MIAMI -- Last year, more than 275,000 people underwent liposuction making it the second most common cosmetic surgery – and now a new twist on this popular procedure is improving results and recovery time.

Around the time Diana Walker turned 40, she started to take serious stock of her shape and decided it was time for a little liposuction. She says, "I had a few friends of mine who'd had some plastic surgery and cosmetic surgery and I thought 'why not.'"

But Diana's procedure was different from her friends because her plastic surgeon combined the liposuction with a low level laser. "It's called the Erhconia laser."

Dr. Douglas Dedo a plastic surgeon says. "It's a cold laser. By that I mean when you shine it on your skin it won't burn you."

The Erchonia laser has been reviewed by the FDA for pain management, but plastic surgeons like Dedo are finding it's a great addition to liposuction. He says, "I'll never do lipo without it."

Before surgery, the patient is injected with an anesthetic fluid that creates swelling. As the laser is passed over the skin, it appears to work with that fluid and literally liquefy fat cells. Dedo. "It greatly facilitates the procedure. The tube that's used to suck the fat out passes through the fat just like melted butter." That, says Dedo, makes for a better outcome. "The patients have much smoother results in the skin."

Dedo says the laser also seems to make wounds heal faster. "I hate to say this, because it makes it sound like magic, but it is almost erasing the scars."

Also, the pain relieving aspect of the laser is a big plus during recovery. "Patients have no pain when they have liposuction that's been activated with this laser," Dedo said. Proof of that? Diana had her surgery on a Tuesday, by Friday night she was out playing softball. "It didn't take long to get right back into the swing of things," she said, and she's proud to say the results have held up. "I am really pleased!" she said.

Doctors don't yet fully understand how the Erchonia laser works in liposuction. It's mechanisms and possible long-term effects are being evaluated through a multi-center study.

To reach Dr. Dedo in West Palm Beach at the Palm Beach Institute of Cosmetic Surgery and Longevity call (561) 626-3223.