Liposuction: The Gold Standard of Fat Removal & Body Reshaping Surgery

Liposuction is a safe, studied, minimally invasive, and valuable alternative to more invasive plastic surgery procedures for removing fat from the abdomen, thighs, chin, or enlarged male breasts without large surgical incisions (which leads to big scars). In a person with a disproportionate body shape, it restores harmony and balance. For example, in a body shape resembling a 'pear', liposuction restores body shape resembling an 'apple' by reducing abdominal girth and saddlebags on the thigh. In patients with 'double-neck', it restores neck contour by removing pockets of fat from underneath the chin and enhances facial contour symmetry and attractiveness.

Liposuction is a method of inch-loss and not of weight loss. After treating a certain body part with liposuction of about 4 - 5 liters, the treated part of the body is sculpted into appearing similar to what it would have appeared if you had lost 20 - 25 kg of body weight. However, expected weight loss would be around 4.5-5 kgs after removing 5 Liters of fat.

An excessive loose skin lacking sufficient elasticity may not be suitable for liposuction and requires abdominoplasty. Dimpled skin appearing as 'cellulite' on thighs and buttocks may not be suitably treated by liposuction alone. Superficial liposuction with fat grafting techniques is sometimes effective.

There is a wide range of liposuction plastic surgery options to choose from. In consultation with Dr. Srinjoy Saha, you will be able to decide which options would be most suitable for you to achieve the results you want. The most popular body fat removal procedures that he performs are:

# Suction Assisted Lipectomy.

# Power-Assisted Liposuction with BodySculpture.

# Revision Liposuction with LipoSculpture.

# Tummy Tuck and Mini Tummy Tuck.

# Fat Grafting and Cellulite Treatment.

# Mommy Makeover.

Good candidates for liposuction are fit, healthy, non-smokers and it is safer if they are near their ideal weight before the procedure. Ideally, being a procedure for inch-loss and not weight-loss, patients would require liposuction for sculpting and contouring the body. Some areas of the body are resistant to fat loss even after dieting and exercise programs. These fat deposits are treated extremely well by liposuction. Traditionally, only one body area is treated during a sitting. However, it is now a common practice to combine two or more areas during one surgery. If you want extra areas being treated with liposuction as well, feel free to talk to Dr. Srinjoy Saha about it, and he will do the best.

Liposuction can be done under intravenous 'twilight' anesthesia, local anesthesia with oral sedatives, or general anesthesia. The final decision will depend upon the number of body areas being treated, the volume of fat being removed and your comfort level during liposuction plastic surgery. Dr. Srinjoy Saha personally prefers intravenous 'twilight' anesthesia. It is a stronger form of sedation but the patient is not in general anesthesia. It is quite safe for liposuction and adds no additional risk. However, he will be guided by the anesthesia specialist doctor who will examine you and determine what will be most beneficial for you.

Personal Hygiene: Thoroughly wash areas to be treated with antibacterial cleansers, every day, for 1 week before surgery. Take a good shower on the evening before, and the morning of your surgery.
Avoid these Medicines and Supplements: For at least 2 weeks before surgery, avoid Aspirin, Ibuprofen (Brufen, etc), Aspirin containing compounds, Vitamin E, Anti-inflammatory drugs, Herbal supplements, Green tea, Ginseng. These drugs and supplements decrease clotting and cause excessive bleeding during or after liposuction, resulting in unwanted complications.
Avoid Smoking and Drinking: Smoking is strictly not advised for 1 week before and 2 weeks after liposuction as it delays healing time. Avoid alcohol for at least 3 days, and preferably 1 week before liposuction is performed.
Precautionary Medicines: Some medicines will be prescribed to be taken the night before and on the morning of surgery. Please ensure that you take them as directed.
Clothes: Wear loose comfortable garments that are easy to put on and take off. Buttoned shirts and elasticated waist pants are good examples of ideal clothing to be worn during the procedure.
Assistance: Please arrange for a friend or relative to be present during your liposuction, assist you if required immediately afterward, and drive you home after discharge.

Photography: Dr. Srinjoy Saha may ask you to stand while he photographs you and marks you with a pen to determine the exact areas of the body for suctioning out the fat.
Sedation: After sedating you, a few tiny incisions (3 - 4 mm in size) will be made in the areas of the body from where fat will be removed.
Fluid Infiltration: Tumescent solution [a solution containing normal saline, adrenaline (to minimize blood loss), and Lignocaine (to anesthetize or numb the treated area)] will be injected into the area to be treated.
Suction: Specialized thin and hollow tubes, called 'cannulas', will be inserted to break up fat deposits with constant to-and-fro motion. Fat cells are next suctioned out with high power suction.
Duration: The time required for performing surgery depends on the total volume of fat being aspirated and the number of body areas being treated.
Wound Closure: Your tiny incisions may be stitched with dissolvable sutures. Those small incision sites are not seen after adequate healing has occurred.

Note: You need to wear tight surgical pressure garments to allow your skin to retract adequately around the newly contoured area of liposuction. Usually, compression garments need to be worn for 4 - 6 weeks until the entire swelling over the treated areas of the body resolves.

