What is the difference between smart lipo, liposuction and tummy tuck?

Liposuction and tummy tucks are useful surgical procedures that can free you off the burden of excessive fat and help them make a fresh start. Combined with diet and exercise it can change your health and appearance for the better and improve your self esteem.

With liposuction, deep, also known as storage fat, is permanently removed from your body - both fat cells and the actual fat contained in the cells. Because your body is left with excess skin after the removal of fat underneath it, liposuction typically leads to an appearance of loose skin, that must be firmed up with a good post-liposuction treatment, which can also speed up post-surgery recovery.

With tummy tuck, deep fat as well as excess skin is removed from the abdomen to leave your skin tight after the operation, together with an unsightly mark just above your bikini line. This scar also requires a good post-cosmetic surgery treatment to reduce the appearance of the scar and speed up rehabilitation.

With smart lipo the fat cells are destroyed by a laser or ultrasound probe that is inserted in your body, but the actual fat is not removed, it stays in your tissues leaving it for the body to deal with the removal of fat from the area and it's oxidation (burning) in the muscles, if you diet and exercise. If you don't diet and exercise after the treatment the fat will end up back in your tissues again... A good post-cosmetic surgery rehabilitation treatment is also required after smart lipo to speed up recovery and hasten the removal of dead fat cells, and most importantly the actual fat from the area, before it has a chance to stimulate the creation of new fat cells in the area. Yes, that right, excess fatty acids in any area of the body stimulates the creation of new fat cells, to store the said fat. And if you think that this is just a theory I made up, I would like to inform you that this is not just a theory, this is one of the basic principles of adipose tissue biology. Thousands of research papers have been published on this subject.

Do have liposuction for all the right reasons - but do know that cellulite is not one of them!

All we have seen, all the procedures deal with deep, storage fat, therefore if cellulite is the reason for considering liposuction you should know that liposuction (and tummy tuck) can not possibly reduce cellulite. This is because liposuction can only "suck out" the deeper layers of fat, whilst cellulite is fat contained within the skin and thereby impossible to remove with liposuction - unless of course you want your skin removed as well! So don't be fooled by deceptive advertising.

Exactly the same applies to "smart lipo": it doesn't eliminate a single gram of cellulite, with the added disadvantage of leaving the fat inside your tissues after the procedure. That's right! All that smart lipo does is destroy the fat cells, without however eliminating the actual fatty acids (or lard, oil, butter or whatever else you want to name them) from the body. Those fatty acids left in your stomach, thigh, buttock or arm tissues have to be removed from the area by the body (a painstakingly slow process) and then "burned" by the body, usually in the muscles, only if you diet and exercise. Simply put, the fat left behind by smart lipo does not magically evaporate into thin air, it has to be transported and burned. Honestly, I cannot see the point of smart lipo - if I had to remove my fat surgically I would definitely choose liposuction or tummy tuck.

Thankfully, the last few years a new type of smart lipo emerged, known as smart lipo with aspiration (suction), which is basically a mini liposuction, with a different name, and should be considered as such! The comments above applying to liposuction also apply to smart lipo with suction.

In all cases, if cellulite is what's bothering you, and not deep storage fat, a good cellulite reduction treatment and/or a good anti-cellulite cream is what you need, not liposuction or smart lipo, with or without suction.

Liposuction is not the final solution you think it is

Another problem with liposuction in all it's guises (straight liposuction, smart lipo, tummy tucks and thigh lift) is that people think of it as a permanent solution - which it is not. Liposuction is like an absolution of sins: it gives you an opportunity to make a new beginning but it doesn’t prevent you from sinning again. If you sin again, you will soon need a new absolution to rid you of your sins.

In liposuction terms, this means that if you don’t take care with diet, healthy lifestyle and exercise you will accumulate fat again either in areas right next to the liposuction (which usually looks really ugly) or in distant to the liposuction areas, or even on the operated area (yes, new fat cells can grow everywhere in the body if there is enough stimulation of the tissues from excess calories and fat-specific hormones, especially insulin, cortisol and estrogen.

Having said that, we'd like to repeat that we are not against liposuction. We believe that liposuction is great as a quick "absolution of sins" that helps you make a fresh start, but we are against having liposuction for the wrong reasons - i.e. cellulite removal (impossible with liposuction) or as a means to keep neglecting your body's needs for exercise and a wholesome diet. We have seen so many women who had two and three operations, sometimes on the same area, and this is highly irresponsible of both the doctors who perform these operations and patients who fool themselves.

LipoTherapeia and the Lipo Actives are ideal after liposuction, smart lipo, tummy tuck or thigh lift procedures

However, if you did have liposuction, or are about to have it soon for the right reasons (i.e. deep fat removal and with the knowledge that you will accumulate fat in the wrong places once again if you don't take care), LipoTherapeia can help you recover faster from liposuction and help firm up the excess skin left after the removal of fat. Liposuction is a pretty traumatic experience for your body, leaving it bruised and inflamed for weeks. LipoTherapeia, is indicated after the second or third week following the operation and can help your tissues rehabilitate faster by reducing inflammation and swelling, and therefore prevent scar tissue formation. It will also assist in the firming up of the excess, loose skin tissue left after the removal for fat. And finally, it will help smoothen out the irregularities left after the sometimes inconsistent removal of fat from your tissues.

If you opt to have a "tummy tuck" or "thigh lift" instead of liposuction, you will enjoy tight skin but you will be left with a usually pretty ugly scar. LipoTherapeia is very effective and indeed essential in this case to soften the appearance of the scar, and of course to help with reducing the post-operative inflammation and swelling and in assisting with the rehabilitation of your tissues.

Even better, the Lipo Actives can start assisting you with post-operative tissue rehabilitation even earlier: you can apply them just a few days after the operation, as their multiple natural active ingredients act to decrease the swelling by boosting lymph drainage, vein function and reducing inflammation.

LipoTherapeia is ideal after breast surgery or face lifting procedures

LipoTherapeia is ideal after any type of cosmetic surgery, anywhere in the body (including face lifting and breast augmentation surgery) because it helps reduce the appearance of scars, accelerates recovery by decreasing swelling and helps tissues comply faster with their new shapes. All plastic surgeons recommend a good post-breast surgery treatment to make sure the breast takes it's optimal shape after the operation and to avoid tissue adhesions and scar tissue from forming and the same applies to face lifting procedures. LipoTherapeia's Lipo Active Massage can really be of help with rehabilitation, lymph drainage and scar tissue prevention/breakdown after the operation.

LipoTherapeia incorporates lymphatic drainage massage with lymphatic stimulation massage for better results

In all cases, LipoTherapeia is far better than a simple lymph massage (also know as lymph drainage massage or manual lymphatic drainage), as it doesn't just passively drain the lymph on behalf of your body, but in addition stimulates lymphatic function so the body itself does a better job in  and the fluid. In addition, LipoTherapeia offers scar tissue breakdown and skin firming, that plain lymph massage simply doesn't.