Spring has arrived, and now it’s time to prepare that summer body. Diet and exercise can get you to shed those pounds, but you might notice certain fat pockets are stubborn. A little neck fat or a slight muffin top form in the most unflattering areas. No matter how small they may be, they make you feel insecure about your appearance.
Dr. Amir Raeesy and his team at Balboa Medical Medical Center and Spa, here in Encino, California, wants you to know that there’s a solution for your troubles. Learn more about the revolutionary body contouring treatment called SmartLipo™.
What exactly is SmartLipo?
SmartLipo therapy is a laser-assisted body contouring treatment. This FDA-approved solution to stubborn fat focuses on sculpting your body by targeting specific problem areas. Say farewell to stubborn fat and loose skin, as laser-assisted surgery even prevents saggy skin from forming after the procedure.
How SmartLipo actually works
Dr. Amir Raeesy has performed numerous SmartLipo procedures over the last 14 years. Patients always walk away with positive results that reflect their desired appearance. Sculpting the body requires paying careful attention to pockets of fat and the tissue around it, which Dr. Raeesy does with skill and care.
Preparation
Dr. Raeesy prepares you for the procedure by applying local anesthesia to the treatment area. Unlike general anesthesia, you can stay awake during the procedure.
Dr. Raeesy starts by numbing the treatment area and making a few small incisions to begin. The anesthesia takes about 30-40 minutes to take full effect. He then injects a tumescent solution under your skin, numbing the muscles and ballooning the fat tissue.
Laser treatment
Once the local anesthesia has taken full effect, Dr. Raeesy introduces the SmartLipo laser optical fiber. He uses a narrow tube, called a cannula to penetrate the skin. A laser projects from the cannula, releasing varying wavelengths of energy to burn the fat. As the lasers burn the fat cells away, they simultaneously shrink collagen to tighten the surrounding skin.
Dr. Raeesy moves the cannula in repetitive motions to liquify the fat. Once it’s in liquid form, the only thing left to do is to suction away the fat. The incisions made to your skin are small enough to require only a few if any, stitches. The procedure takes about three to six hours to complete, depending on how many areas need to be treated.
Recovery
It won’t take you very long to recover from the procedure. Immediately following the procedure, you should expect to see numbness, bruising, swelling, and discomfort. These symptoms typically only last a few days.
We recommend you relax, and take it easy for a few days. Before you know it, you can work and engage in regular activities without significant discomfort. If you’re an athlete, wait at least two weeks to engage in more strenuous activities.
The benefits of SmartLipo
No excess skin
Unlike traditional liposuction, one of the key advantages of SmartLipo is that you won’t have to battle with excess skin following the procedure. This sculpting procedure leaves you with a tight, contoured appearance.
Treats specific problem areas
SmartLipo is meant to treat specific problem areas. Some of the most common areas we treat are:
- Hips
- Back
- Arms
- Abdomen
- Thighs
- Flanks
- Neck
Good candidates for this treatment
It’s important to remember that SmartLipo isn’t a weight-loss solution. SmartLipo is designed to contour and sculpt areas that won’t slim down with diet and exercise alone. To be considered a good candidate for SmartLipo, you should be in good health, be within 25 pounds of your ideal body weight, and have a goal for a specific target area on your body.
To find out if you’re a good candidate for SmartLipo, schedule a consultation with Balboa Medical Center and Spa. You can call our office in Encino, California at (818) 701-0017.