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Is It Normal to Feel a Pinching Sensation After Tummy Tuck and Liposuction?

asked 3 years ago by Miesha923 in New York, NY
Latest answer by Vincent N. Zubowicz, MD
Question viewed 4,581 times
Tags: 2 months post-op, normal, pain, pinched

I had a Tummy Tuck with Liposuction two months ago and I am now feeling a pinching sensation only on my left side. It feels like a needle being stuck on me, and it happens every so often, especially when I'm outside. My surgeon said it might be the veins reattaching themselves, but it scares me that it's only on my left side. Is this normal? What could be causing it?

14 answers to Is It Normal to Feel a Pinching Sensation After Tummy Tuck and Liposuction?

It is normal to get this feeling after Tummy Tuck and Liposuction

as the feeling over the abdomen starts to return after tummy tuck, all patients start to experience the sensation of pin prickes, or jabbing, or twitches. this is a very normal and expected feeling which will gradually go away over the next six months. Massaging these areas and keeping them moisterized, helps to make it feel better and less sensitive. yours, Sean Younai, MD, www.beautifulself.com

S. Sean Younai, MD
Beverly Hills Plastic Surgeon

www.beautifulself.com

Pinching is part of the result!

A pinching sensation may be the senastion you get when an admirer pinches your new found great body! But on a more serious note, a tummy tuck involves tightening the muscle of the abdomen. The pull necessary to accomplish this tightening is performed with sutures (stitches) that are placed in the muscle. This can give you the senastion of pinching or burning, especially if you turn or twist in an unnatural way.The sensation itself does not cause any harm, but will make you aware that you may... more

Robert M. Freund, MD
New York Plastic Surgeon

Yes that is normal

There are going to be many new sensations you will experience after tummy tuck/liposuction procedure. Pinching is one of them, itching, numbness, and tingling; you may also experience random sharp “electric shocks” probably also classified as pinching. Thankfully this is temporary and everything will eventually subside. The most important thing is to follow your doctor’s postoperative instructions and be a little patient.

Gregory Turowski, MD, PhD
Chicago Plastic Surgeon

Post operative pain and discomfort should get better with time!

Tummy tuck (abdominoplasty) and liposuction are both invasive procedures. Nerves have been either been cut, bruised, and/or stretched during the procedure. It is not uncommon for one side to be more symptomatic than the other side. It is to be expected that one may feel intermittent twinges, shooting pains, and/or burning sensations. Usually maneuvers to DESENSITIZE the area, starting with intermittent light massage several times per day are helpful. Post operative pain and discomfort... more

Stephen A. Goldstein, MD
Englewood Plastic Surgeon

By now it's probably gone

Strange sensations or parasthesias, as they are known, are not uncommon after tummy tucks and/or liposuction. They also commonly occur more strongly on, or are isolated to one side or the other. These sensations are usually short lived and normalize by about six months or so. Hang in there, be patient and trust in your board certified plastic surgeon.

Kenneth R. Francis, MD
Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

Don't Get On My Nerves

Following an Abdominoplasty and/or Liposuction, it is not unusual to go through a period of absent or abnormal sensation for several weeks to months. In the case of a Tummy Tuck, this diminished sensation is due to stretching or cutting of the nerves as well as post-operative swelling, whereas in the case of Liposuction, it is most likely due to partial tearing of the nerves, or inflammation in the suctioned fatty tissues surrounding the nerves. As the swelling and post-surgical... more

Athleo Louis Cambre, MD
Los Angeles Plastic Surgeon

Give it some time and it should improve

Miesha, I think your surgeon may have meant to say the nerves re-attaching themselves. During abdominoplasty (tummy tuck) and liposuction, the tissue planes are dissected and divided. Often there are small sensory nerves crossing through these areas, which need to be divided as part of the surgery. Over the next few months as the tissue is healing the little nerve endings find there way back in place. Other, less likely alternatives include a seroma (fluid collection) irritating the nerves... more

David Shafer, MD
New York Plastic Surgeon

www.ShaferPlasticSurgery.com

Strange sensations after surgery (abdominoplasty) are common.

After any operation, as sensibility returns to the affected area, strange sensations may occur. It might be pain, itching, tightening, etc. Over time, these decrease in frequency, intensity, and duration. Keep you scheduled appointments with you surgeon so he can monitor your progress, but what you are experiencing is quite common.

Vincent N. Zubowicz, MD
Atlanta Plastic Surgeon

Normal sensations after tummy tuck

After a tummy tuck, it is normal to experience a wide variety of sensations. Many patients say that they have numbness in the lower and central portion of their abdomen. After a period of time, they describe tingling sensations in this same area of the skin. This is the nerves healing and your sensation returning. If you have a pinching sensation deep into the skin, this may be your muscle layer. Inform your surgeon of these concerns as they will likely want to examine you to make sure... more

B. Pat Pazmino, MD
Miami Plastic Surgeon

www.miamiaesthetic.com

Tummy Tuck healing

During the few months of healing after a tummy tuck, it is not unusual to feel a burning, pinching, or shooting pain every once in a while. This is normal and will disappear in a year.

Samir Shureih, MD
Baltimore Plastic Surgeon

Recovery from Tummy Tuck and Abdominoplasty

The postoperative recovery for abdominoplasty procedures occurs immediately after surgery. As the nerves begin to reinnervate their respective areas on the abdominal wall, patients may begin to experience sensations that may be painful at first but may then subside with time. At all times, keep a close dialogue with your surgeon.

Raffy Karamanoukian, MD
Los Angeles Plastic Surgeon

Pinching sensation after Abdominoplasty

There are all excellent answers below which explain the most likely causes of pain. Only after exhausting the preceding recommendations would I suggest the following: I have observed that: Early keloid (raised) scars can cause a needle like sensation. So be on the lookout. This can be managed with steroid injections. There are two other comments I would like to make that are based on personal experience. I used to use permanent sutures in the deep layer to minimize spreading of the scar... more

Otto Joseph Placik, MD
Chicago Plastic Surgeon

Not uncommon

Stranger sensations are not uncommon after recent plastic surgery. This can happen for several months after surgery. This is often due to the nerves "reawakening" in the area of surgery.

Steven Wallach, MD
Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

Pinching type of pain following an abdominoplasty is within normal limits

Following surgery the tissue(skin and fat layers) become thick and boggy. There are may sensory nerves that travel in this layer. Think of these nerves being encased in concrete. You move in a certain direction and the nerve gets dinged. This usually causes a sharp stabbing type pain. It is perfectly normal and will go away with time. Light massage in this area may help.