**2. Patient evaluation**

Good indication is of the utter importance in achieving a satisfactory result. A good candidate for liposuction is considered to have localized subcutaneous fat accumulation without skin laxity. The advantage of the laser-assisted liposuction, as previously mentioned, is collagen formation and the skin tightening effect. Therefore, some amount of skin laxity can be tolerated when performing this method. Thanks to that feature, skin excision surgeries can sometimes be avoided. Unfortunately, there are no reports on the amount of skin laxity that is considered resolvable with this method so the indications are made by surgeon's subjective opinion based on his or her personal experience. Generally, younger patients with good skin tone respond excellent to the photo-thermal effect of the laser.

Special indications:


Exclusion criteria:


Preoperatively pinch test should be performed to assess the amount of the subcutaneous fat and the skin in excess. In the beginning, one should avoid treating patients with skin in excess until enough experience is gathered in order to be able to assess the expected postoperative skin tightening effect. All irregularities should be marked and noted with patient in the standing position to avoid losing the 3D image when patient is in the supine position on the operating table. When performing high-definition laserassisted liposuction, it is important to mark the borders of the underlying muscles. When treating the paranasolabial folds it is important to distinguish the subcutaneous fat from the bichat fat pad since the latter is treated with intraoral surgical excision.

All patient should be preoperatively advised that liposuction is not a substitute for healthy living habits and should not be used as a weight loss procedure but as a body contouring one.
