may still require you to be put to sleep.
- The results may be permanent – Because Smartlipo uses laser energy and heat to liquefy and destroy fat cells, it can be difficult for fat to return to the treated area. In many cases, if you gain fat in the future it will be deposited elsewhere on your body. Good weight control, however, remains an important part of the long-term preservation of any body contouring procedure.
Dr. Barry Eppley
Indianapolis, Indiana