Dr Lokesh Kumar-Doctors-Health-Celeb Interview Archives-Indiatimes Chat

Transcript of live chat with Dr Lokesh Kumar, Director and Chief Plastic surgeon, Delhi Aesthetic Clinic, on April 24, 2003

Dr Lokesh Kumar
Director and Chief Plastic surgeon, Delhi Aesthetic Clinic

"All liposuctions are safe"
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vaani> What is ultrasonic liposuction?
Dr.Lokesh_kumar> Ultrasonic liposuction is little different from traditional liposuction in away that the ultra sound waves are used to liquefy the fat before suctioning. That makes it easy to suck fat with a low powered suction machine.

atul> What is the most sought after aesthetic procedure in India?
Dr.Lokesh_kumar> Top of the list is rhinoplasty which is reshaping of nose, the other procedure which is very commonly performed is liposuction.

smriti> We have heard a lot about Botox, what is it? How popular is it in India?
Dr.Lokesh_kumar> Botox is a special injection treatment which is used for removing fine wrinkle lines from the face apart from this it can also be used to reduce excessive sweating from axilla and palms.

ritu> What is the general cost for a nose job and liposuction?
Dr.Lokesh_kumar> Rhinoplasty which is known as nose job in layman terms can cost anywhere between Rs. 10,000 and 40,000 depending on the steps involved in correcting the particular nose deformity, liposuction on an average costs around Rs 25,000 but it could be less or more again depending on the amount to be removed and other factors like hospitalisation etc.

pra> What is the idea behind Delhi Aesthetic Clinic? Where are you located?
Dr.Lokesh_kumar> Delhi Aesthetic Clinic was designed to give aesthetic medical as well as surgical solutions to patients problems under one roof. Many patients who come for cosmetic surgery do not want to be exposed to a big hospital environment. The DAC provides necessary confidentiality and privacy to the patients seeking cosmetic surgery. We are located at E-32, GK-II near Savitri cinema (New Delhi) and the contact numbers are 26288349, 9810068498. You can also visit us at www.dacindia.com

vaani> Is ultrasonic liposuction, safe procedure, do we have any side effects?
Dr.Lokesh_kumar> All liposuctions are safe if performed by a qualified plastic surgeon who knows the limitations of the procedure and keeps all the safety precautions in mind while planning such a procedure.

vdsdfds> Is there a safe limit for Botox? How many sittings can a person take without getting major side-effects? What are the charges?
Dr.Lokesh_kumar> Botox is fairly safe injection treatment. People have injected even up to 5-600 units of Botox in a single sitting without causing any side effects. On an average cosmetic correction of the face one needs not more than 100 units in one go. The charges are according to the area involved for the injection and it is charged Rs 300-500 per unit. A person can take any number of sittings provided they are more than 6 months apart.

pran> How long does it take to get a nose job done? Are there more than one operations and is it painful?
Dr.Lokesh_kumar> Nose job is done as a day care procedure under local or general anaesthesia. Most of the time only one operation is involved but sometimes minor corrections can be done in the second stage if needed. The procedure is not painful at all as it is done under anaesthesia.

vaani> What is the safe age to go for liposuction? I'm 21.
Dr.Lokesh_kumar> The safe age for liposuction is any thing above 14 years. The upper age limit varies according to the general health of the patient. At 21 you are fit to undergo liposuction if it is indicated. The indications are decided by a qualified plastic surgeon only.

tina> What kind of anaesthesia is generally used?
Dr.Lokesh_kumar> Mostly general anaesthesia but very small liposuctions like double chin can also be done under local anaesthesia.

desi_guy_wid_attitude> What actually is Botox?
Dr.Lokesh_kumar> Botox is a kind of toxin known as botulinum toxin. This toxin is purified for safe injection and is available in the form of Botox. This injection temporarily paralyses the muscles of the face which are hyperactive and causing the frown lines and other wrinkle lines on the face.

vaani> Does the excessive skin need to be resected after removal of fat by ultrasonic liposuction?
Dr.Lokesh_kumar> Usually no skin is resected at the time of doing liposuction. The skin has a lot of retractibility which goes back to its position within 2-3 months unless the skin is damaged by excessive stretching causing stretch marks. With ultrasonic liposuction specifically the skin contraction is more as compared to traditional liposuction.

