Dr. Phillip Chang is one of the first plastic surgeons in Virginia to offer Pro-Lipo Laser Liposuction to his patients in Loudoun and Fairfax Virginia. Laser Liposuction is often one component of his remarkable Mommy Makeover procedure which may include a breast augmentation or tummy tuck procedure. Or Laser Liposuction can be performed by itself to remove unwanted fat in small areas like the chin or neck, the arms, or the saddle-bag area.

Laser Liposuction using the Sciton Laser Platform is the most advanced and smart liposuction technique for the reduction of fat by liposuction. Liposuction continues to be the most commonly performed cosmetic surgery procedure in the United States. Traditional tumescent liposuction is used to remove unwanted fat from specific areas of bulging fat such as the neck, saddle bags, and the belly. Pro-Lipo combines the benefits of traditional liposuction with the most advanced lasers available to create superior results with the potential for tighter skin, less bruising and discomfort, and less down-time. The procedure is generally performed in the office without the need- and without the risks – of general anesthesia.

The best candidates for Pro-Lipo Laser Liposuction are those people who are close to normal weight. Because liposuction is not a weight reduction tool, it’s best for those who have isolated pockets of fat that do not respond well to diet or exercise. The amount of fat removed in a procedure is limited to a maximum of approximately 10 pounds.

Benefits of Pro-Lipo Laser Liposuction

• Less Traumatic
• Tightens Skin
• Requires Smaller Incisions
• Less Swelling
• Less Bruising
• Does not require anesthesia
• Treat neck arms

General Comments about Liposuction

Liposuction is a surgical procedure that contours the body by removing excess fat . It is most ideal for treating fatty bulges such as in the neck, saddle bags, and belly. Other areas, however, see excellent results such as the upper arms, buttocks and inner thighs. Dr. Chang performs Liposuction at INOVA Loudoun Hospital, INOVA Fair Oaks Hospital, and Countryside Surgical Centers in Virginia.

Liposuction is a surgical procedure that uses small incisions to sculpt the body by removing extra bulging fat. Traditional liposuction requires anesthesia Most patients recovering from traditional liposuction return to work in 3 to 7 days. Most patients requiring more than a liter of fat removal benefit from traditional liposuction techniques.

Commonly treated areas include:

• Neck and Chin
• Saddle bags ( outer thigh )
• Belly ( abdomen )
• Lower back and waist
• Arms
• Inner Thighs
• Knees

General Comments about Pro-Lipo Laser Liposuction

Dr. Chang performs Pro-Lipo Laser Liposuction in his offices in Leesburg ( Loudoun County ) and Reston ( Fairfax County ) Virginia. Pro-Lipo Laser Liposuction is the newest advancement in liposuction. It combines the benefits of tumescent liposuction which reduced bleeding and bruising while providing postoperative pain relief with Laser technology.

The Pro-Lipo Laser Liposuction breaks up the fat with laser technology while potentially stimulating the skin to contract and build up collagen. This promotes tighter skin during the healing process and helps to ensure a more uniform, tighter, smoother look once all final healing has occurred. The laser energy liquefies fat in the treated area, allowing for easier fat removal with less bruising and discomfort.

Finally, the laser’s heating action cauterizes many of the small blood vessels that run through the fat layers which potentially decreases post-procedural bruising, and allows for faster healing so that you can return to your regular routine much faster than with non-laser assisted liposuction (often within 48 hours).

Limitations of Pro-Lipo Laser Liposuction

Laser Liposuction is generally more ideal for small areas that are more easily treated with local numbing solutions. Laser Liposuction is generally more suited for areas that do not have a lot of loose skin as the laser can provide only a limited amount of skin tightening.

Patients with large areas of liposuction ( greater than 1 liter ) or have a lot of loose skin are more ideal for tradition liposuction techniques under anesthesia or may need a skin excision technique such as a tummy tuck ( abdominoplasty )

Pro-Lipo Laser Liposuction is Less Traumatic

Laser liposuction is typically a less physically traumatic procedure. It uses smaller incisions, smaller cannulas, and a local and/or tumescent rather than a general anesthesia.

