Does liposuction affect a current tattoo you already have? If so, what can happen?

Liposuction doesnt affect tattoos and should be done by someone who is an expert. I suggest seeing somoene who is a specialist to ensure the best outcomes.  Dr. Emer.

Liposuction should not change your tattoos. The goal with liposuction is to remove fat without changing the nature of the skin. If your skin is tight, and you have disproportionate areas of fat, Liposuction may be a good choice. Loose skin, on the other hand, may require additional or alternative procedures. More information is available on my web site at drmele.com.

skippy91.    In the proper hands, Liposuction should have no effect on tattoos present on your body. Contour irregularities need to be avoided by using appropriately sized cannulas and a solid technique. Be certain to consult with a board-certified plastic surgeon. Good luck.

Dear skippy91,if performed correctly, liposuction should not cause any major change in the way your tattoo looks. While there is always a chance for contour irregularities with liposuction, someone who takes their time and uses the appropriate sized cannulas should give you a superb result.I have all my patients wear compression garments and I use multiple sized cannulas to feather out the result.Daniel Barrett, MD
Certified, American Board of Plastic Surgery
Member, American Society of Plastic Surgery
Member, American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery

Liposuction generally shouldn’t affect an existing tattoo, as it targets fat beneath the skin, not the skin itself. However, changes in body shape or skin elasticity could potentially alter the appearance of a tattoo, but this varies among individuals. It’s advisable to consult with your surgeon for recommendations based on your specific situation.

Liposuction causes different degrees of skin retraction (or skin tightening) in patients, and so it is possible that you may notice some shrinkage of a tattoo following the procedure. This would depend on where the tattoo is located and also heavily on the individual as skin tightening is difficult to predict preoperatively.

I think the changes on any tattoos after Liposuction are very minimal but of course the contour will change underneath but I’ve never had a patient complain that her tattoos have been disturbed by liposuction. Now tummy tuck—that is a different matter!

Liposuctions can slightly affect the appearance of tattoos in areas that are undergoing liposuction. This usually happens since the fat that was stretching the overlying skin was removed and the skin shrinks and tightens in response. For the majority of patients, the tattoos look unchanged and simply more proportional to your new curves and body. For more intricate designs or large volume changes, the distortion may be more dramatic. Hope this helps!Johnson C. Lee, MD Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon@drjohnsonlee

Liposuction should not directly affect a tattoo that you have as it involves removal of fat deep to the skin. If the fat removal deep to the tattoo is substantial or asymmetrical, there can be some indirect changes in the size or proportions of the tattoo though I would not imagine them to be substantial most of the time.Steven Turkeltaub, MD

Liposuction should really have no effect on the tattoo. If it does significantly change the size of the space and the skin contracts the tattoo may actually contract a little but that should only concentrate the pigment and make it more visible. That is really just a guess. I don’t think you’ll see much change at all. Best of luck! Dr. Boschert