Liposuction in Albany

Serving Schenectady, Saratoga Springs, and Troy

Undergoing liposuction with Dr. Sanjiv Kayastha is an ideal choice when you want to create or restore a smoother, more toned body contour. If diet and exercise have been unsuccessful in eliminating stubborn pockets of fat in certain regions of your body, liposuction can be used to help achieve the appearance you desire.

View our Liposuction Patient Gallery.

What Your Consultation Entails

Schenectady plastic surgeon Dr. Kayastha truly cares about each and every patient he treats. During your consultation, he evaluates your anatomical needs, including assessing your skin health, and listens carefully to all of your aesthetic goals. Keeping these considerations in mind, Dr. Kayastha works with you to develop a treatment course that achieves subtle, natural-looking results which help you look and feel like the best version of yourself.

Am I a Candidate for Liposuction?

Ideal candidates for liposuction:

• Are near their target weight and are in good general health
• Have good skin elasticity
• Have localized fat deposits which have been unresponsive to diet and exercise
• Have realistic expectations for the outcome of the procedure

It is important to understand that liposuction is not intended to be used as a weight loss method. If you are very overweight, you will need to try and lose weight first through diet and exercise. A tummy tuck may be performed in conjunction with your liposuction procedure in order to remove excess tissue and tighten your abdominal muscles. Other “cut and sew” body contouring procedures may also be performed for enhanced results.

Liposuction can be used to remove excess fat from your:

• Hips
• Buttocks
• Abdomen
• Back
• Legs
• Arms
• Face
• Neck
• Breasts, including male gynecomastia

Liposuction Techniques

Albany plastic surgeon Dr. Sanjiv Kayastha uses a combination of ultrasonic liposuction (UAL) and traditional (tumescent) liposuction. He chooses to use these techniques because they are tried and true, and he has achieved exceptional results with them for many years.

Ultrasonic liposuction makes use of sound waves to break down your fat cells. Dr. Kayastha will insert a thin, hollow tube called a cannula through one or more tiny incisions. Your unwanted fat cells will be suctioned out through the cannula after being liquefied by the ultrasonic energy.

Traditional (tumescent) liposuction uses a saline solution to help loosen up and cool your fat before it is removed from your body. This allows for a more gradual, targeted and safe treatment.

What to Expect During Your Liposuction Procedure

Liposuction is generally performed on an outpatient basis, typically with the use of general anesthesia. Some patients undergoing liposuction to remove a very small volume of unwanted fat may be appropriate candidates for the use of intravenous sedation and local anesthesia instead of general anesthesia.

The entire procedure takes about one to three hours, depending on the extent of your surgical needs, including the number of areas Dr. Kayastha is treating. Once Dr. Kayastha is satisfied with the new contour of the treatment area(s), he closes the incisions with sutures and dresses the treated areas with soft foam bandages and an overlying compression garment.

Recovering From Liposuction

You should plan to take about three to five days off from work or your normal activities following liposuction. During this time, you should rest as much as possible and avoid strenuous activity, including heavy lifting and exercise. Dr. Kayastha will let you know when it is safe to resume your normal activities, including your exercise routine, during one of your follow-up appointments.

The treatment area may be numb, tender or sore, especially in the first few days after your procedure; you can take oral pain medication as directed by Dr. Kayastha to alleviate any discomfort. The area may also be bruised or swollen, but these are expected symptoms that should gradually subside.

Although some of the results of liposuction will be visible immediately, it takes a few months for the final results to become fully actualized, as this is how long it takes for any residual swelling to subside, tissues to soften and skin to retract and become re-contoured.

Your Surgeon’s Skill Level Matters

Many practitioners in New York are currently marketing new liposuction techniques such as SmartLipo, CoolLipo, and SlimLipo to the public. However, none of these technologies have clearly demonstrated through clinical data that they are superior to traditional techniques used to perform liposuction. In Dr. Kayastha’s opinion, they are more about marketing than better results.

What is important is the skill and experience of your plastic surgeon. This will be the greatest factor impacting the outcome of your liposuction procedure. In the hands of a skilled and experienced surgeon, most liposuction methods will achieve excellent results. Similarly, just about any method can result in poor outcomes when performed by an inexperienced operator. Many of those utilizing these catchy sounding machines are not board certified plastic surgeons; some are not even surgeons at all.

Dr. Kayastha has performed thousands of liposuction procedures over the past 25 years and is board certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery. In order to achieve board certification, Dr. Kayastha had to undergo years of extensive training in his specialty and pass a series of rigorous examinations to demonstrate his skill level. By working with a board certified plastic surgeon such as Dr. Kayastha, you can be confident that your procedure is being performed by a highly skilled and experienced specialist and in a safe environment. Check out the credentials of your surgeon carefully.

Please contact us today to schedule your initial liposuction consultation. Dr. Kayastha serves patients in Albany, Schenectady and Saratoga Springs, New York.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Will I have drainage tubes in place after surgery?

No, drainage tubes are generally not required with liposuction surgery. You may notice fluid draining from your incision sites for about the first 48 hours after surgery, however. Don’t worry; this is normal. We suggest laying plastic sheeting over your car seats, bed and couch before undergoing liposuction to protect those areas from getting wet or stained.

2. How long do I have to wear a compression garment over the treatment area?

Dr. Kayastha will provide complete pre- and post-care instructions before your day of surgery, including the amount of time that you will need to wear a compression garment over your treatment area(s). You should expect to wear your compression garment for about four weeks after surgery, to help minimize swelling, provide additional support to the tissues while they heal and optimize the aesthetic results of your procedure. Wearing this garment faithfully is very important.

3. Are the results from liposuction permanent?

The results from liposuction can be considered permanent, as the fat cells that are removed will not grow back. However, gaining a substantial amount of weight can cause the remaining fat cells to grow bigger within the treatment area or outside of it. For this reason, it is recommended that you be at a stable bodyweight that you feel you can maintain before undergoing liposuction.