So I hear that liposuction under general anesthesia is unsafe, is this true?

Liposuction under general anesthesia is not unsafe. However
it is unnecessarily invasive and makes for an awkward case. I have performed
thousands of liposuction cases under moderate sedation IV anesthesia and the
local anesthetic of the tumescent solution. This allows patients to be able to
help position themselves on the table during the case and yet have no pain or
memory of the case. General anesthesia involves a breathing tube and the need
for people to lift the patient like dead weight.
 

 

The biggest risk with many cosmetic procedures is often the general anesthesia. Eliminating that eliminates a big risk. General anesthesia can still be safe but why risk it? Everyone knows the future of liposuction has been to go to the tumescent local, not only for safety reasons but also for better results since the patients are awake, comfortable and able to stand and turn in all positions so the doc can fine tune the areas for best results. Recovery is faster often as well. It only makes sense to avoid general anesthesia if at all possible. Many docs who do the old method of lipo under general anesthesia with the larger more brutal canulas (which we all did 30 yrs ago) have not updated their training nor probably quality of lipo results. To be fair, you still can get a decent result and have it done safely under general anesthesia by well trained docs who really specialize in lipo and who have credentials and experience  which are more than just saying they are board certified.

All surgical procedures carry risk. Liposuction, performed by a board certified plastic surgeon in an accredited facility carries a very low risk in a patient who is a good candidate for surgery. I personally had liposuction under a general anesthetic in our accredited surgery center and I am very glad that had the procedure.