What is TriSculpt®?

By Christopher Chung, M.D.
Chief Medical Officer

For people looking to remove stubborn fat from problem areas, traditional diet and exercise may not always provide the desired results. That’s where TriSculpt micro-laser liposuction may be able to help.

What is TriSculpt Micro-Laser Liposuction?

TriSculpt is an advanced laser-assisted fat removal treatment specifically designed to provide leaner, more sculpted, and natural looking results with a truly high-precision, minimally invasive procedure. Generally, the TriSculpt body contouring procedure follows a three-step process:

1. Localized anesthesia is administered while the patient remains awake

The TriSculpt procedure requires only local anesthesia (rather than general anesthesia), which allows the patient to remain awake and alert while the procedure is underway.

This offers significant benefits for patients who can communicate with the physician during the procedure. It also helps the physician provide better results by making it easier to reposition the patient to treat each area.

Although local anesthesia is all that is required for the procedure, patients who are particularly concerned about remaining awake may be provided medications to help remain relaxed and comfortable.

2. Power-assisted liposuction removes fat from targeted body areas

Once the localized anesthesia has been administered, the physician begins removing fat from the desired areas of the patient’s body using power-assisted liposuction.

This technique removes fat using micro-cannulas and gentle suction, which are especially effective at removing fat from large areas of the body prone to stubborn diet- and exercise-resistant fat.

Thanks to the augmented fat removal capabilities provided by a power source, power-assisted liposuction also provides a greater safety margin compared to some other methods of fat removal, thanks in part to the absence of cavitation generated by the procedure.

3. Micro-laser assisted liposuction provides the finishing touches to small areas

Once the majority of fat is removed from larger areas of the body, special laser-assisted equipment is used to apply finishing touches.

This process applies laser energy to help soften and emulsify the targeted fat and helps smooth out the work done by the power-assisted micro-cannulas.

This is especially useful for contouring areas of the body that have been historically difficult to treat due to their size, including the upper arms and under the chin. Additionally, laser energy may also help stimulate collagen formation of the deep dermis, which can help encourage skin tightening to produce a smooth final appearance of treated areas.

What’s the difference between TriSculpt and other liposuction procedures?

Compared to a traditional liposuction procedure, the TriSculpt procedure truly displays just how far technological advancements in the field of liposuction have come.

While traditional liposuction relies largely on a surgeon’s own muscle power while removing fat, TriSculpt makes the most of power-assisted equipment and laser technology to extract fat with significantly less effort. This leads to less trauma to the treated area, which in turn leads to less post-operative discomfort and swelling.

Also, critically, TriSculpt does not require general anesthesia for the procedure, which significantly reduces the risk that may be associated with traditional liposuction where general anesthesia is used. TriSculpt uses only saltwater IV fluid lidocaine to numb the area, and epinephrine (a hemostatic agent) to minimize bleeding, both in safe amounts designed to keep patients awake and minimize downtime post-procedure.

What parts of the body can be treated with TriSculpt?

The TriSculpt procedure can effectively target a wide range of body parts both large and small.

Patients have achieved their desired results using TriSculpt to target stubborn fat in a number of body parts, including:

• Love handles
• Tummy
• Arms
• Back
• Waist
• Hips
• Thighs and Legs
• Abdomen
• Chest (for men)
• Chin and jowls
• Neck

Because TriSculpt micro-laser liposuction combines both power-assisted and micro-laser equipment, the procedure is particularly beneficial for targeting small and delicate areas of the body—including the neck, where traditional liposuction may be less effective or unable to effectively remove fat.

How much fat can TriSculpt remove?

Generally, the amount of fat that can be removed during a TriSculpt liposuction procedure may vary depending on each patient’s specific health conditions, lifestyle, and level of fat buildup in problem areas.

Of course, a healthy lifestyle—including diet and exercise—are a crucial part of any weight loss journey, of which liposuction is just one element. Each liposuction event may result in a maximum of 4000-5000cc of fat being removed, and current state and community standards do limit the increments of fat extraction to 8-10 pounds per event.

But while the number on the scale may be an easy guidepost for many patients to measure their progress, the real benefit of a procedure like TriSculpt is volume reduction.

The loss of volume after a liposuction procedure like TriSculpt can be dramatic and can give the appearance of significant weight loss in targeted areas—even if the patient’s total weight has not really changed all that much, their appearance may be quite different.

How much does TriSculpt cost?

