The Ultrasonic liposuction method started as early as 1996. At present though, it is still considered as a fairly new technique in contrast to the tumescent procedure. In this process, instead of injecting fluid to aid the suction of the fat deposits, the fats are rather liquefied with the use of ultrasound waves, which is why, another name for the for the liposuction is Ultrasound-Assisted Liposuction. The vibration from the sound waves shakes loose the fat compounds and therefore enabling the suction process to be performed even faster than what might have been in using other methods.To perform this Ultrasonic liposuction, the patient may have to decide further which way to do it. One is the External UAL, and the other is the Internal UAL. In the External UAL, the operation is done just along the surface of the skin with the use of a specialized emitter, while in the Internal UAL, it is done below the skin surface with the use of the vibrating cannula tubes for suction.

A specialized liposuction machine is required for this type of surgery to take effect. After the health-providers prepare the patient with anesthesia (local or general) small incisions and skin punctures are carefully performed. Later, these pockets should allow for the insertion of small suction tubes that are attached to the vacuum pump of the liposuction machine. This shall start the process of suctioning out (literally) of the liquefied fat deposits. To hasten the process, large syringe may also be used as a suctioning tool. After which, drainage tubes would replace the suction tubes to remove any accumulation of blood and fluid (serona) in the defattened or liposuctioned areas.

After the procedure, the patient may also need to have an intravenous (through the veins) fluid replacement therapy as well as blood transfusion.

The downside of the Ultrasonic liposuction however, is when the heated cannula tubes become susceptible to overheat. This may scorch surrounding tissues and organs, and even cause serious nerve damage that are often irreversible. The most updated third-generation cannula suction tubes that some doctors use today cost hundred of dollars and these may be utilized up to only twenty times or so. Medical reports show that additional surgeries are performed with the liposuction wherein pieces of shattered cannula tubes are removed from the patient body.

Yet, liosuction is still especially recommended by surgeons to treat the denser and more troublesome fatty areas of the body such as the more muscular and fibrous upper backs and the male breast (gynecomastia) portions.

Liposuction is a surgical procedure designed to remove small pockets of excess fat that are resistant to diet and exercise. There are several types of liposuction procedures available, Tumescent liposuction involves the injection if a large amount of anesthetic into the area being treated.Lipo selection uses the same concept without disturbing the surrounding tissue. In ultrasonic assisted liposuction (UAL), sound waves are used to liquefy the fat before it is removed. Ultrasonic liposuction is not really a very new technique. Ultrasonic liposuction can be performed with either the traditional, wet, or tumescent methods. “Ultrasonic” means high-pitched sound. The use of ultrasound waves helped to make certain liposuction procedures easier, but not faster.

Main advantages to an ultrasound assisted liposuction (UAL) procedure are typically: less tissue damage, less bleeding, and large volumes of fat removed. Commonly involved areas are the anterior part of the neck (under the chin), upper arms and armpits, male chest/breasts, trunk, abdomen, waist, hips, thighs, inner knees, calves, and ankles. The use of UAL allows safer removal of larger amounts of fat than with standard liposuction. This increase in safety is due to the reduced amount of blood removed with UAL. There are also different risks and precautions necessary for an ultrasound liposuction surgery. Since ultrasound is a high-energy disturbance, the risk of burns and nerve damage is increased. UAL causes blood clots in the small blood vessels.

Internal UAL produces heat and elevates the temperature of targeted fatty tissue. Ultrasonic liposuction also has complications such as nerve damage but probably causes less bleeding and irregularity. Usually the incisions required for this technique are bigger to accommodate some sort of skin shield that protects the adjacent areas of skin from being burned by the probe. Injury to peripheral nerves is possible with UAL. Patients who have had internal UAL appear to have an increased incidence of prolonged numbness consistent with injury to sensory nerves. The scars from liposuction are small and strategically placed to be hidden from view, even in a bikini. However, other cosmetic problems may occur, even it your surgeon is very skilled.

