Smartlipo laser assisted liposuction and traditional Liposuction procedures were performed in huge numbers from 2007 - 2013, according to research reported by Medical Insight.
Dr Alberto Goldman, M.D., a plastic surgeon in
Porte Alegre, Brazil, observed that liposuction is the most frequently
performed surgical procedure in Brazil. “We performed liposuction on about
300,000 patients last year.
Smartlipo is also very popular in Brazil because downtime is
reduced and results are high quality.” Dr. Goldman expects improved results and
the ability to treat difficult cases, as well as both large and small
anatomical areas, with the Smartlipo MPX.
“Our studies using this new device are very impressive in terms of
cellulite improvement.” According to Mr Ali Juma, M.B., B.S., a consultant
plastic, reconstructive and cosmetic surgeon in Liverpool, U.K., “there is a
15% annual growth in body shaping treatments, even with the global recession.
Patients today are more aware of the increasing number of
non-invasive, semi-invasive and combination procedures due to the media and
Internet. Per capita income has also increased over the past five years.”
Mr. Juma also added that medical groups have reported an increase
in annual income as a result of cosmetic surgery, in some cases doubling income
by performing just one or two types of procedures. “Patients are still willing
to spend money to look and feel better.”
Dr Ayham Al-Ayoubi a laser and cosmetic surgeon in London, U.K. has noticed even more growth
in aesthetic procedures.
“The popularity of aesthetic procedures continues to increase by
about 30% per year. I’ve also noticed a 40% increase in the number of men who
have aesthetic treatments.”
Smartlipo Dr Ayham Al-Ayoubi introduced the original Smartlipo in the U.K
in 2006 and has since treated more than 2000 patients with it. “I used to
perform 10 or 15 Smartlipo procedures a month, now it’s about 40.”
According to Barry DiBernardo, M.D., a plastic surgeon currently
treating patients with the Smartlipo MPX at his practice in Montclair, New
Jersey, U.S., the increase in the number of procedures performed on men is a
contributing factor to the growth of the aesthetic market.
“Men are interested in their necks, abdomens and flanks.”
However, Dr. Goldman feels that the “increasing number of cosmetic
treatments being performed is directly related to new technologies and less
invasive procedures.”
Smartlipo, dissolves fat and tightens skin with one wavelength,
however the Smartlipo MPX uses two wavelengths – 1064 nm and 1320 nm – released
in sequence to improve efficacy, speed and safety.
“The 1064 nm beam fires under the skin to improve skin tone and
act on collagen fibers, all without causing much damage – whereas the 1320 nm energy melts the
fat by bursting the cells, making the fat easier to suck out.”
Smartlipo – the original device had 6 watts of power and was used
internationally for seven years. “Since its U.S. introduction in 2006, the
Smartlipo evolved to 10 W and then to 18 W. With its entirely different
platform, Smartlipo MPX features 20 W for the 1064 nm wavelength and 12 W for
the 1320 nm wavelength.”
The 1064 nm wavelength concentrates on the blood vessels and fat
cells, whereas the 1320 nm wavelength
has a higher affinity for fat.
This increases the efficiency of not only the heating, but the
entire process. “When you look at the temperature curves for the two wavelengths, you
see that the 1064 nm curve goes up gradually while the 1320 nm curve is steep.
This means that the 1064 nm energy provides gradual heating while the 1320
heats the skin quickly,” Dr. DiBernardo continued.
“The 1320 nm energy alone might heat the skin too quickly, so when
you combine the two wavelengths you have a very nice temperature curve for
heating the target tissue.”
Smartlipo also utilizes Cynosure’s SmartSense safety feature
which regulates the level of laser energy being delivered in relation to the
speed at which the handpiece is being moved, thus providing constant and
uniform energy delivery throughout treatment. SmartSense prevents laser
discharges if the handpiece stops
moving but resumes when it starts to move again.
In terms of practice positioning, Smartlipo has been used as a
stand-alone treatment as well as an adjunctive procedure to enhance the results
of traditional liposuction. “Smartlipo can be used on any body part but
performs best in smaller areas such as the knees, upper abdomen and male
breasts,”
Mr. Juma advised. “Conversely, traditional liposuction can
supplement Smartlipo. You melt the fat, the fat stays behind and then you
remove the fat with small cannulas.”
Smartlipo Dr Ayham Al-Ayoubi noted that patients who would not consider
liposuction would definitely consider Smartlipo. “There’s no question about it,
patients avoid liposuction because it leaves a noticeable scar, involves
hospitalization, requires at least ten days of downtime and can leave saggy
skin. You don’t have these problems with
Smartlipo.”
“Additionally, liposuction is limited to large anatomical areas.
Reports in medical journals demonstrated that liposuction on small areas under
the arms resulted in numbness.
Increasingly, when people search the Internet for liposuction they
find information on Smartlipo and decide on this procedure instead.
