How vaser works
The surgeon first fills the area with tumescent fluid: salt water with a local anaesthetic and a medicine that narrows the blood vessels to cut bleeding and bruising. A thin probe then sends ultrasound energy into the fat, which loosens it. A cannula, a thin tube a few millimetres wide, suctions the loosened fat out through small cuts.
VASER is the name of the device (Vibration Amplification of Sound Energy at Resonance). "Ultrasound-assisted liposuction" is the general term.
Who it suits
Vaser suits a healthy person near their usual weight with a few stubborn areas and skin that still springs back. It's often used on fibrous fat that is harder to remove by hand, such as the back, the flanks and the male chest, and for detailed work such as HD lipo.
Liposuction is probably not for you if:
- you are still losing or gaining weight, or your BMI is well above the healthy range
- the problem is loose, hanging skin rather than fat (that needs a skin-removal operation)
- you smoke and won't stop before surgery: smoking slows healing and raises the risk of blood clots
- you are pregnant, breastfeeding or planning a pregnancy soon
- you hope it will change how you feel about your whole body, not one area
What vaser does and doesn't do
Liposuction is not a weight-loss treatment. It removes pockets of fat that stay put despite a steady weight, diet and exercise. It does not remove cellulite or stretch marks, and it does not tighten loose skin.
Clinics often say vaser tightens skin or reduces bruising. Some patients do get a little skin tightening, but it can't replace a skin-removal operation. Judge results by the surgeon's own patients with a body like yours, not by the device name.
Recovery after vaser
Under local anaesthetic you usually go home the same day. You wear a compression garment day and night for several weeks. Expect bruising, swelling and some numbness. Most people with desk jobs are back at work within about a week. Gentle exercise usually comes back at three to four weeks, and anything strenuous at ten to twelve weeks, once your surgeon agrees.
The shape you see at two weeks is not the result: swelling can take up to six months to settle. See the full recovery guide.
Risks
Common in the weeks after any liposuction:
- bruising and swelling, which can last up to six months
- numbness, which usually settles in six to eight weeks
- small scars where the tube went in
- fluid leaking from the cuts for the first days
Less common, and the reason you want a specialist and a proper hospital or clinic:
- burns to the skin from the heat of the ultrasound probe, which is uncommon
- lumpy or uneven results, sometimes needing a second operation
- bleeding under the skin (a haematoma)
- numbness that lasts for months
- changes in skin colour over the treated area
- infection, or an allergic reaction to the anaesthetic
- a blood clot in a leg vein, which can travel to the lungs
- fluid on the lungs from the fluid injected during surgery
- damage to internal organs, which is very rare
Your surgeon should tell you how likely each one is for you, and what they do if it happens. See the full guide to liposuction risks and side effects.
What vaser costs
One area under local anaesthetic starts at about €2,200 to €2,500. Two areas are from about €3,000 and three from €3,500. Big combinations and HD work go up to around €7,000. A vaser operation in a hospital with a general anaesthetic costs more than the same work in a day clinic. Full details are in our liposuction price guide.
Checking the surgeon
By law every doctor practising in Ireland must be registered with the Medical Council, and a doctor can only practise independently as a specialist if they hold specialist registration. For liposuction, look for an entry in the Specialist Division under Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery. You can search the register yourself on the Medical Council's website.
Ask how many vaser operations they do a year, who gives the anaesthetic, and where you go if something goes wrong at night.
Questions people ask
Is vaser better than normal liposuction?
Not automatically. It helps with fibrous fat and fine contouring. For a straightforward area, a skilled surgeon using traditional tumescent liposuction gets the same result. Ask why they prefer their method for your body.
Is vaser done awake?
Often, yes: many vaser operations in Ireland are done under local anaesthetic, sometimes with sedation. Larger operations are done under a general anaesthetic.
How long does vaser last?
The fat cells removed don't come back. The result lasts as long as your weight stays steady; gaining weight later can still change the shape.
How much is vaser lipo in Ireland?
From about €2,200 to €2,500 for one area under local anaesthetic, and up to around €7,000 for several areas.