The high-frequency ultrasonic vibrations will weaken all generations of internal ultrasonic cannulae. The ultrasonic waves damage the probe with each use, and even the newest probes must be rejected after as little as twenty operations. Such mounting costs can be prohibitive and are always passed onto the patients. An emerging generation of devices uses an external ultrasound diffuse to treat areas before engaging in a more traditional liposuction procedure. Though these devices avoid the chance of a local tissue burn, it requires a large amount of ultrasound energy to pass down through the skin and can damage the outer layers of the body. The results of such external systems are currently under debate, with some doctors claiming success while others say it’s just a gimmick.

Liposuction is a medical procedure in which surgeons physically remove fat from subcutaneous deposits. There are a number of different liposuction techniques generally employed. The process typically involves sucking out the fat deposits with a device called an aspirator through a tube called a cannula. Physicians often inject fluid or otherwise emulsify the fat deposits for easier suction.

There are many different types of liposuction available. So-called “dry liposuction” is rare, since wet and tumescent surgeries have proven easier, safer, and more aesthetically sound. Tumescent, laser-assisted, ultrasound-assisted, and water-assisted liposuction therapies may also be considered.

Liposuction can be performed under general or local anesthesia. Ideally, patients are locally anesthetized to limit the possible side effects and complications of general anesthesia. In a number of wet liposuction techniques, fluid is injected subcutaneously to emulsify the fat to make it easier for aspiration. This fluid often contains an anesthetic (such as lidocaine), a vasoconstricting agent, such as epinephrine, and a saline solution to ensure a static osmotic balance in the body.

In laser-assisted surgery, a laser beam emulsifies fat via electromagnetic radiation. In ultrasound-assisted liposuction, high energy sound waves bombard the area to be treated and literally smash fat cells open, liquifying their contents. Ultrasound liposuction was initially a very popular alternative to traditional wet liposuction. However, studies found that ultrasound liposuction created a higher risk of fluid pocket formation.

In preapring for the procedure, most patients are forbidden from taking anticoagulants for 14 days prior to surgery. Patients who must undergo general anesthesia are typically prohibited from eating in the hours prior to surgery, as well. Finally, liposuction patients must forgo smoking and nicotine gum for several weeks before surgery, since nicotine can have an adverse effect on both circulation and tissue functionality.

On the day of surgery, the patient will sign a consent form, take antibiotics, and discuss last minute preparations with the surgeon. A sedative is then given — either intravenously or orally — and the surgeon then makes an incision to drain the adipose tissue. Most patients under local anesthesia report feeling some sensation at the area of suction — typically a scraping feeling — but ordinarily go home the same day. Complications from liposuction are relatively rare — one out of every 200 patients experiences a minor complication and only one out of every 500 patients experiences a major complication, according to a published report in the trade journal, Dermatologic Surgery.

Following surgery, patients may experience a number of side effects, including reduced ability to move, slight scarring and swelling, bruising at the site of surgery, pain and numbness, and some dizziness. If you experience severe symptoms that don’t respond to over-the-counter medications, contact your doctor right away. Incision areas are often left un-sutured for a day or two to drain whatever fluids remain. Swelling, numbness, and bruising can persist for a few weeks to several months after the operation. For patients who have large adipose deposits, several liposuction surgeries may be required to ensure satisfactory results.

Controlled tumescent liposuction can be a safe and effective way to combat the long-term complications of obesity, such as diabetes, arthrosclerosis, and heart disease. However, liposuction patients should also school themselves on the physiology of obesity. Contrary to what many in the public (and medical establishment) believe, the notion that obesity is caused by a combination of overeating and underexercising is but a hypothesis. In fact, this hypothesis has not stood up very well against the data collected over the past hundred years. Epidemiologists and physicians have found again and again that obesity and malnutrition coexist both in populations and patients. In other words, contrary to all that we’ve been taught by dietary authorities, fat regulation may not, in fact, be determined by “caloric balance.”

Fat tissue does not simply act as a “bag.” Adipose tissue is complex, and it is regulated by the body’s hormonal system. The competing hypothesis to the “caloric balance” idea (which has pervaded every aspect of our medical culture) is the idea that obesity is caused by the dysregulation of fat tissue. In other words, something causes us to get fat, and then our body remembers this “set point” and returns our fat levels to that set point, regardless of how much we exercise or how many calories we intake.

