Laser-assisted liposuction, or the zapping of unwanted fat by directed light energy, is one of the most promising methods of improved fat removal. Traditional liposuction, while effective, is fairly traumatic to the body and can cause a lot of bruising and swelling and usually involves some recovery after surgery.

As opposed to the traditional technique of a hollowed-out cannula insertion, loosening and beating up the fat tissue, and then sucking it out, this mechanical particulation is replaced by the heat of laser energy. Inside the liposuction cannula, fibers carrying laser light deliver their heat to the targeted fat breaking it down into a liquid 'soup' which can be suctioned out. In theory, the heat from the laser also causes the overlying skin to tighten.

As of this date, there are three such laser-assisted liposuction systems available in the United States. They are under the marketed tradenames of SMARTLIPO (Cynosure), COOLLIPO (CoolTouch), and PROLIPO (Sctiton). All of them tout more effective and efficient fat removal, less bruising and swelling after the procedure, a faster recovery, and some skin tightening and improvement in the appearance of cellulite over the treated areas.

The real question is....are they truly better than basic liposuction...and is the higher costs of using it worth it compared to traditional liposuction? (someone has to pay for the equipment purchase...and that someone is you the patient!) To date, laser-assisted liposuction is tremendously appealing, particularly to the general public. Historically, any treatment associated with the word, laser, always causes mass patient allure. No clinical trials have yet been reported however, that I have seen, that have ever directly compared any laser-assisted vs traditional liposuction procedure in patients. Nor has any large clinical trial been done that even compares two differently-treated patient groups, no matter how impossible it really is to 'match' patients from different groups. So while all laser liposuction devices are FDA approved, this stamp of approva applies primarily to the safety of the devices, not necesarily to how effective they are compared to traditional liposuction techniques.

Much like ultrasonic-assisted liposuction when it was introduced 10 years ago, laser-assisted liposuction may be a popular trend that, in the end, will fare no better. It will undoubtably have its place in liposuction options and armamentarium but I doubt if it is magic or whether it offers a quantum leap forward in patient outcomes and recovery times. While it is another method of removing fat, I remain skeptical if all of the marketing claims of laser-assisted liposuction such as a quicker recovery and skin tightening can live up to the hype.

I am all for any form of advancement in liposuction, which is a fairly traumatic procedure on the tissues. While effective, liposuction is still one of the most 'brutal' procedures that we as plastic surgeons do. Is laser-assted liposuction a better method of liposuction?.....ask me again in 5 years!