The VASER Liposuction procedure step-by-step
Written by:
Aesthetic doctor
Published: 15/02/2019
Edited by: Nicholas Howley
VASER Liposuction is an increasingly popular minimally-invasive technique for treating patients with gynaecomastia. We spoke to experienced cosmetic surgeon Dr Hassan Nurein about how the procedure works and what patients can expect at each stage.
VASER Liposuction: An overview
Vaser liposuction is liposuction using ultrasound-based technology. The ultrasound emits pulses of energy wherever it encounters fat, which “melts” the fat without damaging the surrounding tissue.
I like this technique because I am trained in high-definition sculpting, and it helps me get the contours that I want in the chest. VASER also allows me to reduce the downtime of patients, reduce the risk of irregularity and unevenness, and minimise risk of bruising.
Step 1: Preparing the patient for surgery
We start by marking the chest with the areas where we plan to make an incision, and drawing the shape we want to achieve.
To prepare the patient for surgery we inject local anaesthetic using the tumescent technique. This firms up the area we want to work on and plays a key role in reducing bleeding during the procedure.
The benefit of a local anaesthetic is also reduced downtime for the patient. It can take a couple of hours longer to recover from a general anaesthetic, whereas with local anaesthetic you can get up straight after the procedure. We can also talk to the patient and let them know what is happening. However, the patient can’t actually see what’s happening, because they’re covered – as a protection and we find that this tends to reduce patient anxiety.
Step 2: The procedure
Once the entire area is numb, we make small incisions in the crease of the arm and the areola. We then insert a thin VASER probe, which sends high-frequency ultrasound waves through the fat cells in the chest.
Some patients will have breast gland tissue which needs to be removed. This cannot be removed by liposuction only, so in a gynaecomastia procedure we are often combining liposuction with gland excision surgery. The breast tissue is removed through a small incision made around the areola.
To prevent the areola from sinking in after surgery we will leave some tissue for support. As already mentioned, the benefit of the VASER system is that it allows surgeons to “sculpt” the area, and create the shape the patient wants. So it isn’t necessarily about removing all of the fat, but making sure it’s in the right shape and contours.
Step 3: Finishing off
Once we are satisfied that we have removed the gland tissue and achieved the right shape, the skin is closed up with small stitches. We do a quick safety check of the patient, then the procedure is over. You should be able to go home straight away once all of this is clear. We will follow up with a call and consultation to see if your recovery is going according to plan.
If you’d like to book a consultation with Dr Nurein to discuss gynaecomastia surgery, click here .