A Tummy Tuck Alternative Without The Scarring

2010-08-03 09:31:00

Dr. Lou Cole combines laser lipolysis and radio frequency skin tightening to produce the effects of a tummy tuck without the major scar and with significantly less downtime.

Some patients in need of a tummy tuck may balk at surgery due to the major scar that is left behind. Sure, the fat and excess skin is gone but in it's place is a 20-some inch scar bisecting the body. Leaving no scars and little-to-no downtime, the combination of Smartlipo and Thermage is now available as an alternative to the tummy tuck.

Dr. Louis Cole, a cosmetic surgeon who offers Thermage in Duluth, GA, uses the SmartLipo device and says, "We use the SmartLipo on everybody just because it's so good at tightening the skin." The fat is melted with Smartlipo and then removed via suction, after which a laser is used to tighten skin and stimulate collagen growth.

While most physicians will not perform Smartlipo on very large patients, for these patients, Dr. Cole initially removes fat via traditional lipo and follows up with the Smartlipo laser to get the skin-tightening effects. Dr. Cole says, "If we're going to do a larger person we can get out some of the fat just with the power assisted liposuction or the small micro cannular liposuction that we do, then we use the skin tightening and the sculpting ability of the SmartLipo to get definition and skin tightening."

For the maximum skin tightening result, Dr. Cole follows the Smartlipo procedure with a Thermage treatment. "We also use the Thermage procedure in conjunction with the SmartLipo and the power assisted because the radio frequency performed right after the SmartLipo seems to synergistically work for skin tightening. If somebody has a large amount of fat that we removed, and they don't want to have a tummy tuck - where they have surgery to cut away skin and reposition the belly button - we use the SmartLipo with the power assisted lipo then 3-5, or even 7 days after the surgery, we do a Thermage procedure."

According to Dr. Cole, patients who were initially contemplating tummy tucks and decide instead on this combination of Smartlipo and Thermage, have been very pleased with their results.

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