SculpSure® or Liposuction? What’s the Best Option?

The emergence of nonsurgical fat reduction treatments during the past 5 to 10 years is one of the most significant developments in the cosmetic field that I’ve seen. Multiple treatment options exist, and new devices continue to come onto the market. But for many patients, the best choice may still be liposuction. At my Baton Rouge, LA, practice, I often talk to patients about why liposuction is a better fit for them than SculpSure or another nonsurgical body contouring procedure.

For years, men and women turned to liposuction when they wanted to get rid of those stubborn areas of fat that have cutesy nicknames such as love handles, muffin tops, and saddlebags. The nonsurgical procedures now available give those same patients a choice that doesn’t involve incisions or downtime.

What Is SculpSure?

SculpSure is one of those options we offer, along with EMSCULPT, which I wrote about in a recent blog post. SculpSure is the first FDA-cleared laser treatment for non-invasive fat reduction of the flanks, abdomen, back, and inner and outer thighs. It can even be used to reduce the appearance of a double chin. The state-of-the-art, light-based technology used by SculpSure is delivered through laser applicators that can be configured to best suit a patient’s needs. In a SculpSure procedure:

• Heat energy melts away fat cells, causing the body to naturally flush out the dead cells in a few weeks
• There are no incisions or injections because it’s a non-invasive procedure
• Each treatment lasts about 25 minutes and requires virtually no recovery time
• You’ll see results as soon as 6 weeks after the treatment, with ideal results appearing after about 12 weeks

Why Would I Choose Liposuction?

As effective as nonsurgical fat reduction treatments can be, they aren’t the best choice for everyone who wants targeted body contouring. Liposuction does involve incisions and downtime, but the tradeoff is more dramatic and immediate results. Liposuction permanently removes pockets of fat using a thin tube called a cannula.

Liposuction can address larger areas of unwanted fat than SculpSure. It’s not a weight-loss procedure, but liposuction can safely remove up to 6 to 8 pounds of fat during a single operation. Nonsurgical treatments cannot match those results.

But liposuction is a type of surgery, so there is downtime accompanied by bruising, swelling, and soreness in the treatment area. Patients need to avoid any physical activity for about 2 weeks after the procedure and then gradually resume exercising.

Want to see the differences in the results that each procedure produces? Go to our photo gallery to see before-and-after photos of my SculpSure patients and my liposuction patients. Their results will help guide your decision.

But the best way to know what treatment is most appropriate for you is to contact us using the online form to request a consultation, or you can call us at 1 of our 3 locations. Call (225) 399-0001 (Baton Rouge), (985) 902-7770 (Hammond), or (225) 900-7002 (Denham Springs) to schedule an appointment.