Carry on Doctor

By: Dr Grant Hamlet
Created on 25th March 2010

For some people no amount of diet and exercise can achieve a sculpted physique as leading cosmetic doctor Grant Hamlet knew personally. Intrigued by innovative body sculpting procedure Vaser Hi-Def, Dr Hamlet put it to the ultimate test and underwent the procedure himself with amazing results

I had been doing body sculpting and lipolysis procedures for a number of years, initially using the various lasers that were available. The results were good and most patients were satisfied but when Vaser came to UK I was astounded by the results that could be achieved.

Vaser was introduced to the UK about two and a half years ago after being fully trialled and tested in the US to achieve FDA approval, the gold standard for treatments. I wanted to know more about the procedure and become the best trained practitioner offering it, particularly the high definition applications, which took body sculpting to a new level.

I visited Colombian plastic surgeon Dr Alfredo Hoyos, the creator of the Hi-Def Liposculpture technique, to receive training and it was at that point that I became really interested in the procedure for myself.

I have always been bulky and although I went to the gym on a regular basis, had a personal trainer and had a good diet I just couldn't seem to achieve the definition that I wanted. There is only so much you can do when genetics and body type conspire against you.

The fact that I was very fit and had a lot of muscle mass meant that I was able to get fantastic results when I had the procedure last July. In fact, I wasn't expecting them to be so good.

What also appealed to me about having the procedure was that I'd be able to discuss it with patients from their point of view. Expectation is one of the biggest factors in any cosmetic procedure and if the patient's expectation is not attainable then they are always going to view the outcome as a failure, however successful the practitioner views it. Having the procedure myself has helped me deal with that aspect.

Maintenance is also something that I feel I can talk about more knowledgably now. What has pleasantly surprised me is how easy it has been to maintain the results. I go to the gym about three times a week and follow a sensible diet that is neither restrictive nor faddy.

It is so much easier to maintain results when you can check the mirror every day and love how you look than it is to achieve results through diet and exercise alone. But this is not just an
easy option. The patient has to be committed both before and after - you can't turn someone who is massively overweight into a Greek god and if you stop going to the gym and gorge on junk food once you've had the procedure you could end up near enough where you were before. We don't remove all the fat cells so those that are still present can grow larger and it is possible to put on weight in other areas.

I produce an aftercare plan for my patients and work with a fantastic therapist, Robin Mason, who not only covers post-procedure massage but is also studying for her masters in nutrition, so is able to aid patients in maintaining their results through diet and exercise.

How it works
High Definition LipoSculpture is a specific type of liposuction procedure that is used more to sculpt the body than to just remove unwanted fat.

Dr Grant Hamlet explains: "The procedure is an advanced technique of body contouring that involves the radical removal mof deep body fat, the selective removal of superficial fat near the surface of the skin, as well as transferring fat to create highly defined male and female torsos that are characterized by a well toned and athletic appearance."

While comparisons may initially be drawn between conventional liposuction and Hi-Def Liposculpture,the two follow very different philosophies. In conventional liposuction, the aim is to simply
create a slimmer appearance by removing as much fat as possible, which is commonly known as ‘debulking' or body shaping.

But Hi-Def is more about creating the illusion of an ideal shape. "It is probably the best way to achieve the six-pack or muscled look for men and the athletic, trim look in women," says Dr Hamlet. "It is not about creating a slimmer body shape; it is about creating the best possible body silhouette."

Hi-Def Liposculpture is suitable for all body areas; cheeks, chin, arms, back - including buffalo hump - bra fat, breast reduction for men and women, love handles, buttock shaping, saddle bags, knees, calves and ankles.