Title: The Pros and Cons of SmartLipo Word Count: 455 Summary: This article is about the many advantages that it laser procedure Smartlipo, being a quick treatment and an outpatient procedure and is done under local anesthesia, which does not leave none of ugly scar and the results become evident within a week. Keywords: SmartLipo, laser liposuction, quick procedure, surgery, no suturing, outpatient procedure. Article Body: SmartLipo has revolutionized the way one can get rid of the excess fat from the body. It is buzzword in the field of cosmetic procedures these days. It is being widely performed most of the parts of the world. The procedure basically involves liquefying the fat in localized pockets of excess fat. It is far better than the conventional liposuction procedure. Pros The various advantages of SmartLipo over other methods of getting rid of excess fat are: "The procedure is done under local anesthesia. Hence the complications are very minimal. The patient is also conscious during the procedure. The recovery from the effects of anesthesia is also very fast "In SmartLipo the laser probe is introduced through a very minute incision of about 1mm - 2mm on the skin. The incision is so small that there is no need for sutures to close it at the end of the procedure. Since the incision is very small, it heals without producing any ugly scar. "There is no manual operation or to and fro movement of the probe in SmartLipo unlike the conventional liposuction procedure. This minimizes and even avoids the tissue damage which is seen in the conventional type. "The laser in SmartLipo causes coagulation of the surrounding tissue. This prevents any bleeding from the treatment site. "Collagen deposition and tightening of the skin occurs at the treatment site in patients who undergo SmartLipo procedure. This prevents the formation of loose skin folds which generally happens in the conventional liposuction. "Candidates who undergo SmartLipo can return to work after 2-3 days. They will not feel any discomfort because of the procedure. This is unlike the conventional liposuction in which the candidates feel a little sick which needs rest for about 7-10 days. "Compared with other cosmetic procedures which are done to reduce excess fat, SmartLipo is relatively cheaper in cost. "SmartLipo is approved by FDA Cons There are only a very few disadvantages of SmartLipo. These disadvantages are not much of a great concern for both the candidates undergoing the procedure and the doctor performing it. The disadvantages include- "The procedure is meant to remove only a lesser quantity of fat. Usually the doctor removes up to 500 ml of fat or about 8 pounds "The procedure is usually done in localized pockets of fat like below the chin, inner and outer aspects of thigh etc "The cost is high and many persons who wish to undergo this procedure may not be able to afford it. The various centers across the United States charge between $2000 and $6000 for one session of SmartLipo which is quite high. "SmartLipo is not covered by insurance. Insurance generally do not cover cosmetic procedures and SmartLipo is not covered by it since it is a cosmetic procedure.