Tickle Lipo: What You Need to Know
Pros & cons
How much it costs
What to expect
For skin tightening
Side effects to consider
Fast facts
Tickle Lipo, also known as Nutational Infrasonic Liposculpture (NIL), is an FDA-approved fat removal procedure that can sculpt the body more comfortably, safely, and effectively than traditional liposuction.Â
This body sculpting method is unique in that it vibrates and rotates at 10 Hz, to block pain as it loosens and suctions out fat. The nutational movement of the vibrating cannula, along with the insertion of air, creates a sensation that essentially tricks nerves in the surrounding tissue from signaling pain while unwanted fat is removed and liquified. Acoustic waves from the vibration break up fat, while leaving the connective tissue completely intact.
Tickle Liposuction gets its name from the tickling sensation that patients often feel during the procedure (some even giggle). The smaller size of the cannula also makes Tickle Lipo less painful than conventional lipo, which means that the patient can be awake. The treatment area is numbed with local anesthesia (rather than the general anesthesia that's sometimes used with tumescent liposuction).
The procedure can be performed on many parts of the body. It's commonly done on the inner and outer thighs, back, abdomen, love handles, hips, saddlebags, and buttocks.Â
Different sizes of cannulas (including very slim versions) make Tickle Lipo an especially good option for areas where conventional liposuction is difficult or impossible, like under the chin.
Pros
- While it's still technically surgery, Tickle Lipo has a small, vibrating cannula that make it a minimally invasive procedure.Â
- One of the biggest advantages of Tickle Lipo is that it does not require general anesthesia, which reduces your cost and risk.Â
- It extracts fat cells without damaging them, making the fat viable for fat transfer breast augmentation or a Brazilian butt lift.Â
- Because it doesn't damage the surrounding tissue, there's less bruising and swelling than with conventional lipo. This means less discomfort and a shorter recovery time.Â
- Results are permanent, as long as you maintain a healthy weight.Â
- Incisions are very tiny, so scarring is minimal.
Cons
- As with any liposuction procedure, Tickle Lipo results aren't always perfect. Some patients have contour irregularities that require another procedure to correct.
- While Tickle Lipo permanently removes fat cells, you'll need to maintain a healthy weight to prevent the remaining fat cells from expanding.
- Average Cost:
- $3,550
- Range:
- $3,450 - $6,000
Your cost will depend on your provider’s experience level and practice location, as well as how many areas you have treated.
You can finance your treatment with CareCredit.
The Tickle Lipo photos in our gallery have been shared by the provider who performed the procedure, with the patient's consent.
The average Tickle Lipo procedure takes just one to two hours. During treatment, your provider will numb the area with local anesthetic before making a tiny incision. They will then insert a thin tube called a cannula into the incision. The Tickle Lipo cannula vibrates to loosen fat and and then suctions it out.
Recovery time is minimal. Since the surgery doesn’t use general anesthesia, you can leave immediately after treatment. You will have to wear a compression garment for one to four weeks, but you can resume most normal activities within a few days.
RealSelf Tip: Because Tickle Lipo selectively targets only the fat tissue and causes less trauma to these cells, the extracted fat can be used in fat transfer surgeries, such as Brazilian butt lifts and hip augmentation fat transfers.
As with most forms of liposuction, tightening loose skin is not the primary purpose of Tickle Lipo.Â
If you don't have good skin elasticity and are concerned that you may experience laxity after the fat is removed, talk with your plastic surgeon about pairing (or following) this treatment with a skin tightening procedure like BodyTite or Renuvion.
While Tickle Lipo is somewhat safer and more comfortable for patients than tumescent liposuction, it’s not without risks and side effects, as with any type of plastic surgery.Â
Possible side effects include bruising, swelling, and soreness in the days and weeks after treatment. The worst of the swelling should subside within a few days to a week (depending on the size of the treated area), but you may have some residual swelling for several months.Â
In rare cases, Tickle Lipo has resulted in blood clots and infection.
It's also possible to experience uneven fat distribution, which would require a revision procedure to correct. Talk with your surgeon in advance to learn whether you'd have to cover the entire cost of a revision procedure.
Updated July 21, 2023