VASER Hi-Def Liposuction

Ariel: Yeah. Welcome to another episode of Doctor Beverly Hills. My name is Ariel, and we're here with plastic surgeon Dr. Katzen. Hello. 

Dr. Katzen: Hi, Ariel. 

Ariel: So, can you tell us about Hi-def arm Lipo? Is this a procedure that you often do? 

Dr. Katzen: Yes. Hi-def arm liposuction is arm Lipo on another level. When we do arm liposuction, we remove fat from the arm. But hi-def arm liposuction means that we're not only removing fat from the arms but also sculpting out the muscles. The muscles to pay attention to in the upper arm are the deltoid, biceps, and triceps. The deltoid is the muscle that goes over your shoulder capsule and is the muscle that joins the arm to the shoulder. 

The second muscle we're concerned about is the biceps. The muscle on the top of the arm. The third muscle we are concerned about is the triceps. The muscle in the back of the arm. So, those are the three muscles we try to chisel out when we're doing Vaser hi-def liposuction. We get many bodybuilders that lift weights all the time, dumbbells, barbells, etc. They can't get the definition or pop on their biceps and triceps. So, with vaser, they remove excess fat around those muscles to allow the deltoid, and the intersection between the deltoid and the biceps, the deltoid and triceps, and the biceps and the triceps, to pop and allow those muscles to show through. 

Ariel: So, would the results be best on someone who works out a lot? 

Dr. Katzen: Ideally, yes. Those patients get the best because they've already tried on their own. They're lifting, and they're trying to build muscle mass. However sometimes, they can't get the desired results, and that's when this hi-def liposuction comes in because they've already burned up a lot of the fat. 

However, I have many patients coming to my office to look, I exercise a moderate amount, but I want to get definition to their arms. Vaser hi-def arm liposuction is an excellent way to jumpstart the arm and obtain muscular arms. 

Ariel: So, how does that work? So, is it like you're chiseling around the muscle already there? 

Dr. Katzen: Correct. 

Ariel: So, for people who work out, it's a more straightforward thing to chisel cause there's not much fat around muscle? 

Dr. Katzen: Correct. Most body builders have burned the fat that’s around the muscle. 

Ariel: Typically, their skin might be tighter too? 

Dr. Katzen: Correct. Hi-def arm liposuction removes or subtracts the fat that's around the arms. When you build muscle mass through exercise, you burn the fat around those muscles. With hi-def arm liposuction you go, just further help that process by eliminating the fat around those muscles. 

Ariel: Okay. And if, say, you don't work out too much, and you have flabby arms, then how do you give them that defined look? 

Dr. Katzen: With the Vaser hi-def, I know the anatomy and the insertions of the muscles between the biceps and the triceps. There's a little groove on the outside. There's a little groove on the inside. And we chiseled those both on the inside and the outside around the elbow. I also chisel out where the biceps inserts into the antecubital fossa, (basically the elbow joint in the front). When I chisel the fat out. I remove the fat Also, I spend a significant amount of time around the deltoid. The deltoid is at the intersection triangular muscle and defines the intersection between the deltoid and the biceps and, posteriorly, the deltoid and the triceps. 

Ariel: So, basically, you contour the muscles? 

Dr. Katzen: Yes, exactly. I want to remove the fat that camoflauges those muscles. I want to define the valleys between those muscles, those muscles that anger pop. 

Ariel: And it doesn't look like there's a fatty layer left on the muscles when you're done. Is that right? 

Dr. Katzen: Correct. So basically, I sculpt the muscles by removing fat around the muscles. Basically, it depends on the patients. I have some women that only want a subtle hint of muscle. However, most of my male bodybuilders want the muscles I can make, so I get rid of all the fat. I go to town on those patients and try to get rid of almost every molecule of fat around those muscles to show off those muscles. 

Ariel: And while you're doing this, if they wanted the fat transfer somewhere else, is that an option? 

Dr. Katzen: Yes, that is an option. I can take the fat from the arm, tummy and love handles, inner thighs, etc. I can take that fat and process it. That means I strain it. I only use the best fat. I wash it with antibiotics to purify it, making sure it's sterile, and then I can inject that fat into the biceps, and the triceps, to make those muscles pop. So, it's fat transfer into the muscles. 

Ariel: Okay, so we know that BBL, it was dangerous to inject fat into the muscle. Is it different when you're injecting it into the arm muscles? 

Dr. Katzen:  Yes. With Brazilian Butt Lift (BBL) there are some pretty large veins and arteries in the buttocks. That is why the buttock muscle and gluteus minimus muscle are red. They're red because there's blood in them. If you're injecting fat into the muscle, there is potential for that fat to get into the bloodstream. So, if injected fat gets in the veins, it can go back to the heart, and wind up in the lungs, causing you lung failure. You can die from those, it's called a fat embolus. 

Since buttock muscle fat injections can be lethal, I don't inject fat into the buttock muscle. 

Ariel: How does injecting fat into the muscles change how muscles are formed after that or how they grow? 

Dr. Katzen: The way I think about it, it is like Wagyu steak. If you've ever had Wagyu steak, It's marbled steak. It's marbled with fat. So you have the muscle, in between the muscle, you have these little strips of fat, and that's what Wagyu steak is. Putting fat in the muscle increases the muscle's volume. So, pick any number to assign a volume to the muscle. Say it's 100. Then you inject something into that cylinder, like fat, maybe are injecting 23. So, that 100 cylinder then becomes 123 because you've injected volume into that mass. 

