Tumescent Liposuction: What You Need to Know

Medically reviewed by Ricardo L. Rodriguez, MDBoard Certified Plastic Surgeon
Written byMichele RossUpdated on September 28, 2022
RealSelf ensures that an experienced doctor who is trained and certified to safely perform this procedure has reviewed this information for medical accuracy.You can trust RealSelf content to be unbiased and medically accurate. Learn more about our content standards.
Medically reviewed by Ricardo L. Rodriguez, MDBoard Certified Plastic Surgeon
Written byMichele RossUpdated on September 28, 2022
RealSelf ensures that an experienced doctor who is trained and certified to safely perform this procedure has reviewed this information for medical accuracy.You can trust RealSelf content to be unbiased and medically accurate. Learn more about our content standards.

Fast facts

88% Worth It rating based on 51 reviews

$5,225 average cost

1 week of downtime

Local anesthesia with IV sedation or general anesthesia


Tumescent Liposuction (Page Image)
Tumescent Liposuction (Page Image)

Tumescent liposuction is a standard liposuction technique that permanently removes pockets of unwanted fat, sucking it out through a thin tube called a cannula.

This fat removal procedure can be performed on the abdomen, love handles, hips, thighs, chin, upper arms, and underarms. Like all lipo, it’s intended to remove stubborn fat deposits in healthy adults who are relatively close to their ideal weight; it’s not as a weight-loss solution. 

Good candidates are at a relatively healthy weight, with good skin elasticity so the skin can snap back into place once the excess fat is removed.

The term tumescent means “swollen and firm,” and it refers to the type of anesthetic solution used during the procedure. Tumescent fluid contains a combination of lidocaine (to prevent pain) and epinephrine (to minimize blood loss and bruising) in saline solution, explains Dr. Ricardo Rodriguez, a board-certified plastic surgeon in Lutherville, Maryland. Sometimes sodium bicarbonate, a buffering agent, is added to the wetting solution to take the sting out of the infiltration of anesthetic.

When the technique was first described by dermatologic surgeon Dr. Jeffrey A. Klein in the 1980s, it was considered revolutionary “because it allowed liposuction to be performed safely in an outpatient environment and reduced the overall cost,” says Dr. Rodriguez. “With increased availability and lowered cost, the popularity of tumescent liposuction skyrocketed.”

Prior to its advent, traditional liposuction emulsified fat with a saline-based wetting solution that lacked lidocaine and epinephrine, resulting in more blood loss, considerably more postoperative pain, and a longer recovery time. It also required general anesthesia, which costs significantly more than local.

“Given its significant advantages over traditional liposuction, the tumescent technique is currently the standard method of fat extraction,” notes Dr. Rodriguez.

Interested in tumescent liposuction?

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Pros

  • "Tumescent liposuction with a thin cannula has stood the test of time,” says Dr. Rodriguez, who points to the procedure’s long track record of safety and efficacy.
  • Dramatic results are possible with just one procedure. This makes it a far more efficient fat-reduction method than nonsurgical options, which require multiple treatments over several months.
  • Patients experience less blood loss during surgery, compared to traditional liposuction.
  • Mild to moderate postoperative pain can be managed with oral pain medication. 
  • The tumescent solution gives the surgeon the option to use local anesthesia or IV sedation (though many still opt for general anesthesia when treating large or multiple areas).
  • Tumescent liposuction scars are usually small: just two to six millimeters long.  

Cons

  • Because it requires the surgeon to manually break up the fat with the cannula, this technique can cause more trauma to the surrounding tissues than energy-assisted techniques like power-assisted lipo or VASER lipo. That can also mean more bruising, swelling, and recovery time.
  • If your skin doesn’t have enough elasticity, it may sag after the removal of the underlying fat.
  • While liposuction permanently removes fat cells, the remaining fat cells can expand if you gain a significant amount of weight later. “You may experience a compensatory increase in fat deposits in other areas of your body,” says Dr. Rodriguez.
  • Tumescent lipo doesn’t tighten skin. Good candidates have good skin elasticity, to avoid sagging skin post-procedure. 

Related: High-Tech to High-Def: How Popular Tools and Techniques Are Reshaping Liposuction

  • Average Cost:
  • $5,225
  • Range:
  • $2,200 - $12,000

The price you pay will depend on factors like the type of anesthesia you have, how many areas are treated, and their size—as well as your surgeon’s level of experience and office location. 

The total cost of tumescent liposuction includes the surgeon’s fee, facility fee, anesthesia and operating fees, the compression garment you’ll need to wear after the procedure, and follow-up visits. 

Your quoted cost may or may not include your pre-surgery and post-surgery medications. Ask for a breakdown of what’s included in the total price at your initial consultation.

