Speedy recovery from liposuction increases demand for the procedure in the Middle East

Liposuction procedures are some of the most frequently performed procedures in the field of aesthetic surgery, and are in high demand with patients in the Middle East. The procedures are extremely popular mainly due to small incisions and a speedy recovery period. Experts believe that fat is no longer considered as just a storage organ; in fact, it is a metabolically active endocrine organ. Consequently, liposuction, especially in large volumes (> 5 litres), is bound to have some effect on fat function. The question is how much, from where and what can doctors do to counteract the imbalance that may occur.

Dr Punam Bijlani, Consultant, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Ras Al Khaima Hospital, UAE, will be presenting on the latest techniques for liposuction at the 6th International Congress in Aesthetics, Anti-Ageing Medicine & Medical Spa (ICAAM) which starts tomorrow (6 December) at the Habtoor Grand Resort & Spa. The event will continue on 7 December 2013 with two conference tracks; Aesthetic Dermatology and Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, as well as an exhibition with more than 25 exhibiting companies and 1,000 attendees.

On 8 December, the congress will move to the American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery Hospital, Dubai, UAE, where five of the world's top cosmetic surgeons demonstrate the latest surgical techniques and procedures to a live audience of medical professionals.

Liposuction was one of the top five most performed cosmetic surgeries by American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) member surgeons in 2012. ASPS member surgeons performed 202,000 liposuction procedures in 2012, only 1% less from the previous year.

According to Dr Bijlani, the Middle East has a large expatriate population and is a melting pot of cultures, which is why cosmetic procedures are not exclusive to the region or a particular ethnicity. Genders seeking liposuction in the Middle East are equally balanced. Men usually seek liposuction to minimise the size of the abdomen, thighs, gynaecomastia and chin, and women seek liposuction mostly for their abdomen, gluteofemoral areas and their back.

“However, liposuction should not be considered a sole weight loss procedure and should certainly be discouraged in teenagers and adolescents,” says Dr Bijlani. “Liposuction is for body parts where, no matter how hard one tries, one cannot shed fat in those areas. Stem cells and tissue regeneration seem to be very promising; we are working at nano levels now and there is light at the end of the tunnel.  The new technology will be a big leap for plastic surgery patients and the ‘beauty business' will be the collateral beneficiary of these advances.”