With old-school traditional liposuction, the physician loosens the fat from its surrounding tissues with a cannula that he or she moves back and forth manually. Because of the imprecision of this action, blood vessels are easily damaged, resulting in significant bleeding, swelling, and bruising.

Also, larger cannulas have a high suction capacity. They actually pull the fat out of the fibers that exist in your skin, a process that adds to tissue trauma.

How is Pro-Lipo Laser Liposuction Performed

Pro-Lipo Laser Liposuction is performed without general anesthesia. After receiving oral sedation which includes valium and a pain killer, local numbing solution called tumescent solution in injected to block pain and bruising. The tumescent solution is a mixture of saline, lidocaine ( anesthetic pain block ), and epinephrine ( to control bleeding and bruising ).

After waiting about 10 minutes for the tumescent solution to be effective, the laser device in inserted through very small 2-4 mm holes to liquefy the fat. Small suction devices are then used to remove the fat. Compression garments are then placed to help reduce swelling and hold your shape.

How Does Pro-Lipo Laser Liposuction Tighten Skin

Laser Liposuction cannulas heat the collogen and directly shrinks the skin in a way analogous to how seran wrap shrinks when it is heated. Laser Liposuction also stimulates the formation of new collagen (the skin’s “scaffolding” material), thus offering the added advantage of plumping up and tightening the skin in the treated area.

Pro-Lipo Laser Liposuction Uses Smaller Incisions

The laser liposuction cannula heats and breaks down fat so that smaller cannulas are need to remove the fat. This decreases potential scarring.

Who is a Good Candidate?

Most patients are good candidates for laser liposuction as long as they are healthy with no major medical problems. Patients should ideally be within 20 pounds of their ideal body weight but can have bulges reduced with little consequence. Fat volumes should not exceed 1 liter. Skin should have good elasticity and should not be too loose. In those cases, often a tummy tuck or other procedure may be best.

Have Reasonable Expectations

You also need to have realistic expectations about what this procedure can do for your body’s contour. Remember, isolated pockets of unwanted fat can be removed, but you’re still going to have to maintain your results through healthy lifestyle

What Results Can You Expect

Within a week, the majority of the swelling and bruising should have gone away. Some areas take a little longer to heal – the belly will take longer than the upper arms or chin, for example. You should start seeing positive results – an altered body contour – within about a month, with final results showing up about 3 to 6 months after treatment.

Again, your results will depend on the size of the area you had treated and how quickly your body responds. You’ll be instructed to wear a compression garment over the treated area for 4 weeks.

Maintain a Healthy Lifestyle

Once fat cells are removed from the body, they don’t return. However, if you put on weight in the future, any new fat will most likely be deposited throughout your body equally, including the treated areas. Still, if you want to retain your body’s new contour, it’s essential that you eat nutritiously, exercise regularly, and maintain good weight control.

Possible Side Effects

Although laser liposuction is minimally invasive, it is still surgery and thus poses risks associated with surgery. Possible side effects include swelling, bruising, hematoma (blood pooling under the skin) and infection. In very rare cases, people experience excessive bleeding and burns. Always report side effects promptly.

Some swelling is expected, how much swelling or bruising you experience after the procedure will depend on how your body responds to it. Normally, swelling subsides within a day or so. Bruising may linger for a bit longer, but most people return to their normal activities quickly – often the very next day. You should avoid strenuous exercise, deep massages, and strong “power” showers for 7 to 10 days.

How Does Pro-Lipo Laser Liposuction Compare to other devices on the market?

The Pro-Lipo Laser Laser by Sciton Corporation is the most advanced and powerful laser available for the removal of unwanted fat. The company has also provided other state-of the art lasers including the Profactional Laser, the Photofacial BBL, Skintyte, and the Erbium Micropeel.

Competitors to Pro-Lipo are SmartLipo and LaserLipo. These are good advanced lasers also but do not have the power and finesse of the new Pro-Lipo by Sciton.

The bottom line, however, is no matter what laser liposuction device is used, it is really the quality of the surgeon that provides you with the quality results. Make sure your surgeon is qualified, is board certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgeons, and can provide excellent before and after photos of their own work. As a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon, certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgeons, Dr. Chang is provided quality cosmetic surgery services to his patients in Loudoun and Fairfax Virginia.