Is the drainage tube for abdominal lipo very painful?

Thank you for your question! For my patients, their drains typically stay in for about 2 weeks post op. They should not be painful, as most post surgical areas are usually numb immediately post surgery. I recommend discussing specific post op instructions with your plastic surgeon. Best of luck!

Great question!  Most surgeons, including myself, do not use drains with liposuction.  If you do have drains then you would need to measure the amount on a daily basis, usually if its less than 20-30cc's then it can be removed.  This may take about a week.Best of luck and hope this information helps!
- Dr. Roger Tsai 
Board Certified Plastic Surgeon

I personally do not use drains for liposuction, but every surgeon has different protocols. So best to ask your PS.Kenneth Hughes, MD, ABPS Board Certified Plastic SurgeonLos Angeles, CA

Typically drainage tubes are not used with liposuction alone.  If drains are used they will be removed once the drainage collected daily is minimal.  I encourage you to discuss the details with your surgeon.

Thank you for your question. I do not typically use a drain for liposuction alone, however if a tummy tuck is performed in addition to the liposuction where a lot of dissection is performed I will place a drain to reduce the risk of a seroma. Most patients do not complain about discomfort of the actual drain but there can be some tenderness near the drain hole. The amount of time a drain is placed, all depends on how much drainage output you're experiencing. If the numbers are high, its better to leave the drain in to reduce a risk of a seroma. If the drain output is low, there is no harm in removing it. I would recommend asking these same questions to your Board Certified Plastic Surgeon as every surgeon has different post-op protocol. Good luck and best wishes!

Most surgeons do not use drains for liposuction. However, if a drain is used, it stays in until the drainage is fairly small. It usually is not too uncomfortable, but you don't want to pull on the tube.

Not "very" painful. But yes it is some uncomfortable. Most patients feel relieve one it is removed, but it is not something that hurts  

Hello and thank you for your excellent question. I do not use a drain in my practice, as in my professional opinion it is completely unnecessary. We perform literally hundreds of cases a year, and in the last 12 months have not had even one seroma that has required drainage. You may want to look into a minimally invasive, quick recovery body contouring procedure. We use a combination of non-surgical, minimally invasive techniques including liposuction, laser, radiofrequency (RF), and acoustic therapy to produce the best balance of fat reduction, skin tightening and smoothing for your body type and anatomy. In many patients, we also use Emsculpt to help each patient reach his or her desired result. These procedures are typically performed in the office, with only local anesthesia. Patients literally “walk in”, and “walk out” after the procedure, do not need narcotics for pain control, and can return to light exercise and work one to two days after their procedure. In my practice, we select the appropriate treatment for each patient based on their skin quality, amount of fat and surgical goals. It is best to answer your question during a face-to-face evaluation, when you can discuss your goals and expectations for the procedure, and you can have a physical examination to evaluate you. Preoperative visualization with Crisalix can simulate what your body will look like, and can help you make your decision. I recommend that you find a board-certified, or board-eligible plastic surgeon with whom you are comfortable. Be sure to have all of your questions answered during a face-to-face meeting with your surgeon, and review before and after pictures of similar patients whom have had this procedure. Good luck!

Hi and welcome to our forum!
Some surgeons will place a drain after their liposuction procedures to prevent hematoma / seroma. Although uncomfortable if the entry point is disturbed, it is usually not painful. In our practice, if a drain is utilized, we maintain it until there is less than 30 cc / day output. 
Follow the instructions of your plastic surgeon.
Best wishes...