UAL, which stands for ultrasonic assisted liposuction, makes use of equipment that delivers ultrasonic energy to the fat cells to make them easier to remove using suction. Where traditional liposuction just uses suction to remove the fat cells, the UAL instrument has an ultrasonic top which can emit high energy vibration that actually liquifies the fat cells which can then be easily suctioned out.
There are areas of the where fatty tissue is not only composed of fat cells, but also contains blood vessels, nerves and connective tissue. Early UAL equipment used ultrasonic energy that was too strong and it could easily damage these important tissues while liquifying the fat cells. Patients could have areas of skin numbness, because the damaged blood vessels could no longer supply oxygen to the skin cells, causing the death of those cells.
But the most recent UAL equipment, called VASER, allows surgeons to do liposuction on all areas of the body without damage, even those where there are blood vessels and nerves close to the fat cells. The VASER equipment is very sensitive and controllable and allows the breakdown of fat cells while not damaging other cells at all. After being approved by the FDA in 2002, the VASER system has been used on thousands of patients without the problems previously reported.
Traditional liposuction equipment is still used on larger areas of fat that are not in proximity to important blood vessels and nerve cells. Surgeons now have a range of liposuction equipment they can use during a procedure, changing instruments depending on the area being treated. Using this variety of equipment, surgeons are now able to provide vastly improved results in liposuction procedures.
The VASER equipment requires even more skill on the part of the surgeon, so you need to make sure you use a surgeon experienced in its use. It did not take long for me to locate several plastic surgery clinics with qualified surgeons and it will probably be the same in your location, too. I also found that there were some liposuction specialists, so remember to look for surgeons that specialize in your procedure.
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