Over 90% of patients are able to return to normal office work or school within 2 days after their liposuction surgery.

Initial recovery time varies depending on the volume of fat aspirated, the number of body areas worked upon, and the type of anesthesia.

There will be no pain but some discomfort immediately after surgery, and you will be comfortable for the next 12 - 24 hours while the effects of local anesthetic last.

Most procedures are performed with intravenous 'twilight' anesthesia and you may experience a couple of days of mild to moderate pain after the effect of local anesthesia wears off. there may be some amount of soreness or tenderness of underlying muscles.

Pain reduces gradually, tapering off over the next 7 to 10 days. Mild painkillers are usually sufficient to control pain during this time and provide you with a relatively pain-free experience while healing.

You will be in compression garments immediately after your liposuction. It provides support and compression. Incision sites will be covered with gauze and adhesive tapes, with fluffy cotton dressings overlying them. It helps absorb some of the drainages.
Some of your treated areas may be swollen, bruised, and sore. This is part of the healing process. It is natural and nothing to be afraid of.
There may be some drainage from incision sites, which will leak into the dressings. These are usually yellowish in color and are a combination of liposuction solution and dissolved fat. Sometimes it may be red in color if it contains small amounts of blood. This also is a part of the natural healing process and there is nothing to be afraid of. Absorbent pads may be applied underneath to absorb this drainage. Drainage decreases slowly and becomes dry in a few days.
Compression garments need to be worn every day for best results in skin contouring after liposuction. They may be removed for washing and cleaning as they become soiled due to sweat and drainage fluids. Apart from showering and washing, they must be worn at all times for several days after the liposuction to get the best results.
Rest in the initial period helps in early healing. Straining or exercises early on may be detrimental to your interests. Dr. Srinjoy Saha will give you clearance to increase your activity levels depending on how well you heal and how your recovery progresses.
After the initial weeks, you will enjoy smooth, toned, and refined contours over the body areas treated. Many of our patients had an instant surge in self-confidence when they could fit into body-hugging garments that they used to wear earlier.
A balanced healthy diet and regular exercises will be the key to your maintaining your newfound slimmer body contour for years to come.

Scars are small fine lines, ranging between 2mm to 5mm in size. Usually, all scars are placed in hidden invisible places of the body. A single suture is placed in each incision to allow it to heal as a fine line while allowing it to drain any underlying fluid. In liposuction of the abdomen, these tiny scars are hidden in the groin crease. In liposuction of outer thighs, scars are hidden in the crease below the buttocks. These nuances make it the best liposuction procedure that can ever be offered.

The best results in liposuction depend on the skills of the plastic surgeon. It is important to focus on what remains behind and not on what has been removed. Sculpturing the body with liposuction, or Liposculpture depends upon how best your plastic surgeon understands the delicate balance of the skin and a thin layer of fat that remains behind after your liposuction plastic surgery. Dr. Srinjoy Saha pays meticulous attention to details. Coupled with his vast experience in liposuction, he achieves a great sculpted body for his patients.

Dr. Srinjoy Saha regularly comes across patients who had performed liposuction elsewhere and presents to him for correction of irregular and deformed body contours. He would perform a complete evaluation and honestly inform about what improvements can be reasonably expected. Further liposuction with fine cannulas in excess areas and fat grafting in deficient areas are helpful in correcting deformities. More deformities are caused by overcorrection, and thus fat grafting is extremely helpful. He is able to provide significant improvement in body contours through precise revision liposculpture.

Power-Assisted Liposuction has a motorized vibrating cannula attached to a handpiece powered by electricity. The vibration occurs 4000 times per minute. This delivers enough energy to the tip of the cannula, causing it to power through the fat to break them up and vacuum them out. The vibrating cannula also passes through fibrous and scarred tissues really well. Dr. Srinjoy Saha feels that all these major advantages make power-assisted liposuction a better way to remove stubborn fat. Great technology combined with an artistic touch and a zeal to heal has created safe beautiful results in all of his patients.

Advantages of Power Assisted Liposuction are:

Greater control over contouring and lesser trauma to the patient helps in better liposuction.
PAL cannula are smaller and glides through tissues smoothly.
Results in smaller scars.
No potential for skin burns as no thermal energy is generated like in Ultrasound-Assisted Liposuction or Laser-Assisted Liposuction.
Less operative time. Less force required for liposuction.
Less trauma leads to better and faster healing.
Safer for patients.
Complications are less.
Bruising, soreness and post-operative pain are less.
More precise sculpting of body possible.
More effective in revision liposuction procedures.

Dr. Srinjoy Saha has a great aesthetic sense and artistic skills in the field of cosmetic plastic surgery. He is a famous physician with a quiet, professional bedside manner. He studies his patients thoroughly, takes the necessary time to research the best ideal treatment for them, and achieves the best possible results through safe and less invasive plastic surgery methods. Through careful body sculpting during liposuction, he removes unwanted fat and achieves the most dramatic, natural-looking results for each of his liposuction surgery patients. Even while focusing on creating amazing results, he considers the health and safety, recovery, post-operative care, and downtime issues of each and every patient.