Do you have pesky small pockets of pinchable fat that just seem to resist diet and exercise no matter what you do?
Patients seeking a slimmer, more sculpted body are turning to power-assisted liposuction or PAL to remove excess fat and achieve a more contoured figure. Like other liposuction techniques, PAL removes unwanted fat from areas that are unresponsive to regular exercise and a healthy diet.
At Atlanta Liposuction Specialty Clinic, we use power-assisted liposuction to remove more fat in less time. PAL can be used alone to remove unwanted body fat or paired with another lipo technique like VASER (ultrasound energy) or Smartlipo (laser heat). Power-assisted lipo can be used all over the body for sculpting, shaping, slimming, and contouring.
From Beverly Hills to New York, patients have been turning to liposuction to remove excess fat since the late 1990s. The technique was developed by a board-certified plastic surgeon and is now considered to be a gold-standard body-sculpting technique.
Traditional lipo removes fat through small incisions. A hollow suction tube is inserted through the incisions to eliminate excess fat from under the skin. Power-assisted liposuction is a newer liposuction technique that uses a cannula (the small suction tube) with a vibrating tip. The tip of the cannula vibrates rapidly to break down the dense fat tissue. This method is often less-invasive, easier, and offers faster recovery compared to traditional liposuction. Your Atlanta Liposuction Specialty Clinic doctor utilizes the power-assisted cannula’s oscillating action to meticulously sculpt the desired areas with less manual work.
With PAL, the cannula breaks up the fat more efficiently, leaving the patients with less trauma, bruising, and downtime. Most patients report 30% faster healing times with power-assisted liposuction compared to traditional methods.
You’ll be given a local anesthetic before treatment to ensure you remain comfortable and pain-free during the procedure. Local anesthesia is safer, easier, and much less invasive than general anesthesia. You’ll remain fully awake and aware during your treatment. We go the extra mile to make the process as seamless and relaxing as possible.
Power-assisted liposuction uses the same technique as tumescent liposuction. The doctor will make minor incisions on the areas you wish to remove excess fat tissue so the cannula can be inserted. The doctor will then use a tumescent solution, which is a mixture of saline, local anesthetic, and vasoconstrictor (epinephrine) to reduce bleeding. Your doctor will move the cannula back and forth to loosen the fatty deposits and suction unwanted fat cells.
You will go home the same day of your treatment. Even though the doctor will not put you to sleep, we don’t ever recommend our patients driving after any type of cosmetic surgery. Please arrange a ride following your procedure. On average, PAL lasts around 1 hour. Your doctor will likely keep you for a short observation time. Once your doctor is comfortable, you’ll be released. We suggest taking the rest of the day off. You may be slightly sore and uncomfortable once the local anesthetic wears off.
Power-assisted liposuction can help remove pesky, unwanted fat that’s resistant to diet and exercise.
Below are the most common treatment areas.
If you don’t see your problem area listed above, that doesn’t necessarily mean our doctors can’t help. If you have an area of your body with excess fat, ask the doctor about removing it with lipo during your consultation.
Power-assisted liposuction can be an excellent option for both men and women of any age who are frustrated by unwanted fat that’s resistant to diet and exercise. Power-assisted liposuction (or any other type of lipo) is not a weight loss procedure. It’s a cosmetic surgery to help contour the body. If you’re seeking a more drastic weight loss procedure, you may want to consult with a plastic surgeon to discuss your options.
PAL is not recommended for patients who are severely overweight or have an unstable weight. You should be close to your goal body weight at the time of your treatment. A general rule of thumb is ideal candidates should be within 30% of their ideal weight.
If you have poor skin elasticity, PAL may not be the ideal fat removal procedure for you. Skin that’s loose or has extensive stretch-marks will often sag rather than snapping back post-op, leaving you with less than perfect results. If you’re concerned about your skin’s integrity, talk to your doctor during your initial consultation. There may be other surgical procedures to help give you the body you desire.
PAL was introduced as a safer surgical procedure for fat removal. The vibrating tip of the cannula shakes fat cells and suctions them away in one step. The vibration helps the doctor seamlessly glide through fatty layers with less force than other lipo techniques. The vibrating cannula has just the right frequency to safely maximize fat removal.
Power-assisted liposuction also gives the doctor more control and precision. Your doctor at Atlanta Liposuction Specialty Clinic will sculpt a more proportionate figure.
Recovery time after power-assisted liposuction is similar to other liposuction procedures. Most patients will experience less bruising with this technique, but tenderness, swelling, and some soreness are expected. You should wear compression garments to keep your new contour in shape. The compression garments help promote a faster recovery. A compression garment applies pressure in the treatment area to prevent fluid buildup and increase your comfort throughout the healing process. Your doctor will inform you how many weeks you should wear the garments. Typically, patients are instructed to wear tight-fitting compression garments for three weeks following surgery.
Many patients rely on over-the-counter pain medications to manage any discomfort in the days following surgery. Some patients may be prescribed anti-inflammatory medications to help with the swelling. Every patient’s recovery timeline will vary. Your doctor at Atlanta Liposuction Specialty Clinic will provide in-depth after-care instructions following your procedure.
You should be able to resume normal, non-strenuous activities in around one week following your power-assisted liposuction procedure. Generally speaking, most patients must limit exercise to light cardio in the weeks following surgery. You should gradually work your way back to more intensive workouts like weight training, kickboxing, circuit training, running, etc. PAL is often a faster recovery than traditional liposuction, but you still want to give your body ample time to heal.
Below is a typical recovery timeline to help you plan your PAL procedure.
Immediately after your treatment, you’ll be able to notice a significant improvement in your shape, but you may not see the final results for up to six months. You may not notice the more subtle nuances for three to six months or more. Your personal recovery time will also depend on how much fat you have removed, which areas of the body are being treated, and your natural genetic makeup.
Your power-assisted liposuction results should be permanent. Once fat cells are removed, they’re gone for good. But please keep in mind new fatty tissue can grow back. For your best results, maintain a sensible diet and exercise regularly.
Talk to your doctor about the best way to maintain your weight following your PAL procedure. We’re always here to offer our advice so you can achieve the best possible results.
We’re always here to answer any questions or concerns you may have about PAL or any of our other cosmetic procedures. Please schedule an appointment with our cosmetic surgeons to learn whether power-assisted lipo can help you achieve your body goals.