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.
Pros
Cons
Related: High-Tech to High-Def: How Popular Tools and Techniques Are Reshaping Liposuction
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.
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:
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:
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:
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:
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:
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.
Updated September 28, 2022