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

Question

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?

David Shafer, MD, FACS · Answer

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 can get creases where it gets stuck in place. Gentle stretching helps resolve these issues. It can take up to six months until the skin is back to normal.

Roberto Gonzalez, MD · Answer

it is normal to experience numbness/ pin & needle sensation after liposuction. The sensory nerves on the area treated can have inflammation and patients may refer this type of sensation.  The nerves recover but may take several months until this resolves. In occasions even after several months, some areas may have numbness or hypersensitivity.

Gary Lawton, MD, FACS · Answer

These sensations in the skin are normal after tumescent liposuction and will resolve on their own over time.  The patients usually feel better if they are wearing compression.

Richard J. Bruneteau, MD · Answer

It’s
not unusual for patients to experience tightness and abnormal sensations
following tumescent liposuction. 
These phenomena occur for a variety of reasons including direct injury
to the sensory nerves during liposuction and severe swelling in the
post-operative period.

During
this procedure, the liposuction cannula can stretch and bruise sensory nerve
fibers.  In addition severe
swelling can compress nerve fibers and worsen the problem.  This swelling not only damages nerve
fibers but causes tightness of the skin envelope as well.

When
this occurs, patients often complain of abnormal sensations known as dysesthesia.  In
many cases, patients describe burning sensations, tingling, pins and needles
and a falling asleep sensation.

This
is a transient phenomena that usually resolves when post-operative swelling
disappears and for this reason massage is helpful.  This usually occurs in 3 to 4 weeks, but may take 3 to 4
months to occur.  If you’re
concerned about abnormal sensations, it’s important to discuss this issue with
your plastic surgeon.  Your surgeon
will help you address this problem.

Vivek Bansal, MD · Answer

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.

Kenneth Bermudez, MD, FACS · Answer

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

Armando Soto, MD, FACS · Answer

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.

Joel Schlessinger, MD · Answer

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.

David Hansen, MD · Answer

You will experience a variety of sensations after liposuction for up to 4-6 months.  This is totally normal and reverts to normal feeling in almost all cases by 6 months.

Andrew Jimerson, MD · Answer

The sensations you are experiencing are quite common after liposuction. Liposuction is a pretty aggressive procedure - your surgeon repeatedly moves the cannula through the fat in the target areas to loosen and then remove it. This can injure nerves in the area. A lot of my patients experience numbness in the areas I have treated. As the injured nerves repair themselves and grow back, you will often have a pins and needles feeling. I expect this to get better with time.

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

Answers (17)

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