Slim Lipo is a minimally invasive cosmetic surgery that is typically used to reduce limited amounts of fat from the body. This is a laser assisted procedure that will melt the fat, which will be removed without causing damage to the skin. If you consider getting a Slim Lipo treatment, you should also know how this procedure is performed.
Anesthesia before the Procedure
The Slim Lipo requires only local anesthesia. Typically, tumescent anesthesia will be administered. This means that fluid is injected under the skin and this will reduce the pain and the discomfort during the surgery.
How Slim Lipo Is Performed
Slim Lipo is a laser assisted lipolysis procedure that will use a thin laser fiber to emulsify the fat and then the fat will be removed. The wavelength of the laser is between 924 nm and 975 nm, which is an improvement compared to other laser assisted lipolysis procedures.
After the anesthetic starts to be effective, the plastic surgeon will make a few small incisions on the surface of the skin. Then, a red tipped cannula that contains a laser fiber will be inserted below the skin; the red light will be visible at all times and will guide the physician to cover all areas that need to be treated. The laser will dislodge the fat cells and will melt them, so that the fat will be easy to absorb.
The laser fiber stimulates the regeneration of the skin tissues also, by helping the formation of collagen, which is a substance that maintains the skin’s elasticity.
After the laser has melted the fat, a cannula is used to absorb the liquid. The plastic surgeon will use vertical movements to handle the cannula and to extract all the liquefied fat cells from the area.
After the procedure, a constrictive bandage will be given, so that the skin incisions are protected and to help the healing process.
Variations in Slim Lipo Techniques
The Slim Lipo is performed using lasers of wavelength ranging from 924 nm to 975 nm. The wavelength used depends on the devices that are present in your plastic surgeon’s office.
If the fat that needs to be extracted is minimal, the plastic surgeon will prefer not to absorb the fat after this is liquefied. Instead, the body will automatically eliminate the fat through lipolysis, and this will mean that there will be no bruising or swelling after the procedure.
Duration of the Slim Lipo Procedure
The Slim Lipo surgery duration depends on the size and the area that is treated. The surgery may take anywhere between 40 minutes (for small areas such as the face) and 3 hours (for stomach fat, thighs or buttocks).
Post Surgery Care
Slim Lipo causes minimal swelling and possibly bruising, so it only needs 3 to 4 days down time. You can remove the constrictive bandage after 2 or 3 days.
Schedule a follow up meeting with your plastic surgeon to make sure that the surgery has no complications.