Ariel: So, we've had to expand? 

Dr. Katzen: It expands. 

Ariel: And so, the muscle is still muscle on the outside? 

Dr. Katzen: Absolutely. And it's just stippled on the inside because I have injected that fat into that muscle. The muscle is stippled with fat. There is nothing wrong with that. This stippled fat just leads to a more considerable volume of muscle. 

Ariel: No one's going to know. 

Dr. Katzen: No one's going to know, correct. 

Ariel: How would they know? Great. Okay, that's an option if you want more muscle on top of the hi-def VASER arms. So, you can inject fat in other places too? 

Dr. Katzen: Yes. If you're approaching this thing and want more defined arms, I would approach it and have the Vaser hi-def arm liposuction first. Then think about it. You may want to inject fat too. That can be done as an ancillary procedure. So you can sculpt first with Vaser hi-def. During that procedure, if you want, you can have fat transferred the biceps and triceps. 

Ariel: Okay, great. And let's talk about recovery from this procedure. 

Dr. Katzen: Typically, I'll have you in a compression garment to help minimize swelling and get everything nice and tight. Typically, I don't use drains. There'll be several entry points. Typically, there's one just behind the elbow, and another entry point in the armpit. Sometimes, I'll make an entry point around the deltoid about the size of a pencil eraser, or smaller grain of rice, etc. Usually, I leave incisions open so they can drain. You should wear your garment six weeks, and that minimizes the swelling, maximizes your results, flattens the scar. And usually, the final Vaser hi-def arm results are evident at about eight weeks. 

Ariel: Okay, great. And when can we return to work? 

Dr. Katzen: Depends on what kind of work you're doing. Typically, if you have a desk job, you can usually return to work in about 7 to 10 days. If you have a physically active job, you may move crates, heavy machinery, and stuff like that and return to work in 10 to 14 days. 

Ariel: Do you want your patients to avoid lifting things after this procedure? 

Dr. Katzen: Initially, yes. I want your arms not to move around too much. We are just cooking and healing from the procedure with those arm compression garments. 

Ariel: But we don't want you cooking? 

Dr. Katzen: No, we don't want you cooking. So, cooking in the fact that we want you healing as whatever. 

Ariel: So, why is VASER such a great option? There are many other options, like body tightening and cool sculpting, but this is a little different. This is getting the fat cells, throwing them away, and sculpting the muscle. Can you talk about that? 

Dr. Katzen: Yes,so the Vaser is the gold standard for high-definition arm sculpting. The cool sculpting does not yield the same results on the arms. Also, body-tite doesn't give as good a result as the Vaser hi-def on the arms. VASER high def is the gold standard for ripped arms in suitable patients. It's the best tool to get you defined arms. Whether you're undergoing traditional or Vaser hi-def liposuction, I am removing the fat cell. I am not just extracting the fluid from the fat cell, sucking out the entire fat cell, throwing it in a biohazard bag. Then, the bio hazard team picks it up that afternoon and destroys the fat. It's gone. The fat is not coming back after you and not creeping back into your arm. It's gone forever. So, it will not reestablish itself if you maintain your weight and continue eating. 

Ariel: And once you get Lipo, are you less likely to gain more weight and more fat in that same area that you got Lipo in? 

Dr. Katzen: Correct. Because those fat cells have been removed permanently. Now, if you gain weight after liposuction, your body will equally distribute fat throughout your entire body. It doesn't see a vacuum or an area of fat that's been removed and say, oh, let's put all the fat there. That's not how it works, Your body equally distributes fat throughout your body. So, my take-home message is: if you're going to invest all that time and money on liposuction, you should also invest in a healthy lifestyle, and eating right for the rest of your life. 

Ariel: All right. And what kind of anesthesia are we under for Vaser hi-def arms? 

Dr. Katzen: Vaser hi-def is a result-driven type of liposuction. I perform all my Vaser hi-def liposuction on the arms under general anesthesia. General anesthesia is entirely asleep. You do not feel anything for the entire procedure. I can get you the best results possible under general anesthesia. If I perform your liposuction under local anesthesia, you will have some pain. Unfortunately, local anesthesia is not the best way to do Vaser hi-def on the arms. So that's why I do these procedures under general. 

Ariel: Hmm. If you're going to do it, do it the right way. 

Dr. Katzen: Yes, in my opinion. Do it the right way. Also, do it the way your plastic surgeon feels most comfortable. Also, If you go to your plastic surgeon's website and you don't see any pictures of the procedure. Think twice. You want to go to a plastic surgeon that's experienced in VAser Hi- Def Liposuction. Experience establishes expertise. After I discovered that knew general anesthesia was the best way, why would I recommend local anesthetic or IV sedation to a patient? I wouldn't because I know that for me general is the way to go. So, another take-home message for patients is I don't advise you to tell your plastic surgeon how to do it because they've been doing it a lot longer and in many more patients. 

Dr. Katzen: Great. Well, thank you for all the information on Vaser's hi-def arms. 

Dr. Katzen: Sure, my pleasure. 

Dr. Katzen: Yes, it's an excellent procedure if you're looking for more defined arms. It's a very, very good procedure to undergo, and you'll get long-lasting permanent results. 

Ariel: All right. Now we're also running a lot of specials right now. We are having a special on botox, PRP, and Morpheus8. So call the office, and we'll get you all that info. 

Dr. Katzen: Give us a call 

Ariel: Yeah, at (310)8597770 or DM's on Instagram @drkatzenmd 

All right. Thanks, Dr. Katzen. I will see you next week.