SAFELipo^® Using PAL or Power Assisted Liposuction for Men

We believe there are many reasons, but our name, RESTORA, explains it all.

Results. “Before & After” pictures speak for themselves; Dramatic, yet natural.

Experience. Our board-certified plastic surgeons are arguably the busiest in Austin performing thousands of surgical procedures each year.

Safety. It is a privilege when you choose us, and we don’t take that responsibility lightly. Your well-being and comfort are our primary concerns, so your procedure will be performed in a fully accredited operating room with a board-certified anesthesiologist.

Team. Our team is a group of overachievers focused on delivering the best plastic surgery experience possible.  Over half of us started out as patients of Dr. Gordon or Reid, so we have an intimate understanding of the anxiety and excitement that come with this decision.

On the Cutting Edge. Our surgeons never rest on their past and present achievements. Their practice is a constant evolution in the “how” and “why” of aesthetic surgery, always perfecting techniques that minimize scarring, discomfort, or downtime but give maximal results.

Respect. Our practice is built on word-of-mouth referrals from happy patients and our medical colleagues. For example, Dr. Gordon was name a Texas Rising Star in 2012 and 2013 and a Texas Super Doctor in 2014 and 2015, and Dr. Reid was named a Texas Super Doctor in 2013, 2014 and 2015. Super Doctors identifies top doctors as selected by their peers and only 5% of physicians are named to Super Doctors and no more than 2.5% are named to the Rising Stars list. We have two of those docs under one roof!

Artistic Approach. We don’t believe in “one operation fits all” or “cookie cutter” approaches to aesthetic surgery.  Whether you pursue surgical or non-surgical options, our doctors will create an individualized treatment plan to exceed your expectations and bring out the best version of yourself.

Contour irregularities, delayed healing, scarring, asymmetry, blood loss, and seroma are rare complications associated with SAFELipo^®. Very rare complications include DVT from prolonged immobilization and pulmonary embolus.

Your results won’t be noticeable immediately because of swelling within the tissues. As the swelling resolves over 4-6 weeks, you will notice an improvement in your shape. Your result will continue to improve over the next few months as skin tightening occurs.

The number of areas treated and the amount of fat removed determines the level of discomfort. Most patients report feeling sore. You will need to wear a compression garment on the treated areas to minimize swelling. You can probably go back to work after a few days of rest. You may experience temporary numbness, bruising and swelling.

Probably not. A “beer belly” is usually the result of fat inside the abdominal cavity. Fat located inside the abdominal cavity cannot be addressed by liposuction. Diet and exercise are the only way to reduce intra-abdominal fat.

One of the most exciting “side effects” of SAFELipo^® is the unparalleled skin contraction that occurs for up to a year following surgery. Dr. Gordon’s analogy is “shrink wrap” because the treated area isn’t just de-bulked, it’s sculpted and truly made smaller. You will look better in and out of your clothes because your rolls and bulges will be eliminated, and your skin will contract on its own, without the need for heat and the risk of burns and surrounding tissue damage.

Absolutely, and the difference in results is why surgeons and patients alike are raving about SAFELipo^®. It has truly been a game changer in liposuction, and it inspired Dr. Reid and Dr. Gordon to look at body contouring in an entirely new light. For decades, traditional liposuction, although considered the gold standard, was plagued with complications, such as contour irregularities, excessive blood loss, excessive pain and bruising, skin burns, and lax skin, just to name a few. Surgeons were frustrated with the limited technology available, but in 2007, everything changed, and there was an influx of new liposuction devices, like SmartLipo, Cool Lipo, and Body-Jet. It was a promising time, but it was short lived. Unfortunately, these technologies delivered more complications than solutions, and the complications were much harder to treat than in the past, primarily because of tissue damage from heat generated by these “fat-melting devices”. The multi million-dollar companies behind these devices invested in slick direct to consumer marketing instead of scientific research. To make matters worse, they sold the majority of devices to non-plastic surgeons whose only training was a weekend course. Liposuction was being offered in family practice, gynecology and dermatology offices across the country. Body contouring centers were set up and staffed by emergency room physicians. Although the providers were doctors, many weren’t surgeons, much less board-certified plastic surgeons. Complications skyrocketed and plastic surgeons saw an influx in revisionary liposuction cases.

The incisions are very small, usually less than half an inch. The number of incisions depends on how many areas are being suctioned.

SAFELipo^® can be done on almost any area(s) of stubborn fat. The most common areas in men are the:

• Abdomen
• Flanks or Love Handles
• Chest or Breast Tissue
• Neck and Chin

SAFELipo^® is performed using Microaire’s PAL^® LipoSculptor.  PAL stands for Power Assisted Liposuction.  The PAL^® LipoSculptor is a very sophisticated, patented device that utilizes specialized vibrating probes or cannulas to perform SAFELipo^®.  The vibrations facilitate movement of the cannula through the tissue, so the back and forth motion of the cannula is much gentler and slower than with traditional liposuction.  Almost everyone has seen scary the YouTube videos of traditional liposuction, where the surgeon looks like he’s physically assaulting the patient.  The vibrations of the PAL^® LipoSculptor are employed in all 3 steps of the SAFELipo^® procedure, but only in step 2 is vibration combined with gentle suction. The vibrations gently dissolve and Separate the fat cells, so that stubborn fat pockets can be removed more easily and more smoothly with less trauma to the patient. The vibrations do not generate any heat, so there’s no risk of thermal damage to essential blood vessels, nerves and surrounding skin, as with many other forms of liposuction like SmartLipo and VASER.  SmartLipo generates a tremendous amount of heat because it emulsifies fat by using laser energy.  VASER liposuction is similar to Smartlipo, but it causes less thermal damage, as it works by ultrasound.  Next, the Aspiration step is done using small vibrating probes, now on gentle suction, to remove the separated fat.  These probes are less aggressive than traditional ones, and thus, result in minimal bleeding and bruising in the tissues.  Think of it as gentle vacuuming of your fat cells vs. aggressive suctioning.  Finally, Fat Equalization is done to sculpt the remaining fat into a smooth, even layer beneath the skin, without visible indentations, ripples, or other contour irregularities commonly seen with other forms of liposuction.  The thin, smooth layer of fat left behind prevents the skin from sticking down to the deeper muscle and creating an unnatural contour.  The technique is so gentle that patients experience less trauma, bruising, swelling, pain and a shorter recovery period.

Well, it’s definitely not your mother’s liposuction. SAFELipo^® is a comprehensive, multi-step body contouring process that doesn’t just remove fat, as traditional liposuction does, but it also uses local fat grafting to sculpt the target areas for visibly smoother and more dramatic results. SAFE is an acronym that stands for fat Separation, fat Aspiration, and Fat Equalization. It is the first and only body contouring technique to eliminate excess fat evenly by combining the benefits of liposuction, fat shifting and fat grafting into a patented 3-step S-A-F-E process. It results in dramatic, smooth and natural contours and a big boost of self-confidence.