Tickle Lipo: Hurts So Good?
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Add yet another liposuction system and approach to the already confusing array of options in the marketplace: Tickle Lipo. Like other, relatively new methods of liposuction, such as SmartLipo and Body Jet, Tickle Lipo adds a small twist on more standard liposuction approaches and a clever name.
How does it work?
According to the manufacturer, Medical Alliance Services of Texas, Tickle Lipo uses technology called Nutational Infrasonic Liposculpture (N.I.L.). The handpiece the surgeon uses whirls and vibrates, lending the technology its nickname. At least one proponent, a Southern California physician, said that many patients experience a “slight tickling sensation” as the handpiece “distracts and tricks the brain” (Wildwood 1).
Medical Alliance Services explained that the cannula (handpiece) used in Tickle Lipo differs from other liposuction systems in that it uses air pressure to dislodge fat. The company described the motion of the cannula as a whipping motion involving vibration and rotation (Medical Alliance Services 1).
Like other recently-marketed liposuction systems, the goal of the Tickle Lipo system is to remove fat effectively and safely while leaving nearby tissues undisturbed. But unlike other systems, this one is said to disrupt the patient’s sensation of pain by activating other nerves that do not send pain signals to the brain. Medical Alliance Services said this advantage allows liposuction to be performed under IV sedation or even local anesthesia (Medical Alliance Services 1).
What do plastic surgeons say?
Perhaps weary themselves of the relentless stream of liposuction systems being marketed today, most plastic surgeons continued to advise that results are what matters, and results are dependent on:
• Your plastic surgeon’s training and credentials (board certification)
• Your plastic surgeon’s experience with liposuction
• Your body’s characteristics (notably your skin's elasticity)
We value and respect the experiences of all of our HERWriters, but everyone is different. Many of our writers are speaking from personal experience, and what's worked for them may not work for you. Their articles are not a substitute for medical advice although we hope you can gain knowledge from their insight.
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