Liposuction is one of the most common surgical procedures performed by plastic surgeons all over the world today. With the increase in liposuction application over the years, innovations have emerged to achieve more comfortable and better results for surgeons. These include the addition and modification of fluids administered to the body during the liposuction procedure, changes in the size and shape of the cannulas used in the aspiration process, and the emergence of devices that enable fat absorption or fat breakdown. Vaser liposuction has also taken its place among the technological devices that increase fat absorption and breakdown.

Vaser liposuction technology uses FDA approved ultrasonic high frequency vibration energy to break down fat. The use of ultrasound in body fat removal is not a new phenomenon. Ultrasound was first used for body fat removal in the late 1980s and early 1990s. The first generation of ultrasonic devices originated in Italy. The popularity of ultrasonically focused liposuction devices increased in the late 1990s and 2000s. Especially with the emergence of the VASER device, which uses ultrasonic sound technology, which is the 3rd generation devices, it has continued to increase its popularity until today. There are 3 parts of the Vaser device. The first is the power generator, the second is the handpiece part that collects and transmits the power, and the probe (long metal rod) part that contacts the fat that allows it to reach the fat inside the body.

Vaser application can be performed under local anesthesia, under sedation or under general anesthesia. The size and difficulty of the area to be treated and the patient’s pain and pain threshold are factors in determining the anesthesia method to be applied.

Vaser application starts by first determining the areas where the liposuciton process will be performed, and then opening holes in the size that long rods, which we call cannulas, can penetrate, and then introducing fluid to the areas where the fat is located. Then, energy is transferred to the areas where fluid is given by entering with a vaser probe. The energy that comes into contact with the liquid is transformed into sound waves, allowing the fats to separate and break down. The trick here is that vaser energy is liposelective, that is, the energy it emits turns into sound waves and affects only fat cells and does not affect important tissues such as vessels and nerves. After the fats are separated from each other, the fats are easily aspirated (removed from the body) with long thin tubular cannulas as in the classical liposction method.

The biggest feature of Vaser liposuction compared to classical liposuction is that fat that is difficult to break down or remove from the body can be easily removed. Vaser liposction is much more effective especially on the back, upper abdomen, around the navel, the area under the chin, which we call double chin, breast tissue in men or areas where adhesions and hardness have formed after previous surgery.

Another effect of Vaser liposuction is skin tightening thanks to the energy it gives to the tissues. However, the issue that should not be forgotten here is that the tightening of the skin is minimal and laser application or surgical stretching surgeries should be recommended in patients with excessive skin sagging.

I recommend wearing a corset for an average of 45 days after Vaser liposuction application as in classical liposuction application. I place drains in the liposuction areas to prevent fluid accumulation during the operation and on average 2. I pull these drains every day. As in classical liposuction, the average hospital stay in vaser liposuction is one night.

Vaser liposuction is done to shape the body, not to weaken patients as in classical liposuction.