Fat, the dreaded three letter word, causing significant distress to many, genuinely to some and just out of overambition to the rest.
But like the two sides of a coin, fat has some good effects too.
A layer of fat is very important as it serves important functions besides comfy cuddles:
- It is important for insulation, that is, maintainance of a stable body temperature. This is the reason your body holds back sufficient heat to maintain the temperature around 37 degrees celsius even when it is freezing outside.
- It is an important storehouse of essentials vitamins like vitamin A, D, etc.
- It helps provide mechanical support and protection to some vital organs like kidneys.
- It gives the desired curves and contours..I am sure most of you will not like every muscle outline to show on your body, though on chest, abdomen they are desirable. We will discuss this aspect shortly.
I hear very few people discussing their BMIs rather than weight. Mostly everyone ( leaving us plastic surgeons , or the bariatric surgeons) talks in terms of BMI to describe weight gain/loss.
What is our BMI? Well, BMI or Body Mass Index is a ratio of your weight to your height. For a certain height, the ratio should be within 19-25 to fall under the category of ideal fat deposits.
So, it gives a good idea whether you have wanted or unwanted fat.
Excess of everything is bad and so is too much obsession with fat loss.
But why does it bothers us so much?
There are two types of problems associated with it (in layman’s language):
1. Metabolic and functional: We call them obese. Such people develop hormonal imabalance like diabetes, hypertension etc. They have difficulty moving about and hence are lethargic and subsequently put on more weight. It becomes a vicious cycle for them which is difficult to break.
2. Cosmetic: When people do not have a proper form and shape and hence develop a complex because of their looks. We as plastic surgeons help in such cases and have amajor role to play. Certain fat deposits( I will discuss below) are rigid and stubborn and refuse to melt away, no matter how hard you diet or exercise. In these cases, liposuction is the procedure of choice. We, at our clinic, have Vaser liposuction, which is the safest and surest ultrasonic liposuction technique(details below).
WHAT IS LIPOSUCTION?
Liposuction is a surgical procedure wherein small incisions (3-4mm long) are made and using special cannulas, stubborn fat deposits are aspirated out.
It is a daycare procedure, that is, does not require any hospital stay.
Based on your health and fitness, it is quite safe if done with the right technique and technology.
There are two types of proccedures:
1. LIPOREDUCTION: This means removal of stubborn subcutaneous fat deposits, thereby, giving the desired contour and shape. It can be done for abdomen, back, chest, arms, thighs , chin. The buldge disappears and you get a flat shape of ypur tummy or get rid of flabby arms, chin, etc.
2. LIPOSCULPTURE/3D AND 4D LIPOSUCTION: Here, we as plastic surgeons, behave as sculptors. It means defining muscular outlines, taking out the fat beneath grooves at the dermal level and hence giving an athletic look. Examples include creating six packs over abdomen, defining your pectorals, even thighs, etc. The candidates for this are mostly people who are fit and exercise regularly, but long for a nice athletic profile.
“6” packs abdomen is possible by Vaser 3D liposculpting. It is done by removing the fat layer between the sallowing the muscle to show its features.
It is a procedure performed under local anaesthesia and sedation. It takes hour and a half to emulsify the fat by VASER and then to sculpt the tummy.
WHAT IS VASER?
Vaser Liposuction is a latest and most advanced form of liposuction. It is also known as high definition Liposuction. Vaser is an ultrasound based technology; it produces sound waves that help with melting of the fat inside the body. The melted fat is then sucked out of the body area. It is also the safest technology available today, as the vaser has the capability to differentiate FAT from tissues, nerves, blood vessels etc and only targets the FAT. Making it the safest method to perform liposuction. Vaser Liposuction is an US FDA approved and used extensively to achieve good contours and muscle definition.
Vaser Liposuction Features:
- Safest and most advanced form of liposuction
- Differentiates between FAT and other tissues like nerves, blood vessels, etc.
- Used to perform High definition liposuction and body definition
- Significant and visible results in a single procedure
- Emphasizes the muscle appearance
Getting the desired shape of the body is a personal choice. There is a difference between “being alive” and “ living a life”.
All cosmetic procedures are ultimately aimed at improving one’s self image hence self worth thereby boosting self confidence.
Dr. Prerna Mittal
M.Ch in Plastic Surgery from CMCH Ludhiana in 2012