The important insight here is that liposuction alters the body’s regulation of adipose tissue by literally removing some of it. The key to safe and effective weight loss, according to this alternative hypothesis of why we get fat, is to avoid doing whatever caused the fat dysregulation in the first place. And mounting evidence suggests that, for the vast majority of the obese, simple carbohydrates in the diet may be at fault. To read up on this alternative hypothesis, check out award winning science journalist Gary Taubes’ book, Good Calories, Bad Calories.

A diet low in simple carbohydrates and sugars combined with carefully performed liposuction therapy can permanently and positively transform your body. Whether you consider the health benefits of primary importance or just a nice fringe benefit along with your physical transformation, you will, in fact, reduce your risks of developing any number of debilitating conditions.

You may be a candidate for ultrasonic liposuction (UAL) if you have excess subcutaneous fat, which is resistant to diet and exercise or if you wish to change the contours of your body. Commonly involved areas are the anterior part of the neck (under the chin), upper arms and armpits, male chest/breasts, trunk, abdomen, waist, hips, thighs, inner knees, calves, and ankles. Patients desiring permanent improvement in contour abnormalities caused by excess fat may also desire ultrasound liposuction.

The use of UAL allows safer removal of larger amounts of fat than with standard liposuction. This increase in safety is due to the reduced amount of blood removed with UAL. This means that UAL can be very useful to moderately overweight individuals even though UAL is not a weight loss method per se.

Ultrasound assisted liposuction is intended to improve the contour and proportion of the treated areas, resulting in a more flattering figure or physique, in or out of clothing.

The procedures are done on an outpatient basis. General anesthesia is appropriate for UAL. Small suction tubes (cannulas) are inserted through very short incisions placed in inconspicuous locations near the fat deposits, and excess fat is removed. If extremely large volumes of fat are to be removed, you may be asked to donate one or two units of blood and take supplemental iron before surgery. Your own blood may then be used as a transfusion at the end of surgery. (The frequency of need for this type of transfusion is decreased by using UAL.)

The patient goes home with a compression garment covering the treated areas. Compression is advised for about a month as it helps reduce swelling and helps you achieve the final result more quickly. Once pain and soreness decrease, it is frequently more comfortable to wear Iycra or spandex exercise pants. Initial discomfort is easily controlled with oral medication.

The advantages of UAL are reduced blood loss, decreased bruising, possible reduction in post?operative discomfort and overall faster healing. Bruising and swelling usually subside in 2-4 weeks. The final result takes shape over 2-3 months.

Additional procedures that may enhance the result are of ultrasonic assisted liposuction are Tummy Tuck (Abdominoplasty), Breast Reduction, Breast Lift, Breast Augmentation, Thigh Lift, or Buttock Lift

Be frank in discussing your expectations with your surgeon. He or she should be equally frank with you, describing the procedure in detail and explaining its risks and limitations.

This procedure is considered cosmetic and therefore is not covered by insurance. The patient is responsible for payment. The specific risks and the suitability of this procedure for a given individual can be determined only at the time of consultation. All surgical procedures have some degree of risk. Minor complications that do not affect the outcome occur occasionally. Major complications are rare.

You may be a candidate for ultrasonic liposuction (UAL) if you have excess subcutaneous fat, which is resistant to diet and exercise or if you wish to change the contours of your body. Suction-assisted lipectomy also known as liposuction, fat suction, or suction lipectomy is a technique to remove unwanted fat deposits from specific areas of the body, including the chin, neck, and cheeks; the upper arms and above the breasts; the abdomen, buttocks, hips, and thighs, and the knees, calves, and ankles. Liposuction is a surgical procedure designed to remove small pockets of excess fat that are resistant to diet and exercise.

How are the benefits of UAL measured?

Cosmetically speaking, successful Ultrasonically Assisted Lipoplasty is measured in inches rather than pounds. The weight removed is not as important as the improvement in your body’s contour. Most important is our patient’s improved self-image and self acceptance.

Main advantages to an ultrasound assisted liposuction (UAL) procedure are typically: less tissue damage, less bleeding, and large volumes of fat removed. Commonly involved areas are the anterior part of the neck (under the chin), upper arms and armpits, male chest/breasts, trunk, abdomen, waist, hips, thighs, inner knees, calves, and ankles. The use of UAL allows safer removal of larger amounts of fat than with standard liposuction.

