Friday, April 22, 2011

Tickle Lipo is now here at Plastic Surgery Sepcialists

Rob

I am typically one of the biggest buzzkills for technology in plastic surgery and aesthetic medicine, particularly when it involves body contouring. As I've written about before, the whole laser liposuction (SmartLipo, et al.)thing has been very underwhelming on the results side (compared to traditional liposuction)for most practitioners willing to speak candidly on this. Recently, I decided to purchase a machine which is a little different kind of liposuction strategy. The technology, technically called Nutational Infrasonic Liposculpture (N.I.L), involves a novel hand piece with a tip that rotates in multiple dimensions while emitting low frequency vibrations.
In the Unites States, the technology is being marketed with the label "Tickle Lipo".

What's impressed me about the Tickle Lipo is the efficiency of the device for fat removal and the decrease in pain as compared to the gold-standard of traditional lipo. The decrease in pain is presumably from the fact that you can be much more gentle with the manual movement of the cannula while the vibratory effect is supposed to down regulate local pain receptors. When done awake or under light sedation, patient's describe the vibration as a "tickling" sensation, hence the name. SmartLipo and related devices hurt just as much as traditional liposuction (despite what's being marketed) because you still have to go back and remove the fatty tissue with a traditional suction devices, so you're really not doing anything different on that end. To my mind, Tickle Lipo is kind of a hybrid between power-assisted devices (PAL) and ultrasonic (UAL)without the heat generated by higher frequency ultrasound. The heat from UAL and SmartLipo can have severe complications with external or internal burns created.

At the recent meeting of the American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS), (the premier cosmetic surgery meeting annually in the United States), members were surveyed on their feelings and practices re. liposuction. This survey group would be a representative of the most experienced and accomplished body contouring surgeons in the world. Standard liposuction was the preferred method of fat removal for 51% of them. Power-assisted liposuction (PAL) was second, preferred by 23% of respondents. Only 10% of ASAPS members surveyed employ laser-assisted liposuction (SmartLipo and others) in their practice. When these ASAPS members were asked why they used a laser liposuction platform, the main answer was that it gave them a marketing advantage (68%) rather then any clinical result. Ultrasonic liposuction (UAL) was the most likely method to have been abandoned by the respondents.

With regard to complications after liposuction, ASAPS members felt that ultrasonic and laser liposuction were the techniques most commonly associated with complications (35% and 23%, respectively).Of the respondents, almost 40% have taken care of a patient with significant complications secondary to laser liposuction. Contour deformity was the most common complication reported by respondents (71%), followed by unsatisfactory results (59%), burns (44%), and scarring (38%).

This has been my experience as well. We're seeing more issues from these laser devices, most of which are being performed by non plastic surgeons. I think that has to do with the fact that it's more frequently non plastic surgeons buying these platforms rather then the fact that we'd produce less complications with them (although I think we would). After trialing a number of these technologies, we were just impressed with both the effectiveness and safety of Tickle Lipo.


Rob
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Thursday, April 21, 2011

Half Their Age (& Half The Truth!)

People Magazine's most recent issue is out and besides naming Jennifer Lopez the most world's most beautiful woman (she is very beautiful but that is an extreme declaration!) they have a segment about women who look half their age. Along with their pictures, these women talk about how and why they look that good. Well, they really only talk about half of the reasons. Of course they begin with the gorgeous, age-defying Christie Brinkley:

She says her secret is that she multi-tasks and is careful about how much make up she wears and what color she dyes her hair. And yes we should believe that is why she looks like this at 57. The Easter bunny is coming over to my house on Sunday too! I wasn't looking for a detailed invoice of what all these women had done but at least give a hint or two about having a little help (from a friendly dermatologist or surgeon) so that women in their 40's and 50's aren't going crazy at home thinking that this is possible without that. I think they all look young, healthy and natural, but it is because they have had help. Anyone could see that they have had Botox and fillers and I applaud them for not overdoing it. They don't look fake or frozen at all. Here are the other examples and their "explanations":

Stacey Dash, now 44 and says she washes her face every night and drinks water. Sorry Stacey, but we are not as clueless as you were back then.

Dana Delaney, an amazing 55 years old, just got a role that was made for a 35 year old. She says she only eats fish and vegetables and does yoga. While those definitely keep you in shape and healthy, they don't take away the wrinkles 55 years on this earth will give you!
The same thing goes for Lucy Liu, 42. Yes, the running, pilates, and yoga she does helps her keep her Charlie's Angels body, but botox and fillers have helped her keep her youthful face.

Even with a little help, I think these women have done a great job taking care of themselves and they should be proud. They're beautiful!










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Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Reese Witherspoon Looking Fresh and Fab On The Red Carpet!



New movie Water For Elephants starring the lovely Reese Witherspoon and the equally lovely Robert Pattinson premiered this past weekend. At the premier was glowing newlywed Witherspoon looking freshly botoxed and fabulous! Reese appears to have had a few injections in the lower forehead and possibly lip filler. Reese still has plenty of movement in her face, a sign of a botox-job-well-done! We like our actresses to have expressions for crying out loud! Her skin looks youthful and radiant, just like every new bride dreams of. It sure doesn't hurt that she spent the night alongside dashing co-star Robbie Patts. He could make anyone look good, not that Reese needs any help.
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