Cavitation vs. Liposuction, Which Is Better?

Counting calories and living through the weight loss journey put you in a slimmer phase. Yet, it doesn’t work sometimes for certain areas. This disturbs your whole body figure and can make you feel a little off.  

However, the field of aesthetics has evolved much to fade your concern away. You can have localized fat removal procedures to get your model figure back. It comes under the name of cavitation and liposuction.

Does it sound new to you? Let us introduce it to you comprehensively! 

Cavitation vs. Liposuction: Basic Overview

Cavitation is fat removal from the stubborn areas of the body by ultrasonic waves. While Liposuction covers the fat reduction with the help of needle. It is for large body areas which have been unresponsive to your healthy eating and gym routine.

But if you are going to opt for the one out of these two, which would be the most compatible to your body type? – You’ll get to know once you finish reading this!  

Understanding Cavitation:

What Is Cavitation?

Cavitation refers to the non-invasive procedure carried out by a cavitation machine. Its purpose is the breakdown of excessive fat under the skin by pressure and vibrations.. It actually reduces the cellulite, stretch marks and the unwanted fat deposits.

It uses the body's natural system to eliminate fat from it. The pressure applied in this procedure is high. The ultrasonic frequency along with pressure breaks the fat cells into liquid form. The liquid then travels through the lymphatic system and goes into the waste from where it is thrown out.

As far as its safety is concerned, it is a safe, well-known and FDA approved procedure. Along with other weight-loss programs it produces effective results. It is popular to sculpt different body areas e.g.

• Lower back
• Thighs
• Arms
• Abdomen

How Does It Work?

Ultrasonic cavitation operates through a cavitation machine. Yet, it doesn’t need any surgical incision as other procedures. So there’s no need for anaesthesia or painful experience. It is done with the help of “a wand”. Wand is actually a device attached to a cavitation machine. It transfers pressure and low-frequency ultrasound radiations to break the fat accumulations. The frequency of ultrasonic waves ranges from 40 KHz to 5 MHz.

The wand slides over the skin of the treated-to-be area. But before that a gel or cream is applied for smooth movement. Vibrations through the wand affect the membrane of the fat cells and form a bubble around them. The bubbles then burst and the liquid fat is released which is then taken over by the lymphatic system. It is a proven method of non-surgical fat removal all over the globe.

How Many Sessions Are Enough to Have Noticeable Results?

It totally depends on the surface area of the affected body part. For larger ones it requires more time to see the results. But generally for one session, it may take between 20 to 50 minutes.

However, the results are evident within one to three sessions. But it may require several sessions depending on the person’s;

• Age
• Metabolism
• Tissue structure
• Treatment area

What Are The Benefits of Cavitation?

Cavitation is popular for destroying fat cells. It has the trust of millions of people around the world because of its safety, results and recovery. As,

• You don’t have to cut your body and insert a needle to remove fat surgically. It is non-invasive and removes fat by using an ultrasound device.
• There’s no anaesthesia required.
• By removing cellulite, stretch marks and fat, it also aids to your body contouring.
• You experience no pain as there’s no incision through the skin.
• There is no downtime. You can resume your life routine immediately after the procedure.
• There are less to no side-effects of cavitation. Your body organs and surrounding issues remain completely safe.
• It is suitable for all skin types and doesn’t bother the skin type and texture. 

What Limits The Cavitation?

• The results of the cavitation procedure may be temporary. It happens when you don’t follow healthy routine and maintain ideal body weight.  
• It’s only effective for smaller areas and doesn’t show desired results for larger ones.
• It requires multiple sessions to provide a promising outcome. 
• You can have mild side-effects like redness, bruising, thirst, skin sensitivity and headaches.  

Understanding Liposuction

What Is Liposuction?

Surgical liposuction evolved in the last 40 years from the ground of cosmetic surgery. It is actually an invasive procedure in which a needle is inserted under the skin that is attached to a machine. Machine applies the vacuum to suck the fat out of your skin.

Liposuction holds the place parallel to other plastic surgeries. Therefore, it helps provide cosmetic enhancements to the large body areas e.g.

