Thaindian News

By Shilpa Raina
New Delhi, Feb 1 (IANS) Phew! Still huffing and puffing away in a gym to get six pack abs like your favourite actors Hrithik Roshan and Shah Rukh Khan? Experts say you can now get illusionary abs - with artistic cosmetic surgery.Introduced in the country about three years ago, Vibration Amplification of Sound Energy at Resonance (VASER) is a revolution of sorts as it’s not only used for body contouring but also helps in getting illusionary abs.

Rajesh Khurana, president of Timpac Healthcare, says the illusion can be created by an artistic cosmetic surgeon.

“In this, the hands and designing aspect is very important. First, the fat is removed from the body in longitudinal lines by creating humps in such a way that it creates an illusion,” Khurana told IANS.

Timpac Healthcare is known for offering clinical obesity management, cosmetology, medical aesthetics, wellness, medi-spas and anti-aging treatments.

“This is done by etching the skin and removing superficial fat by segregating it from surrounding tissue through liposuction,” said senior plastic surgeon Ajay Kashyap.

“VASER uses third generation internal ultrasound technology that artfully, selectively and permanently contours the body into a more proportioned, smoother shape without compromising on comfort and safety.”

The procedure can’t be performed by every plastic surgeon because it requires special training to master the art.

VASER, if explained in a more technical way, is an ultrasound-assisted liposuction system where fatty tissues are extracted from the body by using sound waves and they emulsify targeted fat cells.

The sound energy gets transmitted through small probes. These sound waves enter the holes and vibrate rapidly to produce ultrasound energy. This energy that penetrates inside the body breaks the cellular membrane and discharges the lipid content.

In India, there are only 10 machines available for the procedure because both the equipment and the process, which is still evolving, are expensive, says Khurana.

“Not many Indians opt for this procedure as it is very expensive and not every surgeon can perform it. A lot many people are not aware of this technology and a lot many can’t afford it,” he said.

In fact, when Shah Rukh made headlines for his six pack abs for “Om Shanti Om”, his fans worshipped his perfection while fitness experts wondered.

Khurana is not sure, but he believes the superstar might have taken the help of technology for a quick-fix.

Noida-based fitness expert Aashu agrees. “It takes discipline, perfection and a lot of hard work to get six pack abs. You don’t have to sacrifice food, but a lot many things to maintain them. A person can’t achieve it in a few months, it takes time and patience,” he said.

The cost for this procedure can be anywhere between Rs.100,000 and Rs.200,000 and recovery takes about a week.

Anup Dhir, senior cosmetic surgeon at Indraprastha Apollo Hospital, said there is less blood loss and quick recovery, but “the disadvantage is if the cuts are not done in the right manner, the entire idea will flop”.

Also, Kashyap says, one needs to work out to maintain those abs. A cardio routine for half an hour is essential. Brisk walking for 20 minutes helps and there should be some diet control as well in the initial weeks.

There are not too many takers for this right now. “It is around one to two enquiries per month, but operations take place once in three months because it’s expensive,” said Dhir.

(Shilpa Raina can be contacted at shilpa.r@ians.in)