Two Types of UAL

There are two types of UAL: Internal UAL and external UAL. Internal UAL delivers ultrasonic energy directly to subcutaneous fat by a metal rod or cannula inserted through an incision in the skin. External UAL delivers ultrasonic energy to subcutaneous fat by means of applying a paddle-shaped instrument directly to the overlying skin.

Internal UAL produces heat and elevates the temperature of targeted fatty tissue. Ultrasonic liposuction also has complications such as nerve damage but probably causes less bleeding and irregularity. Usually the incisions required for this technique are bigger to accommodate some sort of skin shield that protects the adjacent areas of skin from being burned by the probe. Injury to peripheral nerves is possible with UAL.

Complications resulting from UAL are the same as for traditional liposuction. But here are some additional ones. A unique risk is the possibility of blisters or burns. This can happen if the surgeon is inexperienced and lets the tip of the probe point up right under the skin. The energy from the ultrasound causes the burn.

The high-frequency ultrasonic vibrations will weaken all generations of internal ultrasonic cannulae. The ultrasonic waves damage the probe with each use, and even the newest probes must be rejected after as little as twenty operations. Such mounting costs can be prohibitive and are always passed onto the patients. An emerging generation of devices uses an external ultrasound diffuse to treat areas before engaging in a more traditional liposuction procedure.

Ultrasound can also help break up tough fats in the face, neck, abdomen, back, buttocks, and calf. In areas like this, the tough and fibrous fat cannot be removed with traditional methods without great damage to the tissue. There’s also the possibility that ultrasound liposuction can be used to break up cellulite.

So, even though it is more expensive and a bit more dangerous than traditional liposuction, an ultrasound assisted liposuction procedure could be right for you under certain circumstances.

Ultrasound-Assisted Liposuction also called Vaser Liposuction. The liposuction method uses a cannula which transmits ultrasound vibration within the body. The ultrasound vibration will burst the walls of the fat cells and liquefying the fat. This will make it easier for the suction.

Ultrasound-Assisted Liposuction has slightly less blood loss comparing to the old tumescent liposuction. However comparing to Water-Assisted Liposuction, Ultrasound-Assisted Liposuction has more blood loss.

Ultrasound-Assisted Liposuction produces heat when performing the surgery. The ultrasound vibration produces heat which can be harmful to the body. This heat can leave irregularity of skin or permanent ugly scars after the surgery.

Water-Assisted Liposuction produces no heat when performing the surgery. A thin fan-shaped water beam cannula is used with Water-Assisted Liposuction. This cannula is really helpful when performing liposuction. It adds water continually during the liposuction session.

The water that the cannula adds will help loosing the fat cells in the body. The fat will be sucked very easily.

Water-Assisted Liposuction will not leave irregularity of skin or permanent ugly scars. More over the suction capability of Water-Assisted Liposuction is 10 times more than Ultrasound-Assisted Liposuction.

Water-Assisted Liposuction has a suction capability of 2000 – 3000 cc. per session while Ultrasound-Assisted Liposuction has lower suction capability of 400 – 500 cc. per session.

The recovery time of Water-Assisted Liposuction is better. It’s only takes 7 – 10 days. Also this method is less pain, bruise and swelling.

Therefore Water-Assisted Liposuction is better than Ultrasound-Assisted Liposuction.

Water-Assisted Liposuction helps you reduce your costs because in one session of the operation you can get rid of more fat. This method is also the safer way comparing to Ultrasound-Assisted Liposuction.

Normally a surgeon will let you have a general anesthesia before the liposuction. Water-Assisted Liposuction is different. It does only require a local anesthesia. You can discuss with your surgeon during the surgery about the seeing result. This means the result is adjustable with your help to the surgeon.

Please be aware that all cosmetic surgery procedures have their risks. To know more about the risk you can consult with the surgeons before having the surgery. Many surgeons don’t add consultation fee before the surgery. You can find out more about the price on their websites.

Finally you should find out if the surgeon is board certified and licensed to perform cosmetic surgery.