vdsdfds> My facial skin has sagged. What about face-lift? Can that be done? How much is the charge? Will I still look natural after the facelift?
Dr.Lokesh_kumar> Depending on the age the sagged skin of the face can be corrected by doing the face lift procedure. The average cost is approximately Rs. 40-50,000 rupees and you will look natural after face lift. A minor amount of sagging can be corrected by laser resurfacing only where no operation is involved.

banglore_girl> How effective are lasers in aesthetic services?
Dr.Lokesh_kumar> There are different kinds of lasers used in aesthetic services like Co2 and erbaium are used for resurfacing the sun damaged skin and to remove acne and small spot scars. Pulse dye lasers are used for removal of birth marks. There are other lasers which are used for permanent hair removal.

tarini> Is there any cure for stretch marks? A lot of people say that they can be cured with laser treatment is it true?
Dr.Lokesh_kumar> The stretch mark is one of the most difficult problem to correct. Sometimes they need surgery, sometimes they can be reduced with lasers and many a times they need a combination of both.

banglore_girl> Is there a right age for cosmetic surgery?
Dr.Lokesh_kumar> Most of the cosmetic surgical procedures are performed on people who have attained some kind of maturity age wise so mostly these procedures are performed only after 14 years of age.

pam> I don't like the tip of my nose. What can I do? Can I just get that corrected or do I have to go in for a full nose job?
Dr.Lokesh_kumar> Nose tip can be corrected with a limited rhinoplasty which is done under local anaesthesia. There is no need for a full nose job for correction of just the tip.

pra> Is there a difference between plastic and cosmetic surgery? What is it?
Dr.Lokesh_kumar> Cosmetic surgery is a branch of plastic surgery where a surgeon corrects the normal organs of the face to improve their appearance. The doctor has to be a qualified plastic surgeon and then he should have received adequate training in cosmetic surgery at some reputed cosmetic surgery centre, only then he is qualified to perform delicate cosmetic surgery operations.

sheen> Is plastic surgery the only way to remove pits left by pimples and acne on the face?
Dr.Lokesh_kumar> Yes, this is the only way to remove them completely. Depending on the depth of the pits laser treatment also can be utilised. In very rare cases the pits are very shallow and medicated creams can help if used for a long time.

alice> What is breast reduction? How safe is it?
Dr.Lokesh_kumar> Breast reduction is the surgical reduction in the size of the breasts and also to shape them better. The procedure is perfectly safe if done by a qualified professional. Mostly the procedure is performed on heavy breasts causing chronic neck and back pains. For moderate sized breasts which are sagging there is another procedure called mastopaxy.

julie> Are there any time limits for the results? Are there chances that they will go away or change after a while?
Dr.Lokesh_kumar> The appearance changes immediately after surgery. However, because of the Edema which slowly goes away there is constant gradual improvement for about 3 months.

fem> If I go in for breast enlargement surgery will I be able to breast feed afterwards?
Dr.Lokesh_kumar> Breast enlargement technically called augmentation mammaplasty is performed mostly by insertion of implants underneath the breasts. The breast tissue is not disturbed at all during this surgery so a woman can definitely produce milk after pregnancy.

sheen> If the pits are quite deep and about 10 years old, what is the duration of hospitalisation and what is kind of expense will need to be incurred for removal of such pits?
Dr.Lokesh_kumar> The pimple pits even if they are deep are amenable to the laser resurfacing treatment which is an outdoor procedure where no hospitalisation is required. Sometimes the treatment has to be done in two stages 6 months apart. The cost for each stage is approx Rs. 20-30,000.

Signoff Message> Anybody who is seeking cosmetic surgery should look for the credentials of the surgeon involved. The questions like how many procedures he performs every month can be asked directly. One should satisfy themselves about all the aspects of proposed procedures including the possible complications and the way to deal with them. Only then the satisfaction can be guaranteed. For any enquiries on cosmetic surgery or medicine contact Delhi aesthetic Clinic at E-32, GK-II (New Delhi) Phone nos. 26288349, 51637288,9810068498, our website is www.dacindia.com.