Smartlipo Dr Ayham Al-Ayoubi predicted Smartlipo is not a replacement for
liposuction yet, but it will be in the next four to five years,”
Dr. DiBernardo has used the Smartlipo MPX for six months. “Like
its predecessors, the Smartlipo MPX enhances the breakdown of fat, reduces
bruising through the coagulation of blood vessels and enhances the skin
tightening effect by stimulating fibroblasts and collagen production. The
difference is that the speed and efficacy are enhanced
in the new Smartlipo MPX.”
John Millard, M.D., a plastic surgeon who currently uses the
Smartlipo MPX in his private practice in Lone Tree,,Colorado, U.S., has used
the Smartlipo MPX for eight weeks and considers it a core instrument in his
practice. “I had five patients my first week. I got my first great result when
I treated a woman with floppy saddle bags.
Smartlipo Liposuction would have removed the fat but she would
be left with thin, floppy thighs. When I,treated her with the Smartlipo MPX,
the result was thin, nonfloppy thighs.”
Dr. Millard also explained Smartlipo MPX’s effective skin
tightening: “Traditional liposuction is an imprecise tool because it’s limited
to the deep fatty layers around the muscle.
With the Smartlipo you can treat the superficial fatty layer and
get underneath the dermis with the very small (2 mm) cannula.
When you do this in vivo you can get the skin to shrink because you’ve
released it from the fatty layer. Then, if you heat the skin to about 40°, you
can achieve additional shrinkage from reticular collagen stimulation and reformation. This can be done more
quickly and precisely with Smartlipo MPX’s two wavelengths.”
“With the previous Smartlipo or ultrasound, the surgery would be
very timeconsuming. The two wavelengths of the MPX model also provide the
capacity for debulking, unlike single wavelength devices. These two wavelengths
act synergistically,” Dr. Millard noted. “The physician must use the device
properly, but its design makes it
easier to attain good results.”
Smartlipo Dr Ayham Al-Ayoubi said his patients are very satisfied with the
Smartlipo MPX procedure, “They see the fat reduction fairly soon after a single
treatment.
When they see the skin tightening effect several months later,
they’re even happier than they were initially.”
Dr Ayham Al-Ayoubi has also experienced high patient satisfaction,
“On a scale of one to ten, satisfaction in my patients approaches ten. In my
hands, the Smartlipo MPX provides a significant benefit after a single
treatment. It’s a very powerful tool if you want to add a second round as
well.”
Dr. DiBernardo trains physicians on the use of the Smartlipo MPX.
“Laser-guided liposuction is not just placing a cannula under the skin for a
short time and then saying you did the procedure.
Physicians can spend a whole day just learning how to enhance the
results of liposuction. It’s an exacting and time-consuming process that
requires attention to detail and consistency throughout the operating area.
Most importantly, it’s the delivery of a significant amount of energy to the
deep layer and a complete heating of the dermal layer to a temperature at or
close to 42° C. A typical lower abdomen would require between 50 and 80
thousand joules of energy.”
Smartlipo Dr Ayham Al-Ayoubi, says
that the SmartlipoMPX’s 1064 nm wavelength at 20 W, increases the skin
tightening effect and the SmartSense device raise it to a different level.
“The SmartlipoMPX has a huge future. The success we’ve experienced
with the traditional Smartlipo device was greater than I thought it would be.”
He also suggested that plastic
surgeons recognize the demand for less invasive cosmetic procedures.
“You can no longer have a clinic based only on plastic surgery.
Patients are going to clinics offering Smartlipo MPX because it provides good results and is less invasive. It is
not a lunch break fat removal treatment. Proper technique is required, but if
you don’t recognize the demand for these types of procedures, you’ll regret it
in a few years.”
Smartlipo Laser lipolysis is a hot topic in the U.K., according to Mr. Juma.
“Patients might consider the Smartlipo MPX
over traditional liposuction because of the smaller incisions, smaller scars,
less bruising and shorter recovery
time.”
“The future of the Smartlipo MPX in my practice is small area
lipolysis,” Dr. Millard said. “And it’s
also a wonderful tool for touch-ups. I’m getting patients I wouldn’t get if I
only offered them traditional liposuction.”
Dr. DiBernardo advises his colleagues entering the market to
search for a laser device with a track record of reproducible results. “You
want to see impressive before and after photographs from a device that brings
unique advantages as a tool and as an enhancement to standard liposuction,” he
said.
“Make sure the manufacturer is an established player in the
market, that their devices don’t require a lot of service and results can be
obtained in a single treatment.”
“With the introduction of new, safer systems offering potentially
better outcomes and fewer side effects, such as Smartlipo MPX, and Smartlipo Triplex, I am
looking forward to a continually expanding our body contouring treatments,” Dr Ayham Al-Ayoubi concluded.
Dr Ayham Al-Ayoubi
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