London Medical & Aesthetic Clinic: January 2014

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.

View all posts by Dr Ayham Al-Ayoubi, click here