Over the years, liposuction has developed successively improved methods. Ultrasonic Assisted Liposuction (UAL) is one of the best. It uses ultrasound to liquefy unwanted fatty tissue just beneath the skin. Being liquefied, it is easier to remove.
Liposuction is done only after you have truly tried exercise and good diet to lose weight. For many people, this works for the most part, but leaves local areas of resistant fat. These can be removed with UAL or other methods of liposuction.
UAL Done With Tumescent Liposuction
Ultrasound is used along with large amounts of injected fluid – the method known as tumescent liposuction. That fluid is a saline solution, meaning that it contains salt, and it is designed to match the salinity of our natural body fluids. That prevents it from upsetting the electrolyte balance, because too much sodium (salt) would not be healthy.
The fluid also contains an anesthetic (often lidocaine) and a vasoconstrictor (epinephrine – to minimize bleeding by constricting the local blood vessels). About three times the volume of fluid is injected as the volume of fatty tissue to be removed. By proceeding in this way, there is now no need for any general anesthesia or intravenous fluids to be given.
The injected fluid also creates space between the fatty tissue and neighboring muscles, which gives more room for the surgeon's cannula (tube). In UAL, this is a specialized cannula which not only allows fat to be suctioned out, but also transmits ultrasound vibrations.
What is Ultrasound?
Ultrasound is sound vibration at a higher frequency than we can hear. It is "beyond sound", as "ultraviolet" lasers vibrate at a color beyond our ability to see. When used on fat cells, it has the effect of disintegrating the cell membranes – in other words, it destroys their separateness and emulsifies (liquefies) them.
Advantages of Using Ultrasound
Before ultrasound was used to do this, the cosmetic surgeon did it by pushing and pulling the cannula among the fat cells and mechanically breaking them up. That created some risk of damaging local organs or structures such as blood vessels. Ultrasound works well in more fibrous tissue as is found on the upper back or the male chest. It also reduces blood loss.
Limitations of UAL
It does not treat cellulite, although some people notice an improvement in that regard. It does not remove any skin, so if you had stretch marks or ripples before treatment, they will remain there afterwards. If your skin is elastic enough, it will shrink to fit around your new flatter shape. But if it is not, you may have loose skin. This can be treated with a tummy tuck.
Once the unwanted fat cells are removed, they do not regrow. The body stops creating new fat cells at the end of childhood. If you gain weight after your UAL procedure, it will be an expansion of remaining fat cells.
Liposuction is done only after you have truly tried exercise and good diet to lose weight. For many people, this works for the most part, but leaves local areas of resistant fat. These can be removed with UAL or other methods of liposuction.
UAL Done With Tumescent Liposuction
Ultrasound is used along with large amounts of injected fluid – the method known as tumescent liposuction. That fluid is a saline solution, meaning that it contains salt, and it is designed to match the salinity of our natural body fluids. That prevents it from upsetting the electrolyte balance, because too much sodium (salt) would not be healthy.
The fluid also contains an anesthetic (often lidocaine) and a vasoconstrictor (epinephrine – to minimize bleeding by constricting the local blood vessels). About three times the volume of fluid is injected as the volume of fatty tissue to be removed. By proceeding in this way, there is now no need for any general anesthesia or intravenous fluids to be given.
The injected fluid also creates space between the fatty tissue and neighboring muscles, which gives more room for the surgeon's cannula (tube). In UAL, this is a specialized cannula which not only allows fat to be suctioned out, but also transmits ultrasound vibrations.
What is Ultrasound?
Ultrasound is sound vibration at a higher frequency than we can hear. It is "beyond sound", as "ultraviolet" lasers vibrate at a color beyond our ability to see. When used on fat cells, it has the effect of disintegrating the cell membranes – in other words, it destroys their separateness and emulsifies (liquefies) them.
Advantages of Using Ultrasound
Before ultrasound was used to do this, the cosmetic surgeon did it by pushing and pulling the cannula among the fat cells and mechanically breaking them up. That created some risk of damaging local organs or structures such as blood vessels. Ultrasound works well in more fibrous tissue as is found on the upper back or the male chest. It also reduces blood loss.
Limitations of UAL
It does not treat cellulite, although some people notice an improvement in that regard. It does not remove any skin, so if you had stretch marks or ripples before treatment, they will remain there afterwards. If your skin is elastic enough, it will shrink to fit around your new flatter shape. But if it is not, you may have loose skin. This can be treated with a tummy tuck.
Once the unwanted fat cells are removed, they do not regrow. The body stops creating new fat cells at the end of childhood. If you gain weight after your UAL procedure, it will be an expansion of remaining fat cells.