• Buttocks
• Belly
• Thighs,
• Hips
• Back
• Arms
• Legs
• Under the chin or face

So, before going down into it, what is the safety profile for surgical liposuction? It is mostly safe but comes with considerable health risks which are reversible.

Types of Liposuction:

There are different types of liposuction that differ in the performing techniques. But using a vacuum suction and needle is common to all.

1. Ultrasound or VASER Liposuction

Ultrasound liposuction removes fats from the body by rupturing the fat cells. This technique uses ultrasonic waves to liquefy the fat. The fatty fluid is then easily suctioned out.

2. Tumescent Liposuction – the most common one

Tumescent liposuction involves injecting saline into the body which is a sterile solution. Other than salt, saline contains lidocaine and epinephrine. Saline makes it easier for the fat to be removed while reducing the risk of blood loss and pain. 

3. Laser-assisted Liposuction

It uses the tumescent liposuction as the base while using a laser beam to burst and liquefy the fat cells.

How Does It Work?

In this procedure, a plastic surgeon makes a tiny cut through the skin and inserts cannula. Through this cannula fat is vacuumed out. The needle is totally moveable under the skin to ensure precision and efficacy.

Anaesthesia is required beforehand because of pain, blood loss and cannula insertion. For that, you may have to stay at hospital for the whole night. And then you may have a downtime of about 14 days before returning to your normal life. But meanwhile, you have to wear compression garments. However, bruising or redness won’t last longer than 10 days.  

How Many Sessions Are Required?

It depends on the circumference of the body of the patient. Smaller bodies may be treated in a single session. But for larger bodies it may require multiple sessions and visits.

Pros and Cons of Liposuction

Pros:

Liposuction has several benefits but also has complications. But its benefits outweigh the risks. Let’s discuss them!

• Liposuction works for the areas where you have to remove large amounts of fats.
• It provides you long-lasting results. The secret lies in the reduction of number of fat cells making it difficult for that fat to come back. However, once you quit a healthy lifestyle, it can find way back to you.  
• Like cavitation, it also helps improve your body contour.

Cons:

As it is a surgical procedure, the risks are associated. It involves:

• Blood loss
• Pain
• Incision and cuts
• Slow recovery and downtime of two weeks
• Requires local anaesthesia
• Risks of skin sensitivity, skin irregularities, redness, bruising and infection
• A high cost consideration procedure
• Burns from instruments
• Fluid accumulation
• Shock
• Uneven fat removal
• Damage to body organs and tissues

Comparative Analysis of Liposuction VS. Cavitation

Cavitation	Liposuction
It is non-invasive	It is invasive
Fat is extracted through ultrasonic waves	Fat is extracted manually through suction
Pain free	Painful
Process is superficial and requires no incision	Process requires incision
There is no downtime	Downtime and recovery of two weeks
Sooner resumption of daily activities with long-term results	Delayed resumption of daily activities
Most effective for smaller areas and small amount of fat	Most effective for larger areas and large amount of fat
Temporary to permanent fat removal and requires weight maintenance	Permanent fat removal and requires weight maintenance

 

What Suits You The Best?

Choosing the right procedure can be a hectic decision but requires deep insight. You must consider following factors to select best match to your body type:

1. Amount of fat to be removed

 If you have a large amount of fat to be removed from larger body parts, go for liposuction.

2. Desired results

 For more immediate results cavitation is the best option.

3. Tolerance for pain and downtime

 If you have a weak immune system and low tolerance for recovery and pain, cavitation would serve best.

4. Budget

 Liposuction is far more expensive than cavitation. So, opt for liposuction alternative i.e. cavitation for best results in a low budget.

5. Overall health and medical history

 People with weak immune systems are recommended to have cavitation procedure. Beyond anything, you must consult your physician for personalised guidance and professional approach.

Conclusion:

Cavitation and liposuction are two opposite procedures with non-invasive and invasive methods respectively. However, liposuction alternative is one-stop solution for people with low budget. Moreover, you can enjoy pain-free, harmless and effective experience within you range. But cavitation has its own limitations.

These are covered by liposuction which works best for large fat removals. But don't make a naive decision on just surfing Google. Choosing the compatible procedure totally depends on the individual needs and preferences. Go and consult a medical professional so you get the right one done for you!