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Painful Tumescent Liposuction Procedure - Is This Normal?

asked 1 year ago by Curty342 in Cedar Park, TX
Latest answer by Vivek Bansal, MD
Question viewed 501 times
Tags: normal, pain

I had a lipo procedure done 2 days ago. It was tumescent/smartlipo/PAS. I was very nervous before the procedure but kept telling myself, the dread of something is always worse than going through....WELL, it wasn't. The first stage of him putting in the tumescent fluid was excruciatingly painful, I felt like I was on that table of torture and awake for every gory detail of it. He seemed to be very aggressive during this part. Is this normal to feel this kind of pain?

12 answers to Painful Tumescent Liposuction Procedure - Is This Normal?

Local Anesthesia For Liposuction Is Not For Everyone

While many surgeons tout the advantages and ease of liposuction under local anesthesia, it is not for everyone. Your experience is not a rare one. This is why I prefer my patients to have general anesthesia or some form of sedation for most liposuction procedures. This is particularly important in a patient who has any form of anxiety about undering this type of operation.

Barry L. Eppley, MD, DMD
Indianapolis Plastic Surgeon

Pain with tumescent liposuction is real (when you're awake).

Tumescent anesthesia was developed by a Dermatologist in order to allow liposuction without the need for general anesthesia. It is touted as being "better" because it avoids the (minimal) risk of general anesthesia, but what it really avoids for many non-surgeons who want to do cosmetic surgery was the need for surgical privileges at a hospital. Tumescent liposuction was and is a huge advance in improving results for liposuction patients, even if developed and popularized by a... more

Richard H. Tholen, MD, FACS
Minneapolis Plastic Surgeon

Tumescent Lipo

The infiltration of fluid is not usually painful, but can on occasion cause a little pressured feeling. There may be a feeling of stretching or fullness, but that should resolve quickly. Thank you for your question and good luck with everything.

Vivek Bansal, MD
Danville Plastic Surgeon

Tumescent liposuction does not have to be painful

Some surgeons believe that liposuction can be performed with local alone, and in some cases it can be, though this is not the approach for everybody. The trend today has been toward sedation, and even general anesthesia for some to make the whole liposuction experience a good one. Best of luck, peterejohnsonmd

Peter E. Johnson, MD
Chicago Plastic Surgeon

Proper meds for tumescent liposuction

Here is my recipe that has changed very little and been very successful for over ten years: Lorazepam 1 mg the night before (keeps one from tossing and turning all night thinking about the next day's procedure. Celebrex 400 mg one hour before the procedure. Lorazepam 1-2 mg one hour before the procedure. We start the procedure with a warmed bed, relaxing music, and whatever else might be calming to that person. If there is anything more than minimal... more

T. Wayne Day, MD
Nashville Dermatologic Surgeon

Tumescent liposuction

Most painful part of liposuction is initial injection at the site of incision and initial part of infiltration particularly in the superficial plane. I prefer to go very slowly using very fine needle to minimize the pain. Starting with deep infiltration first, ensures good anaesthesia for superficial infiltration. Adding sodium bicarbonate to the solution reduces pain of the anaesthetic. Bottom line is surgeon needs to be very gentle and patient to minimize the discomfort. more

Sanjay Parashar, MD
Dubai Plastic Surgeon

Painful Tumescent Liposuction Procedure

There is pain associated with liposuction. I usually perform liposuction under general anesthesia or under local with IV sedation, so I will be able to take out as much fat as I can while making it a comfortable experience for the patient.

Kenneth Bermudez, MD
San Francisco Plastic Surgeon

Anesthesia and liposuction

Liposuction can be very painful; unfortunately, this is not advertised. Some sort of medication must be given for it to be tolerated in most patients. Oral valium and narcotics will work or IV sedation or general anesthesia.

Samer W. Cabbabe, MD
Saint Louis Plastic Surgeon

Lipsuction and pain

Your experience sounds like you had liposuction under local anesthesia only. This is one reason why I use sedation being performed by a board certified anesthesiologist. I want my patients as comfortable as possible. Then I can do my best work knowing that my patient is comfortable.

Steven Wallach, MD
Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

Liposcution is usually done under general anesthesia

Liposuction under local anesthesia is not for everyone. Some patients are able to relax and get thru it while others are much better under general anesthesia. The tumescent solution does have some of the numbing medication in it, but it is still uncomfortable for most unless asleep.

Otto Joseph Placik, MD
Chicago Plastic Surgeon

Liposuction Pain

Yes that is expected . That is why I do almost all liposuction under general anesthesia od local WITH SEDATION.Much more comfortable for the patient. There is more pain in areas where the fat is more fibrous, or there is scaring.

Samir Shureih, MD
Baltimore Plastic Surgeon

Local anesthesia during liposuction

There are many variables that might explain why some patients feel more pain than others during the anesthetic delivery prior to liposuction. If an area is being redone, if there was prior surgery there or trauma, then scar tissue has been built up and that is more painful to numb. If the anesthetic fluid is not buffered, the pH may be such that it can burn a little more. The local anesthetic is delivered by me very, very slowly which helps minimize the pain. Some medication can be given... more