Can liposuction of small areas be done in-office under a local anesthetic? (23 yo)

Question

I had a brachioplasty and have remaining fat in my forearms that I want to get rid of to improve contour and the proportion between my upper and lower arms. I've been told during in person evaluations that I have the necessary skin elasticity for the procedure, but have gotten different answers about whether it can be done w/ only local anesthesia. I understand that forearm lipo is uncommon and has some risks, but my question is really about the safety/ practicality of in-office lipo. Thank you.

John L. Burns Jr., MD · Answer

Small areas or touch up procedures can be done in an office setting using local anesthetic tumescent technique.

Kenneth Hughes, MD · Answer

Limited liposuction can be done under local anesthesia.   You do not want to be in pain during the procedure so that the surgeon must stop the procedure or do less than what is necessary.   For this reason, general is a better option for my patients.   I do not use local exclusively unless a small area of liposuction is planned.Kenneth Hughes, MD, Board Certified Plastic SurgeonLos Angeles, CA

Daniel Barrett, MD · Answer

Dear 0username0,a contour irregularity after liposuction happens often when areas that undergo liposuction are not feathered appropriately. The good news is that it can be fixed and I have done so with good results before. The revision can often be done under local as well.Daniel Barrett, MD, MHA, MS 
Certified, American Board of Plastic Surgery  
Member, Am. Society of Plastic Surgery

S. Alexander Earle, MD, FACS · Answer

Yes, it is safe to perform liposuction of small, targeted areas under local anesthetic.  For larger areas, then I recommend general anesthesia to reduce the burden of lidocaine needed for the procedure.

Johnson C. Lee, MD · Answer

Liposuction can be safely performed under local anesthetic in many patients. It may take more time with local anesthetic to perform the procedure since the goal is to make sure the patient is comfortable throughout the procedure. Aggressive maneuevers or proceeding to quickly without allowing enough time to numb can interfere with the surgery and increase pain or allow for suboptimal results. It is most important to be evaluated by a surgeon who performs local anesthetic liposuction to determine that you are a healthy candidate for the procedure for safe and effective results. Johnson C. Lee, MD Plastic Surgery@Drjohnsonlee

David A. Sieber, MD, FACS · Answer

Thanks for the great question! For small volume, well localized areas, liposuction can be safely performed in the office under local anesthesia. There are doctors who do not have surgical training that perform large volume liposuction in the office. I do not recommend this. Removing the fat you don't like should be possible and safe in the right hands. I hope this helps and best of luck!~Dr. Sieber

Ben Brown, MD (license emergency restriction) · Answer

Liposuction in office can be done with local anesthesia (numbing up the area to be liposuctioned) without putting you to sleep. The amount of local anesthetic that can be used however is limited, and this depends on your weight, therefore if you have a very large area that needs treatment, then this may not be possible to be done in an office setting. Having a consultation with a board certified Plastic surgeon will tell you if you are a suitable candidate for in office liposuction of your forearms.

Robin Evans, MD, FRCSC · Answer

Hi 0username0,Yes, liposuction can be safely performed in the office for small volume areas.  It is best for very clear, well defined areas.  Forearm liposuction is uncommon but if there is a clear area it could be possible. The most important factor for in-office lipo is having small, achievable goals.Hope this helps!

Brian Kiesnowski, MD, MPH · Answer

In short, most liposuction procedures can be performed under local anaesthetic. I personally perform all of my liposuction procedures with a tumescent solution and heavy oral sedation. I have found that my results are better when I can have the patient roll from side to side and move freely. Most patients report minimal discomfort and oftentimes will not even remember any surgical discomfort when they come in for their post-operative appointment.  Oral sedation is usually all that is necessary. I do not use IV sedation for any of my liposuction cases. I hope this information helps and good luck.

Mats Hagstrom, MD (license on probation) · Answer

The answer to your question is yes.
Even major liposuction cases can be done without General Anastasia is the local Anastasia with or without mild sedation.
Small limited areas can easily be treated with no sedation at all simply relying on a local Anastasia.
Some plastic surgeons continue to use general anesthesia for even moderate size liposuction procedures.
From what you describe I think the great majority of plastic surgeons would do this in the office with local anesthesia only.
Best,
Mats Hagstrom, MD

Can liposuction of small areas be done in-office under a local anesthetic? (23 yo)

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