Liposuction and Vanquish are both cosmetic procedures surgeons use to reduce unwanted fatty deposits in patients. Though they have similar outcomes, they are very different procedures. But it comes down to Vanquish vs liposuction, which one is right for you?
Like so many aspects of cosmetic medicine, it completely depends.
Dr. Forrest Wall is a board-certified plastic surgeon with knowledge of both of these procedures, their results, and the recovery process for each. In this post, we will outline the differences between the two in an attempt to help you decide.
Liposuction
First, let’s discuss a few general facts about each procedure.
Liposuction has been around since the 1980s, a lot longer than Vanquish. So if we’re going on pure longstanding results with Vanquish vs liposuction, the clear winner would be liposuction.
These days, there are many different types of liposuction. Some of the more popular are Suction Assisted Lipectomy (SAL), which is the original technique. There is Ultrasound-Assisted Liposuction (UAL), which uses sound waves to break down fat.
Power-Assisted Liposuction (PAL) uses vibrations; Laser-Assisted Liposuction (LAL) uses laser energy; Fluid-Assisted Liposuction (FAL) works as a water jet.
Though each of these techniques is different, they are all effective. None of them is clearly superior to the other. It all depends on the doctor, and on the patient.
Doctors may perform liposuction under local anesthesia, sedation, or full general anesthesia. The type of anesthesia you need will depend on the size of the area your doctor is treating. In general, the larger the area they are treating, the more anesthesia you need.
Liposuction Recovery
The incisions for liposuction are small, so there isn’t much scarring after liposuction recovery.
But the recovery period for liposuction is still about two or three weeks. After this time, the full results will be visible. During this time, bruising and swelling are common. Patients can resume light exercise after a few days.
Vanquish
Vanquish is a completely non-invasive procedure. It does not require anesthesia at all.
During the Vanquish procedure, your doctor will place a disposable gel pad over the treatment area. This is to protect your skin. Next, a cooling head goes over this gel pad, and your doctor activates the suctioning.
This machine has a base that cools the liquid flowing through the headpiece. The suction pulls the fatty area into this headpiece, where it comes in contact with the freezing liquid, thus freezing the fat.
After an hour or so, your doctor will remove the headpiece and apply massage to the treatment area.
There may be minor discomfort when the headpiece first begins pulling on the fatty area, but this will not last long once the freezing liquid numbs the area.
Vanquish Recovery
Vanquish does not require any incisions. Like liposuction, it takes a few weeks to see the final results.
Though there is not any pain associated with Vanquish, the treatment area will probably be quite tender for a while.
Vanquish vs Liposuction: Which One Is Right For Me?
Now that you know a little bit about each procedure, let’s compare them.
Vanquish vs Liposuction: Why Liposuction?
Liposuction is obviously a more aggressive procedure. It requires incisions and anesthesia. But that means that your doctor can remove more fat in a single session. In contrast, patients who choose Vanquish may need a few sessions to remove the same amount of fat.
So if you’re considering Vanquish vs liposuction and you need the quickest results, liposuction may be the way to go.
Another element to consider is if you plan to have more than one procedure done at once. In this case, liposuction may be a better option, because you will already be under anesthesia.
Also, liposuction combined with other cosmetic procedures can produce powerful results. For instance, a tummy tuck and liposuction will deliver quite a dramatic result.
Doctors can also use liposuction to harvest fat from other areas of the body to add volume to a more desirable area.
Liposuction is also better for patients who want to treat multiple areas. With liposuction, a doctor can complete this in one session.
Vanquish vs Liposuction: Why Vanquish?
Vanquish is far less invasive than liposuction. It is highly effective for very small fatty deposits and has very few side effects.
Vanquish is usually preferable for patients who want to avoid surgery for any reason. So if you want a less serious procedure and you don’t mind going back to your doctor’s office for multiple sessions, Vanquish might be the option for you. In the end, Vanquish can produce very similar results to liposuction if you give it enough time.
Vanquish vs Liposuction: Cost
One of the primary questions we hear when talking about Vanquish vs Liposuction is which procedure is more cost-effective. Again, nearly everything in cosmetic procedures is an “it depends” situation. If a patient is treating a very small area that only needs two sessions, Vanquish is a good choice.
But if there are multiple sites to treat, and some of them require three or four sessions of Vanquish to treat, one session of liposuction might be the smarter choice.
Either way, your insurance is unlikely to pay for these procedures. They are cosmetic procedures and are not medically necessary.
Vanquish vs Liposuction: Which is Better?
As we said, it depends. Ultimately, the right choice for you depends entirely on you. It depends on which areas you want to treat, how big those areas are, and how many there are, as well as other issues.
If avoiding surgery is important to you, Vanquish is the best option. If you don’t mind surgery and want dramatic results over a large area, liposuction is the best option.
Contact The Plastic Surgery Center
Dr. Forrest Wall at the Plastic Surgery Center is a board-certified plastic surgeon. For more information about Shreveport Vanquish or liposuction surgeries, you can call our Shreveport location at 318-221-1629. For our Monroe location, call 318-812-0182.
Or if you’re looking for “CoolSculpting Near Me,” we have additional information.
