Waterlipo™ (Water-Jet Assisted Liposuction)

What Is Waterlipo™?

Waterlipo™ is the newest technology in minimally invasive, permanent fat removal. It is done in the office without general anesthesia or IVs. Traditional liposuction is traumatic because it requires the doctor to crush fat and then suck it out. Because of the force and strain that goes into traditional liposuction there is often significant bleeding, bruising, and long recovery times. Typically, general anesthesia or deep sedation in a hospital operating room are required for traditional liposuction. Waterlipo™, on the other hand, uses a gentle stream of water to dislodge fat that is then gently washed out of the body. Waterlipo™ is safer than traditional liposuction due to it's being performed under local anesthesia. This eliminates the overall medical risk and post-operative discomfort associated with general anesthesia. The end result is a virtually painless procedure without bleeding and, for most people, no down time. Waterlipo™ has been done for years in Europe—especially in Germany where it was invented.

How is the Waterlipo™ procedure performed?

With Waterlipo™ very few tiny incisions are made around the targeted area to inject the numbing local anesthetic and for the delivery of the numbing medication (tumescence). The incisions require no stitches, they heal within days, and they leave no significant scars. After the area is numbed, the surgeon gently guides a cannula through those same tiny incisions. At the tip of the cannula which looks like a straw, a stream of water sprays out 360 degrees. The water pressure essentially dislodges fat while simultaneously leaving more useful structures such as blood vessels and other connective tissue completely intact. A small vacuum at the end of the same cannula then collects the fat that has been dislodged by the water. Because the surgeon is not scraping at the fat such as in other liposuction techniques, results end up very smooth. This smoothness comes because the water is doing the work rather than the scraping effect of the cannula. After the fat is removed, a laser fiber is used to then tighten the skin where the previous fat was removed. This procedure is the most gentle in the history of liposuction with less bleeding, swelling and bruising (unlike traditional liposuction), hastening the recovery time. The minimal invasiveness of the procedure allows patients to see remarkable results, fast. In addition, because only local anesthetic is used for this procedure, Waterlipo™ carries much fewer risks than traditional liposuction.
Is Waterlipo™ The right procedure for me?

Waterlipo™ is designed to address bulges that do not respond well to exercise. Everyone is programmed to a have a certain number of fat cells in different areas of their body. This is often related to genetics. That's why some people might be athletic, or otherwise relatively fit but may have love handles, saddlebags, or the dreaded 'muffin top' spilling over their belt. Some individuals have trouble areas that are not in proportion to the rest of their frame, like especially large arms, or, in men, excessive tissue in the breast area (troublesome 'man boobs'). Other factors such as body changes after giving birth may also contribute to these bulges. Virtually any area from the neck down to the knees may be addressed with Waterlipo™. Where there is an out of place bulge on the body, Waterlipo™ is likely able to permanently solve the problem in the safest, most gentle way possible.

How Many Treatments will I need?

Typically only one treatment is required per region or designated area. Once fat is removed from a region, the cells do not grow back, so it is permanent. Each session (per body region) lasts only an hour or two, depending on designated region and desired outcome.
How does Waterlipo™ Differ From Laser Liposuction?

There are a number of different brands of lasers that can do laser liposuction including smartlipo and prolipo. We believe that these are good technologies. In fact, we use laser liposuction in our office. However, we also have found laser liposuction alone to be somewhat limiting in the amount of fat that can be removed. Laser liposuction is good at removing small amounts of fat (such as in the neck) but is better at tightening skin. So, that is what we use it for. We use laser liposuction in conjunction with Waterlipo™ in most cases as a double-pronged approach to permanent fat removal. Waterlipo™ washes away fat efficiently and gently, and then the laser liposuction fiber tightens skin. We could do laser liposuction alone, as many offices do. However, we have found that the best result possible is achieved using both technologies together.

How Long Does It Take To Recover From Waterlipo™?

For most patients, there is virtually no downtime with Waterlipo™. Even so, we do recommend you plan on taking 1-2 days off of work to be sure. After all, everyone is different and responds uniquely to procedures. We have experienced patients (our own office manager for example) who actually go back to work the same afternoon after a morning Waterlipo™. Others may spend a weekend at home resting before returning to work (looking sharp!) on Monday morning. However, we have found that universally, the recovery time from Waterlipo™ is significantly quicker and painless compared with those who undergo traditional liposuction.

Will I Have Loose Skin After Waterlipo™?

This is a question that is often asked—especially by women who are thinking about having a tummy tuck. Because we do laser liposuction (ProLipo) on most areas where Waterlipo™ is used, the answer is absolutely not. With traditional liposuction this certainly was an issue: sagging skin resulted when the fat removal left skin without any structure to hold it up. Harnessing the power of our laserlipo fiber, however, we can simultaneously tighten skin up to 20% after removing the fat. The good news is that for many women who are contemplating a tummy tuck but do not want the large scars and significant recovery time, Waterlipo™ with laser is an effective, less expensive, and safer alternative.

Does Waterlipo™ treat cellulite?

Waterlipo™ uses the Body Jet system to wash away fat and a laser to tighten loose skin. Although there has been no studies showing improvements in cellulite, we have noted improvements in cellulite after the procedure. In addition, another technology known as Skin Tyte™ is also used in patients which also seems to improve cellulite.

Can I Use My Own Fat To Put Somewhere Else?

Yes. Because Waterlipo™ is so gentle, the fat removed is not crushed and damaged. This pristine fat is ready to put right back in somewhere else. For people who get fillers like restylane or juvederm, it's a great alternative. It is all natural because its coming from your own body and it is permanent unlike juvederm which lasts only for about 6-8 months.

What If I Have Fat Deposits Distributed All Over My Body?

Commonly, patients come in with an overall weight issue, yet one prominent area of bulging. For these patients we suggest a plan that includes Medical Weight Loss (a physician-directed weight loss program that lasts just 40 days.) At that point, patients return for a consultation to see where the incongruous bulges remain. Often, to their surprise, the weight loss has solved their bulge problem and a skin tightening procedure (Skin Tyte™ or laser lipolysis) is all that's required to smooth the skin around the now slim physique.

What happens after a Waterlipo™ treatment?

After the treatment there will only be minimal pain and swelling. We recommend 24 to 48 hours of rest, but most patients are able to return to work the next day. You will be required to wear a compression garment under your clothes that is not visible through your clothes for about one week after your procedure. Because Waterlipo™ is a safe, targeted procedure that utilizes water pressure to remove the fat and only local anesthetic, the side effects are minimal. Any discomfort or mild soreness goes away within a few days in the vast majority of patient. There are no stitches and the tiny puncture wounds heal within two days. Patients may have mild discomfort and bruising, but they can walk, resume normal activities and return to work almost immediately.

How Much Does It Cost?

Everyone's body is different so it is difficult to make a generalized cost statement. One person's hips may be very wide, and another's hold just a discrete pouch. However, because we perform Waterlipo™ and laser liposuction in the office instead of a hospital or surgical center, patients save a significant amount of money compared to traditional liposuction (and get better results!) The good news is that consultations are free. so there is no reason to make an appointment and have an easy answer to this question or any other question you may have about the procedure.

What if I do not want to be totally awake during my procedure?

We NEVER use general anesthesia for liposuction procedures because we feel it is simply unsafe. However, we do offer the option to do the procedure under "Twilight" which is essentially a slightly stronger form of sedation than the usual relaxing pills we provide for you. This type of sedation is EXTREMELY safe and adds virtually no additional risk the way general anesthesia does. Please let us know if this is something that you wish to discuss.