Nip and tuck with no tears... for lunch

Published on Sunday 3 June 2007 00:52

IT IS a revolution in cosmetic surgery available in Hollywood, Harley Street... and now Castle Douglas.

A new procedure which allows those seeking bodily perfection to have liposuction in their lunch hour is being offered for the first time in Scotland in the quiet Dumfries and Galloway market town.

Smart Laser Lipolysis uses a state-of-the-art laser to melt fat from the stomach, thighs, upper arms and chin.

Industry insiders predict it could become more popular than traditional liposuction as it is far quicker and cheaper and does not require patients to go under general anaesthetic. The technique, also known as SmartLipo, was approved in the United States last year, where clinics are reporting a huge surge in patients undergoing the procedure.

But some cosmetic surgeons last night warned the long-term effects of the procedure, particularly its impact on the liver and kidneys, remain uncertain.

Dr Peter Hickman, a registered GP who now carries out private work at the Kings Grange Clinic, Castle Douglas, is offering the 1,800 treatment alongside his less glamorous work of vasectomies and varicose vein treatments.

Traditional liposuction involves mechanically removing fat through a suction tube inserted into the body.

Celebrities who have admitted undergoing the procedure include actress Tara Reid, model Katie Price, aka Jordan, and X Factor judge Sharon Osbourne.

Altho-ugh it is the third most popular form of cosmetic surgery in the UK, the aggressiveness of the treatment and its price tag of up to 6,000 puts off many potential patients.

Doctors performing SmartLipo insert a tiny laser under the skin to heat the fat until it becomes liquid. It is absorbed into the bloodstream and disposed of through the liver. Slimming effects appear over the next few months.

During the one-hour procedure, the doctor can remove up to three-quarters of a litre of fat. There is minimal bruising and pain and, as the treatment encourages collagen production, it leaves the skin looking firmer. Patients are able to carry on with their normal lives as soon as the treatment is finished.

Already, Kings Grange Clinic staff say interest from potential Scots patients is "phenomenal", despite the fact it has only been offering the procedure for a few weeks.

Hickman said: "It is a big improvement on liposuction. It is for those with pockets of fat on places such as their thighs, chin or abdomen. Our typical clients are women or men with a double chin or fat on their inner or outer thighs, or women who have a 'jelly belly' after giving birth. I think it is going to become quite popular.

"We want to get this established in our Dumfries and Galloway clinic over the next six months, then it would be good to offer the service further afield, such as in Edinburgh and Glasgow."

A clinic spokesman added: "We are getting a steady flow of inquiries from all walks of life. The low cost, and the fact there is no real recovery time, makes it accessible to people at all levels. You could go straight back to work afterwards.

"At 1,800 for one session, it's the cost of a decent holiday, compared with almost 6,000 for liposuction."

Linda Fay, a mother-of-three, chose to undergo the procedure because she could not shift a stubborn roll of fat on her abdomen. In April, the 49-year-old from Castle Douglas had a one-hour session of SmartLipo at the Kings Grange Clinic.

Six weeks later she has dropped a dress size, from a 14 to a 12, and she expects to slim down further over the next few weeks.

She said: "I had the procedure done under local anaesthetic and I did not feel any pain. I felt all right as soon as I got up, and I was fine the next day. It wasn't like having an operation, more like having something like root canal treatment.

"I think this was the right thing to do. I feel good about myself. There's nothing to it."

Although SmartLipo was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration, there have been concerns raised following the recent publication of data showing it may present risks to the liver and kidneys due to the way it releases fatty acids when destroying cells.

Rajiv Grover, a consultant plastic surgeon from the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons, said: "We don't know much about the effects of these fatty acids on the liver long-term.

"Dr John Curran, chairman of the British Association of Cosmetic Doctors, said: "SmartLipo suits a group of people who have something too small for a big intervention like liposuction."

Despite the risks, patients are going under the knife in growing numbers. Overall, cosmetic plastic surgery procedures rose by 31% last year compared with 2005, with an estimated 90,000 procedures carried out in clinics across the UK. The top four procedures in the UK are breast enlargements, eyebag removal, liposuction and facelifts.

It's all done with lasers - and you're in and out within the hour

SmartLipo removes fat deposits in specific areas of the body.

A fibre-optic is inserted through a thin cannula into the fat layer of the skin. It releases laser pulses, acting directly on the fat cells by destroying the membrane and releasing fatty and oily deposits to be metabolised by the liver.

It coagulates any small blood vessels as it goes along, thus reducing any bruising or swelling.

Results start to become visible within days, although, on average, the final contouring effects become most apparent in about three months.

A treatment takes as little as 20 minutes per area. On average, one hour is allowed, depending on the size of the area treated. In some cases patients may even return to work on the day of the treatment.

Once destroyed, the fat cells cannot grow back. However, the long-term outcome is dependent upon the patient's weight remaining stable - if they put on weight, the results are lost as new fat cells will appear.