Is Tightening, Pins and Needles" Normal After Tumescent Liposuction?

It is fairly common to have such feelings upto 2-3 months post lipo. Massaging the place often reduces the hypersensitivity.

It is normal to experience tightening and “pins and needles” after liposuction. This is the result that your nerves are coming back to normal and this can even last up to 6 months.  

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

There is micro damage to the nerves and this is part of the healing process. In 6-8 weeks, this should begin resolving. However, this may last for a full 12 months. Thank you for your question and good luck with everything.

Thank you for the question. Yes it is quite common to feel “pins and needles” on the air that was treated with liposuction for a few months after the procedure. Best wishes.

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

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.

This type of sensation is common after any type of liposuction. If the sensation is bothersome and massage and rubbing the area does not help, ask your surgeon if it is OK to apply a topical analgesic cream (such as Capsasin).

During your liposuction surgery, it is possible that some sensory nerves under your skin may have been stretched. As they begin to heal, you will experience this sensation. Continue to wear your garment as this will help the swelling go down and make you more comfortable.

I agree with the other doctors that this is a normal part of the healing process. Both the tightness and the pins and needles will gradually improve but it may take a few months for complete resolution. Hope this helps.

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.

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.