Most insurance plans don’t cover tumescent liposuction or any other cosmetic surgery.

You can finance your treatment with CareCredit.

See our complete guide to liposuction costs

Interested in tumescent liposuction?

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The tumescent liposuction photos in our gallery have been shared by the provider who performed the procedure, with the patient's consent.

The first step is to book a consultation with at least one reputable, board-certified plastic surgeon. At your consultation, you will discuss your desired treatment areas, as well as other factors such as:

  • the amount of fat you want to remove
  • your medical history and any health issues
  • medications and/or supplements you are taking
  • additional lifestyle considerations

Related: 4 Factors That Make You a Poor Candidate for Liposuction

If you and your surgeon agree that you’re ideal candidate and this is the right body contouring procedure for you, follow their recommended protocol to prepare for your cosmetic surgery.

This may entail:

  • adjusting your medication and supplement regimen prior to surgery
  • not smoking in the weeks before your procedure
  • avoiding eating and drinking prior to surgery
  • wearing loose clothes to your appointment
  • asking a trusted friend or family member to take you home post-op

Tumescent liposuction typically takes 1 to 2 hours, depending on the size of the treated area, but it can range up to 4 hours for multiple, large areas of the body.

If you have local anesthesia with IV sedation, you may feel some tugging during the procedure, but it shouldn’t hurt. If you’re under general anesthesia, you’ll be completely unconscious and unable to feel anything.

During the procedure:

  • The surgeon injects a large volume of tumescent solution directly into the targeted area.
  • The solution takes about 20 minutes to take effect. “This waiting period is crucial because it maximizes vessel shrinkage, reducing blood loss and bruising,” notes Dr. Rodriguez. “It also maximizes the analgesic effect, so postoperative pain is reduced.” 
  • The surgeon makes a small incision and inserts a thin cannula, connected to a suction tube that’s attached to a vacuum-like device.
  • The surgeon repeatedly moves the cannula back and forth, breaking up the fat and suctioning it out.
  • Once your surgeon is satisfied with the volume of fat removed, they will close the incision with a few small stitches or staples—or they may even leave it open, to allow for drainage.
  • A member of the surgical team will fit you with a compression garment or bandage.
  • You’ll go home the same day, but you’ll be groggy and need someone to help you.

According to a 2008 medical review, ​the maximum amount of fat that can be safely removed via tumescent liposuction is about five liters. Patients who want to remove more than that will need to schedule a subsequent procedure.

You won’t feel any pain during the procedure itself, but tumescent liposuction recovery can come with mild to moderate pain. 

You’ll feel most pain or discomfort within the first 24 hours. Your doctor may prescribe pain medication or recommend over-the-counter options. 

By the second day, you can expect to feel tenderness or soreness around the treated area.

It’s unusual to experience severe pain after any type of liposuction surgery. If you do, consult your surgeon as soon as possible.

Many people can return to work and normal activities within 1 week after a tumescent liposuction procedure, though it depends somewhat on the extent of your procedure and how your body heals.

You can expect swelling, bruising, and soreness for a few weeks. You may also experience numbness and nerve pain as you heal.

People who have recently had this plastic surgery procedure often wonder how to reduce swelling. While postoperative swelling is normal, Dr. Miguel Delgado, a board-certified plastic surgeon in San Francisco, offers a few tips on the fastest ways to bring down swelling:

  • Be vigilant about wearing your compression garment.
  • Elevate your legs when sitting.
  • Avoid salty foods.
  • Eat a healthy diet.

According to Dr. Rodriguez, “the combination of compression pads, such as Topifoam, with the use of compression garments 24/7 will dramatically shorten the time to see significant results.”

Related: Your Liposuction Recovery Timeline: What’s Normal and What’s Not, at Every Stage

Most people will see final results at between three and six months, once most of the swelling has gone down, though some doctors say it can take up to a year.

As with any surgical procedure, tumescent liposuction carries some risks and potential side effects. Your level of risk increases if your surgeon removes a high amount of fat. 

Risks of tumescent liposuction include:

  • numbness and nerve pain as you heal
  • swelling, bruising, and soreness
  • small scars at the cannula entry points
  • sagging skin
  • lumps or contour irregularities

Your plastic surgeon should thoroughly explain all of these risks during your initial consultation.

Results from this and other types of surgical lipo are considered permanent because the fat that’s removed can’t return. 

If you gain weight, the remaining fat cells in and around the treatment area will expand. This can lead to contour irregularities and other undesirable results, so maintaining a stable weight after your procedure is key to preserving a good result.

Interested in tumescent liposuction?

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Updated September 28, 2022

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