Saddlebags - Fat on the side of the thighs

What is saddlebags fat?

The fat deposits on the exterior sides of thighs that hang like saddlebags are termed as ‘saddlebags fat’. The name stems from a little old culture when saddlebags were carried on either sides of a horse or mule’s back.

The excess fat on the sides of thighs makes a woman look more like a pear than like an hourglass which most women want. The presence of saddlebags does not only dent the confidence of the woman but also makes it difficult to buy pants and other dresses that fit well. Unlike the rest of the body, thighs have less fibrous tissue as a result of which, the fat formed in this region may not look even and is soft that can be easily removed with a cannula during liposuction. Interestingly saddlebags are found more in women than men.

What causes saddlebags?

Here are some of the possible reasons that can cause saddlebags to form:

1. Sedentary lifestyle
   Feeling lazy lately? Don’t feel like working out or want to spend all day on the couch? Get ready to add on weight and also develop the saddlebags. Being obese and overweight also adds up the odds of developing saddlebags. Initially they may not look like a big deal but as you continue to put on more weight they can look more than ugly.
2. Puberty
   Puberty is the time when the reproductive organs develop and mature and also, fat starts accumulating in the hip region, breasts, thighs and butts. Add to this less time working out or playing, the body starts depositing more fat under the skin and that could be in the abdomen or thighs. 
3. Pregnancy
   During pregnancy, the production of estrogen and progesterone hormones change. If large amount of estrogen is produced, that can trigger the accumulation of fat in the abdominal and thigh areas.
4. Genetics
   If your mother, sister, grandmother etc have/had saddlebags, you are more likely to develop them provided you workout regularly and have control of the diet.
5. Problems with your lower back
   Some researchers say that problems with the lower back may lead to fat deposition around the hip and thighs.

Liposuction to remove saddlebags

While there are some thighs targeted exercises or workouts, removing saddlebags may seem to be a difficult task. Fortunately, liposuction can come to the rescue where the fat around the thighs (in almost any part of the body actually) can be removed.

Dr. Deepa Ganesh, one of Chennai’s leading cosmetic gynaecologists has been offering her clients with different types of liposuction to get rid of stubborn fat on the inner side as well as the outer side.

Traditional liposuction to remove saddlebags

Traditional liposuction involves usage of local or full body anaesthesia. Usually full body anaesthesia is given when fat from larger areas needs to be removed. Markings are made on the area to be worked on and incisions are made to insert a tube called ‘cannula’. The cannula is used to destroy the fat cells and pull out the fat cells from under the skin. 

While traditional liposuction is a very good procedure to remove fat, technological advancement brought in other effective and simpler liposuction procedures such as laser assisted liposuction and ultrasound liposuction.

Laser liposuction for fat removal from thighs

Compared to the traditional liposuction procedure, the major difference lies in the following aspects:

1. The incisions that are made are relatively smaller as the cannula used is thinner.
2. The heat is melted using the energy from the laser beam. The melted fat is then removed.
3. The procedure can result in more even contouring of the area because the fat is evenly removed from the area.
4. Quicker recovery compared to the traditional liposuction procedure.

Ultrasound liposuction for fat removal

This is very similar to laser liposuction with a difference that melting of fat is done with ultrasound waves instead of laser energy. Rest of the aspects of the procedure are very similar to that of laser liposuction.

Once the fat is removed, the area will be bandaged and the person will be advised to wrap tight bandages at the site in order to reduce the accumulation of fluids and for faster recovery. Antibiotics and painkillers will be prescribed and they should be used regularly without a miss.

What would be the cost of liposuction for removing saddlebags?

While there is no one fixed price for removing saddlebags using liposuction because the procedure has to be tailed for each individual based on the shape of the body required and the area that needs to be covered. Some individuals may also go for removing fat from the inner thighs. As a ballpark, the cost of liposuction for removing saddlebags in Chennai can be in the range of Rs.1,00,000 to Rs. 2,50,000 as of date.