| Anecdotal reports in the lay press suggesting that lipoplasty (liposuction) - and specifically Power-Assisted Lipoplasty (PAL) - results in increased breast size and volume have not been verified by scientific research. It is the position of the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS) that lipoplasty is designed for body contouring, and - without objective scientific data - claims of other unrelated benefits from the procedure are misleading to patients. The reason why a patient may think breast size has increased following lipoplasty may have more to do with weight gain than with fat removal.
Over time, several techniques have evolved as modifications of standard lipoplasty, Suction-Assisted Lipoplasty (SAL), including Power-Assisted Lipoplasty (PAL), and Ultrasound-Assisted Lipoplasty (UAL), and using terms such as superwet or tumescent to refer to the ratios of injected fluid to aspirate removed during the procedure.
It is ASAPS' position that the choice of instrumentation and technique is subject to the determination of the operating surgeon and is of less consequence than the surgeon's training and experience. ASAPS suggests that anyone considering lipoplasty select a surgeon who is certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery (ABPS), and is a member of the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS). A trained, board-certified plastic surgeon will be able to recommend a treatment plan that is appropriate for the particular patient.
Lipoplasty is a serious surgical procedure that has been demonstrated to be safe and effective when safety guidelines are in place. According to ASAPS statistics, lipoplasty is the most popular cosmetic surgical procedure, with over 385,000 procedures performed in 2001. |
