82%
62 reviews
Worth It Rating
Our index shows the percentage of community members saying this was "Worth it". See cosmetic treatment rankings
Is Tightening, Pins and Needles" Normal After Tumescent Liposuction?
Is it normal to experience tightening and the "pins and needles" feeling on the area that was treated with Tumescent Liposuction, even after 4 weeks after surgery?
Asked 40 months ago by
dolores in SF, CA USA
+1
+2
+2
+2
Temporary altered skin sensation after liposuction is normal
During liposuction, the tumescent and liposuction action stretches the tiny sensory nerves attached to the skin. Over several weeks and sometimes months, these nerves are healing and cause sensations of itching, tingling and sometimes mild burning. This all resolves as the tissues heal. Also after liposuction, you can get a tight sensation as the skin is contracting. I find it helpful to have patients stretch to keep the skin pliable. If you sit in the same position all day, the skin...
more
+1
+1
+1
Sensory changes after liposuction
Liposuction is a wonderful technique which removes subcutaneous fat while leaving the surrounding tissue undamaged. Occasionally, the sensory nerves will become bruised and not function properly post operative, this is referred to as a neuropraxic injury. The nerves will regenerate, but it may take 9-12 months, nerves grow very slowly.
Think of nerves like the electric cords of our bodies. The surgery has cause a short circuit of the those electric cords. While...
more
+1
Temporary Numbness and Abnormal Sensations Of The Skin Are Common After Liposuction
These are perfectly normal and expected sensations in the skin over areas that were treated by liposuction. This is due to disruption of the many tiny nerve ends that go into the skin. As the skin nerves recover, they produce abdnormal sensations as part of their healing process of which itching, burning and pin and needles feelings are quite common. They will go away and the feeling in the skin will return to normal within 3 to 6 months after surgery.
+1
+1
Pins and needles can be a normal sensation after lipo
+1
+1
Very Common
Hi there-
What you are feeling is very common, and in fact I tell my patients to expect some degree of numbness and tingling for a few months after surgery, as swelling completely subsides and the skin contracts.
Once your recovery is complete, you should no longer have trouble with this, but if you do, I would visit your surgeon.
+1
Pins and needles are OK as long as they gradually improve
Pins and needles happen while the nerves grow back after surgery. This is something that is important to watch for, however, if it continues or is accompanied by excessive swelling or lumps. These can be from other conditions that aren't expected and may need to be treated.
It should resolve over the first few months after a surgery such as this. If it doesn't, you should call your surgeon.