Discussion of laser-assisted liposuction.

UNLABELLED: There has been a significant advancement in the use of lasers for body contouring over the past several years. This article will review the recent past and discuss the future of this trend.

INTRODUCTION: There is much confusion over the definition of procedures using lasers for lipolysis and liposuction. This review article discusses the definitions of suction-assisted liposuction, laser lipolysis, and laser-assisted liposuction in detail. The development of these procedures is then discussed and pertinent articles are reviewed.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Pubmed and FDA.gov web sites were searched for published articles and FDA approved devices employing lasers for targeting fat for body contouring. This information along with the authors' personal experience was used to review and discuss this topic.

DISCUSSION: There is a specific difference between suction-assisted liposuction, laser-assisted liposuction, and laser lipolysis. This review article clarifies these definitions and highlights the recent articles employing lasers for minimally invasive fat reduction.