What are the risks of having laser liposuction compared to regular liposuction? i'd like to have laser liposuction on my abdomen but i'm a bit nervous. do burns occur frequently during this kind of liposuction? is there an increased risk of scarring?

Be : Be careful about believing all the hype about laser liposuction. The promised "tightening" that the laser is expected to deliver is rarely anything to brag about and it is more of an effective as a marketing tool to get your business than a surgical tool. Although the risk of burning is minimal in experienced hands, it is still there and bad burns have been known to occur. An good liposuction surgeon can achieve great results with or without the laser technology. Shop for a "smart surgeon" instead of smart lipo.

The : The difference between suction assisted (regular) liposuction and laser assisted liposuction is the heat that derives from the energy of the laser underneath the skin surface. The reason for using laser assisted liposuction as opposed to suction assisted liposuction is that the laser helps in melting down some of the fat that may otherwise not be removed by regular liposuction, the tightening effect that comes with the use of heat and the reduced bleeding one may experience when undergoing such a procedure because the laser heat closes down small blood vessels as it is advanced. With these advantages in mind, there are also disadvantages to using laser assisted liposuction. The use of the laser creates a risk of burns to the skin surface, although these may happen more likely when the laser is brought too close to the skin surface which is largely dependent on the surgeon's level of experience. Therefore, more experienced surgeons will be less likely to cause skin burns. Since burns can lead to scarring, the point just made applies for scars as well.

True risk: Yes burn with laser liposuction is a true potential risk. Both technique work equally good in the hands of the surgeon who is used to them. Any kind of liposuction could potentially have risks, so make sure your surgeon is a board certified plastic surgeon.