skin tightening with liposuction

We all know that liposuction is for recontouring areas of localized fat that doesn't respond to diet and exercise, and tummy tucks and the like are needed where the skin is loose (among other things.) But a lot of people fall in between; there isn't enough loose skin to justify a procedure like a tummy tuck which leaves a scar and has a longer recovery, but it isn't elastic enough to snap back after fat removal with lipo either. Helping these patients achive a smoother contour and some skin tightening has been one of the biggest challenges in cosmetic surgery in recent years.
If you believe all the hype from the various marketing claims for laser-assisted lipo (all of those brand names that sound so slick) then you might assume the problem has been licked. I even had a pitch a couple of weeks ago that one of the laser lipo devices could replace tummy tucks! A good deal of skepticism is called for here, but progress is being made. There are some reports proving that using the laser will tighten skin more than happens with lipo alone.
About time I say, because two years ago I proved that you can do this with immediate post-lipo Thermage. I will have the opportunity to present it at the Hot Topics" session at the American Society of Plastic Surgeons meeting in October. But the bottom line here is that none of these technologies do enough to replace tummy tucks, though they do have a place. We can expect all of them to continue to improve. The important thing is to be able to prove the claims and not inflate expectations ahead of what the technology can deliver.