What To Expect
We encourage you to eat a light meal before coming to the office for your procedure. Upon arrival, you will take your prescribed oral medications to help you relax during the procedure. Not all patients opt to take these oral medications; they do great and still have no pain. The area where Smartlipo will be performed is marked to guide Dr. Kulkin to the exact areas to be sculpted. Before photos are also taken prior to starting your procedure.
The procedure starts with the infusion of lidocaine into the fat, through tiny, 1/8th inch incisions. We hide the incision so they are barely visible. Lidocaine is the numbing medicine most dentist use during dental procedures. Our patients tell us the infusion process feels “weird” but does not hurt! After you are completely numb, we insert a laser fiber and begin to melt the fat. The Smartlipo laser fiber is approximately the size of a spaghetti strand. Once Dr. Kulkin is satisfied that the fat has been evenly melted, we begin the suctioning portion of the procedure. We use small instruments which minimizes bruising and after procedure pain.
Depending on the body part(s) we are treating, the procedure takes anywhere from 45 minutes for a chin to 2 hours or more for the abdomen. Following the procedure you will be helped with your compression garment and given instructions for post-op care. You will be able to walk to your car, which your driver may bring to the front door of the office. We do have patients who travel to Atlanta for this procedure and there are area hotels that provide a shuttle service to pick you up at our office. You will be provided Dr. Kulkin’s cell phone number should you need to contact him. He will also personally make contact with you that evening following your procedure.
We recommend you relax at home for the remainder of the day, following your procedure. You should anticipate some drainage from the incision sites for the first 24- 48 hours post-procedure. Swelling is also expected and will ease in the coming days. We prescribe Celebrex, an anti-inflammatory medication, to take for 7 days post procedure. We also provide you with a prescription for a few pain pills that can be taken as needed for discomfort. The day following the procedure most patients are out and about, but not completely back to their regular routines. We recommend that you take it easy for the first couple of days to allow your body to heal. You should expect some mild tenderness/soreness for several days post procedure.
We like to see our patients a few days after the procedure and then again at 2 weeks. Of course, any time a patient has a concern we encourage a visit to see Dr. Kulkin.
Contact our Patient Concierge by email or call 404-832-0300 with questions or to make an appointment. We also can arrange for a free demonstration in our office. We know you'll be pleased. Register now to receive our newsletter and special offers.
