Power-assisted liposuction can offer patients looking to undergo liposuction dramatic results. This procedure allows cosmetic surgeons the opportunity to create a new silhouette for patients with less swelling after the surgery is completed.

Patients considering a liposuction procedure today have more options available to them than patients in the past. The procedures are less invasive, more effective and offer a higher level of results, says Alfredo Hoyos, MD, a cosmetic surgeon from Colombia who has invented several liposuction procedures.

“Welcome to the new century in body contouring,” he adds. “It is an exciting place.”

One of these new advances is power-assisted liposuction. This procedure is gentler than more traditional liposuction options, meaning that cosmetic surgeons can provide the same — or better— results without several weeks’ worth of post-operative swelling.

Additionally, some cosmetic surgeons will use power-assisted liposuction in conjunction with other approaches to liposuction procedures in order to produce ideal results. Whether your procedure is performed solely with the power-assisted approach or in conjunction with other approaches, power-assisted liposuction can be a powerful tool in the cosmetic surgeon’s toolbox.

How the Procedure Works

During a power-assisted liposuction procedure, the cosmetic surgeon will insert a cannula, a tube used to remove fat deposits under the skin, into a small incision. Then, the PAL device causes the cannula to move rapidly, which helps to loosen the excess fat cells. Finally, the fat cells are suctioned out of the body.

In some cases, the power-assisted approach can give the cosmetic surgeon a more precise result than the traditional liposuction technique.

Is Power-Assisted Liposuction Right for You?

During your consultations with the cosmetic surgeon of your choice, the two of you will discuss which approach to liposuction will be most beneficial to you. You will weigh the expectations of your procedure against the options available, and your cosmetic surgeon will select the approach that is right for you.

Dr. Hoyos says he evaluates cases — including the approaches that he will use — on a patient-by-patient basis. This means that the best approach is determined by the needs of the patient and the area of the body the cosmetic surgeon will be sculpting.

Are You a Good Candidate for Liposuction?

Emily Pollard, MD, a board-certified cosmetic surgeon from Bala Cynwyd, Pa., says that while liposuction can help people of variety of sizes have a more pleasing body shape, some of the best candidates for liposuction are those who are already taking good care of themselves and just need a little extra help getting their shape back after childbirth or who have a genetic predisposition to fat deposits in certain areas of the body, such as a double chin.

“I also like for them to get as strong as they can and keep their foundation in shape, the muscle and the bones. It gives them a good foundation for the results,” Dr. Pollard adds.