Smartlipo

At The Ferguson Clinic we perform this procedure primarily under sedation in our state-of-the-art surgical suites; however, for quick, very localized areas (for example, the neck and jowls) no sedation is at the patient’s choice. We want to insure a relaxing, enjoyable, pain-free experience for our patients. The areas to be treated are filled with a local anesthetic custom-formulated to not only numb the area but decrease bruising, swelling, and encourage rapid healing.

While you are on the table approximately 75-85% of the fat cells that are going to die will actually liquefy immediately. We will remove this with a small cannula, so patients will see results equivalent to regular liposuction immediately.

Some swelling and fluid retention is normal. Over the next 6-8 weeks the remaining treated fat will liquefy and be removed by your lymphatics. Getting frequent lymphatic drainage massages can speed up this process.

In some areas the tightening of the skin is immediate. The long-term tightening begins approximately four to six weeks after the procedure, but older patients may not see skin tightening other than that seen for traditional liposuction for 3-6 months. The skin will continue to tighten for at least a year.

We have treated all areas of the body successfully that have been treated with traditional liposuction in the past. This includes the abdomen, flanks, thighs, knees, neck, and chest. Because of the precision of the device, areas not normally treated with liposuction have also been successfully treated with SmartLipo™, including around the bra straps, upper arms, elbows, calves, jowls, and cheeks. We have also successfully performed many procedures on patients who have had prior liposuction but were dissatisfied with the results. It is not uncommon to find demarcation between treated and untreated areas with liposuction, tunneling of the liposuction cannulas, and loose skin left over from liposuction. These have all been effectively treated in our office with SmartLipo™.

Of the thousands of patients, we have treated only 3 needed retreatment. The individual sessions last anywhere from 30 minutes to 3 hours depending on the volume and number of areas to be treated.

One of our primary goals at The Ferguson Clinic is to provide maximum results with minimal interference in your daily routine. We place no limitations on your activity after SmartLipo™ except for soaking in hot, dirty water. All patients are given compression garments to use for the first 24 hours. These are used primarily to hold absorbent gauze over the small holes used to introduce the cannulas. For the first one to two days, there is drainage released from ruptured fat cells. After this, it is at the patient’s discretion as to the utilization of the garment, however, we encourage patients to continue with their own garment like a “Spanx.” We encourage exercise 24 to 48 hours after the procedure to encourage uptake of the fluid in the treated areas.

We will occasionally use mild liposuction to harvest fat for implantation in to lips and other areas of the face. For larger volume areas we have perfected a technique combining SmartLipo™ and PALS (power assisted liposuction). PALS uses a cannula around the size of the SmartLipo™ cannulas that gently oscillates and removes fat. Because the fat has already been treated with the laser it easily comes out without the trauma, pain, and downtime of traditional liposuction.

Any patient without substantial cardiac or endocrine problems is a candidate for SmartLipo™. We do not use SmartLipo™ or traditional liposuction for high-volume fat removal in the morbidly obese. We encourage patients to start on a diet and exercise program prior to undergoing the procedure. This not only improves the safety but enhances the effectiveness of the treatment.

Cellulite formation is very complex. We have seen substantial improvement in cellulite with SmartLipo™when laxity is the underlying issue. However, these results cannot be guaranteed. In cases of deep dimples created by bands of connective tissue we recommend Cellfina instead to sever those ties.

Absolutely. We are globally sought out to perform SmartLipo™ of the face and neck with our facelifts. This substantially decreases the amount of trauma to the skin, thereby decreasing bruising, swelling, and healing time. It also helps us sculpt areas in ways never thought possible. This provides a much more natural look. In selected patients we have been able to perform a LipoLift™, a minimally invasive alternative to a facelift, and even minilifts. Traditional liposuction is severely limited when combined with a tummy tuck. This is not the case with SmartLipo™. We are easily able to contour the entire waist and upper abdomen concomitantly with a tummy tuck.