Vaser Lipo vs Traditional Liposuction
One of Dr. Kayastha’s specialties is body contouring. He commonly performs body contouring surgery for patients from Albany, Saratoga, Clifton Park, Schenectady, and surrounding areas.
Body contouring can range from noninvasive forms like Coolsculpting all the way up to surgery to remove excess skin and fat. A treatment that splits the difference between noninvasive and excisional surgery is liposuction. Liposuction in minimally invasive since it only uses small incisions to access the fat to be removed. Common types of liposuction include Smartlipo laser liposuction, Vaser liposuction, and standard tumescent/traditional liposuction. All three types of liposuction have the same end step of inserting small metal cannulas into the patient to suction out unwanted fat. Smartlipo laser liposuction and Vaser liposuction add a preliminary step of using a form of energy to help start to dissolve fat. This makes the fat easier to remove. Smartlipo laser liposuction uses a laser beam to melt fat and Vaser uses ultrasonic energy to disrupt fat cells.
Vaser Lipo vs Traditional Liposuction
Liposuction has advanced greatly from its origins in the 1970’s. Now, it is safer, less painful, and more effective than ever. One advancement in liposuction is a technique called vaser lipo. One technique may be better for your goals than the other, so it’s important to know the difference so you can make an informed decision.
Traditional Liposuction
Both vaser and traditional liposuction remove unwanted pockets of fat from areas of the body such as the thighs, buttocks, underarms, flanks, and abdomen. These pockets can persist no matter how much you have dieted or exercised. Both traditional liposuction and vaser liposuction use tumescent fluid. During the procedure, a solution of saline, lidocaine, and epinephrine is infiltrated into the area. The saline causes the area to stiffen and swell, which makes it easier to operate. The epinephrine makes the blood vessels constrict. This cuts down on blood loss and bruising. After allowing time for the solution to work the plastic surgeon makes tiny incisions through which they insert a vacuum-assisted cannula to break up and remove the fat with a gentle sweeping motion.
Vaser Liposuction
The initial phase of vaser liposuction resembles that of traditional/tumescent liposuction. The plastic surgeon gives the patient an injection of saline solution, lidocaine and epinephrine to make it easier to operate and to reduce blood loss. Then, they use incisions to insert a probe that uses ultrasonic energy to break up and emulsify fat. Because of this, the cannula itself is not needed to mechanically break up the fat. This alone lessens the trauma to the body. The emulsified fat is then aspirated out as it is in traditional liposuction. Recovery from vaser liposuction is similar to traditional liposuction, although there can be less downtime required because of the less-invasive nature of the procedure.
Vaser Lipo vs Traditional Liposuction
Both methods have benefits and drawbacks. Both techniques are an outpatient procedure, with limited downtime and complications from general anesthesia. It can take less time to recover from vaser liposuction, and there may be less bruising. However, vaser liposuction can sometimes be more expensive because of the technology used. When it comes to specific treatment areas, vaser liposuction can be more effective at removing tougher more fibrous fat like the kind found in gynecomastia. Traditional liposuction can be better for removing larger volumes of fat, however.
Schedule a Consultation
Liposuction and its variants are some of the best ways to remove fat with limited downtime. To discuss your options for liposuction and which type is best for you, contact Dr. Kayastha, board certified plastic surgeon located in Albany, NY at the K Plastic Surgery office to schedule a consultation. We invite you to call or fill out our online form.
Dr. Kayastha is a board certified plastic surgeon who serves Albany, NY and the entire Capital Region. Dr. Kayastha completed his undergraduate studies at Cornell University and graduated with distinction in all subjects. He then attended medical school at SUNY Buffalo. During his time in Buffalo he also completed a fellowship in surgical pathology at Roswell Park. Following medical school Dr. Kayastha gained a much sought after position in the Michigan State-Grand Rapids integrated plastic surgery residency. After finishing residency training Dr. Kayastha completed a one year fellowship in hand and microsurgery at the Buncke Clinic in San Francisco. To round out his training before starting private practice Dr. Kayastha spent an additional 6 months learning from some of the best cosmetic surgeons in San Francisco. Dr. Kayastha is Board Certified in Plastic Surgery by the American Board of Plastic Surgery.