Are you considering liposuction, but concerned about the side effects and pain? Dr. Yugueros and the experienced staff at Luna Plastic Surgery can address all of your concerns. Dr. Yugueros employs Lipotherme, a cutting-edge laser-assisted lipolysis treatment that is safe and effective with minimal downtime and discomfort. The Lipotherme procedure efficiently removes excess fat as it reduces cellulite to smooth and tighten your skin. At Luna Plastic surgery your well-being is our number one priority and the dreams you have for your personal appearance are important to us.

What is Lipotherme?

Lipotherme is a safe, effective laser-assisted lipolysis procedure developed in Europe and approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use in the United States. Dr. Yugueros expertly performs the Lipotherme procedure to liquefy and remove unwanted fat in targeted body zones. Lipotherme’s unique thermal effect causes the skin to tighten as the fat is being removed which results in firmer, smoother and more youthful looking skin.

Lipotherme’s revolutionary technique harnesses the power of heat-generating lasers to selectively break up unwanted body bulk and reshape your body. Lipo means fat, and therme means heat; so the name Lipotherme literally means the application of heat to liquefy fat. The Lipotherme technology marks an evolution of traditional liposuction procedure because it is a minimally-invasive treatment with virtually no downtime.

Since this procedure is performed as an out-patient treatment, you will be able to return home the day of your surgery. Most patients resume normal light to moderate activities the day after their procedure, and are able to resume more strenuous activities, such as exercise, after only a few days more. You will have dissolving stitches in each of the tiny incisions.

Lipotherme is a gentler procedure than traditional liposuction so you can expect less swelling and bruising. In addition, the heat from the Lipotherme laser actually stimulates collagen production, which causes some skin tightening and smoothing. The Lipotherme technology is the result of extensive research into the ideal methods for targeting unwanted fat “zones” and eliminating them from the human body.

Who is a Candiate for Lipotherme?

Proper diet and exercise are keys to a shapely body and healthy habits go a long way toward maintaining the body you desire. When it comes to sculpting your body contours however, some areas of the body often appear diet and exercise resistant. This is because multiple factors including age, genetics and hormones play a significant part in your body’s appearance.

Dr. Yugueros offers the Lipotherme treatment for women and men who have a reasonable Body Mass Index (BMI) yet still have issues with stubborn areas of fat they would like trimmed away. Lipotherme procedures have been used to eliminate fat deposits with good success in the following areas of the body: abdomen, waist, back, thighs, hips, chin and neck area, knees, arms and ankles. Gynecomastia, or male breast enlargement can also be treated with the Lipotherme procedure. The Laser-assisted liposuction will give you more skin tightening than traditional liposuction will, but it won’t replace surgical skin tightening (for example a tummy tuck, etc).

If you think Lipotherme might be right for you, a staff member will schedule a pre-treatment consultation for you. Dr. Yugueros will work with you to discuss your body contouring goals. She will also explain the mechanics of the procedure and help you set realistic expectations. A Body Mass Index (BMI) will be performed at your consultation. This information, in combination with other health information, will be used to determine the potential outcomes you should expect. If Dr. Yugueros determines your health profile identifies you as a candidate for Lipotherme, you can be scheduled for the laser procedure.

The Lipotherme Procedure

Our Lipotherme procedure allows Dr. Yugueros to selectively target unwanted fat deposits in your body and eliminate them. You can expect to see an overall circumference reduction in the areas treated as well as skin tightening. When you arrive for your treatment, Dr. Yugueros will carefully mark the identified target area or areas of your body and administer a mild numbing agent to the appropriate body zones.

She will then insert a small metal tube, called a cannula, under the skin and fire a tiny laser beam as she manipulates the cannula back and forth among the fat cells. The laser warms the cells creating a thermal effect. Fat cells liquefy when the correct amount of thermal energy is applied at the right temperature. Once the appropriate energy and heat have melted the fat cells, Dr. Yugueros will aspirate, or suction, the liquefied fat cells away. An added benefit of the Lipotherme treatment is that as heat is produced during the treatment, this heat creates a skin tightening effect, thus helping create a more balanced skin texture.

Post-Treatment Information

It is typical to see significant, even dramatic, improvement in as little as 1 to 2 weeks and some areas of the body respond even faster. Healing and metabolism rates are unique to each person and thus it is wise to wait the full 12 to 16 weeks to adequately measure the benefits of your procedure. We have noted with our patients that improvement in the areas treated will continue for several months past the 12 to 16 week period.

Lipotherme treatments of any one particular area are considered “one-time” treatments. However, if you do not maintain good eating and exercise habits, you will gain weight. It is wise therefore to get yourself into the habit of eating well and including regular exercise into your routine to keep yourself fit and healthy. Think of Lipotherme as a jump start on your way to a new and improved you!

It is important to realize that the amount of time it takes for recovery varies greatly from person to person. Typically, you can resume normal activities the day after your treatment. However, it is recommended you wait several days before resuming strenuous activity such as exercising.

You will have a compression garment to wear over the treated areas. In most cases, you’ll need to wear this garment for about 6 weeks. The garment fits well under normal clothing. Your stitches will dissolve on their own but you will notice some swelling and possibly some bruising. This is normal and will begin to subside a week to three weeks following treatment. There may also be numbness in some areas, and it may take several weeks, or even a few months before feeling returns fully.

Fortunately, significant complications from laser-assisted liposuction are infrequent. Dr. Yugueros will discuss all of the benefits and risks of the Lipotherme treatment with you during your consultation. You can be assured that all the Luna staff will be available to answer any pre- or post- procedure questions you many have. We look forward to starting you on your way to a positive and results-oriented body contouring experience.