The actual cost of the TriSculpt procedure is determined by each patient’s specific body and goals. The best way to determine the cost of TriSculpt for each patient is through a free consultation with a local Sono Bello location.

Several factors play a role in determining the cost of TriSculpt for each patient, including:

• Body Mass Index (BMI): How much fat a patient has on their body will determine the amount of fat to be removed during the TriSculpt procedure. We can treat patients with a BMI of 42 and lower.
• Number of body areas treated: The more areas of the body treated during a single procedure, the lower the cost to the patient for each individual area. Any additional treatments added to the TriSculpt procedure (like excess skin removal or cellulite reduction) will increase cost.
• Promotions & savings: Sono Bello often offers promotions or savings for the TriSculpt procedure, which can help lower cost for patients.

Payment for the TriSculpt procedure can be arranged to fit the patient’s budget, and Sono Bello offers multiple financing options and payment plans for patients.

Who is a good candidate for TriSculpt?

The TriSculpt micro-laser liposuction procedure is designed for flexibility, making it a reliable choice for anyone looking to remove stubborn fat from otherwise hard-to-reach areas of the body.

Because the procedure is designed to minimize risks and maximize fat removal, it can be a safe and effective choice for a wide range of individuals.

Still, there are some important factors to consider when determining whether a patient is a good candidate for the TriSculpt procedure, including:

• Patients struggling with stubborn fat on specific areas of the body
• People for whom diet and exercise failed to reduce body fat
• Anyone with fat buildup on small areas (like the neck)
• Patients with a Body Mass Index (BMI) between 18 and 42
• Healthy patients with no major pre-existing conditions (uncontrolled diabetes, oxygen requirements, blood thinning medications, kidney or liver disorders, pacemakers, etc.)

Patients who do not display any qualities that would otherwise complicate the TriSculpt procedure should talk with their Sono Bello surgeon prior to scheduling to confirm their eligibility.

What happens to skin after the TriSculpt procedure removes fat?

After the TriSculpt procedure is finished, it may take a small amount of time for skin to tighten and smooth back to its pre-surgical appearance.

Does TriSculpt leave scars?

TriSculpt is specifically designed to minimize scarring and reduce recovery time after the procedure.

Because TriSculpt uses micro-cannulas and smaller surgical instruments, surgeons can remove fat using small incisions. This helps minimize swelling as well, which can facilitate faster recovery to help scars heal faster and more completely after the procedure is finished.

For many patients, minor scarring can heal almost completely within a few months after the TriSculpt procedure is complete.

Is TriSculpt painful?

For most patients, TriSculpt is painless during the procedure itself. Localized anesthetics help minimize or eliminate pain during the procedure.

How long is recovery from TriSculpt? Does recovery hurt?

Recovery from the TriSculpt procedure usually involves minimal discomfort, and most patients heal quickly from the surgery itself.

Most patients experience a short post-operative recovery period after the procedure, usually with prescriptions and instructions for postoperative use from their surgeon. Surgeons may leave some incision sites open to allow tumescent fluid (an IV solution used during the procedure) to drain.

Fortunately, because TriSculpt uses smaller tools and less-invasive techniques, it can provide significant fat reduction in even delicate areas of the body while minimizing swelling, avoiding uneven contouring or excessive bruising, and reducing overall discomfort after the procedure is over.

Some swelling may occur in the treated areas for 2-3 months after the TriSculpt procedure, and this swelling will gradually decrease over time. Once the areas begin to even out, patients will be instructed to massage the area to encourage a smooth final appearance.

How long until I see results from TriSculpt?

Results from the Trisculpt procedure usually vary for each patient, but on average patients will start to see results within days or just a few weeks.

Usually, patients will be instructed to wear a compression device for at least 3-6 weeks afterward to encourage smooth results, with final results usually seen within 6 months after the TriSculpt procedure.

When can I return to normal activities after TriSculpt?

Immediately after the TriSculpt procedure, patients will be instructed to rest and avoid physical activity for around 24 hours.

Within one or two days, patients can safely return to walking and light activity. Most patients can also return to work within 2-3 days after the TriSculpt procedure.

However, patients should avoid strenuous activity like bending, twisting, and heavy lifting for around 4-6 weeks, or until they have received clearance from their surgeon or nurse.

Normal exercise and activity are encouraged (as instructed by a surgeon) to help avoid the pooling of blood in the lower extremities and pelvis. Light exercise can usually be resumed after 2 weeks post-surgery, as long as heavy lifting is not involved.