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How Much Downtime Does Liposuction Require?

Liposuction can be a powerful tool to help remove unwanted fat that is resistant to diet and exercise.

Tumescent Liposuction under Local Anesthesia

Until the late 1980’s, when Dr. Jeffrey Klein introduced tumescent liposuction under local anesthesia, all liposuction procedures were performed either in a hospital or surgery center under general anesthesia, often involving great blood loss, bruising, significant post-operative pain, and weeks of downtime.  Although many plastic surgeons still perform hospital or surgery center-based liposuction under general anesthesia, many cosmetic surgeons now perform tumescent liposuction right in the comfort and convenience of their cosmetic medical practice.  Performing liposuction with local anesthesia, versus general anesthesia, offers liposuction patients many distinct advantages, including less pain, downtime, and scarring than ever before, not to mention the absence of the risks of general anesthesia.  And because in-office tumescent liposuction does not involve significant hospital or surgery center costs, the price point is now more accessible to anyone interested in removing unwanted fat in areas such as the stomach, flanks, hips, thighs, arms (“bat wings”), chin, and more.

Before & After Photo Gallery

*Individual Results May Vary

Real Patients. Real Results. View before & after images of vein and cosmetic procedures in our photo gallery.

Downtime Associated with Tumescent Liposuction

As mentioned above, liposuction performed in the office by a  cosmetic surgeon using local anesthesia offers tremendous benefits,  particularly less downtime, which is one of the primary concerns of many liposuction patients.  Patients having awake, tumescent anesthetic, where the area being treated is infiltrated with a large amount of numbing fluid, are pleasantly surprised to hear how quickly they may bounce back and resume normal day-to-day activities.  At Premier Vein & Body, we tell our patients that they can resume their normal routine, including exercise, as soon as they feel up to it, often within just a few days. They are only limited by their motivation and their level of pain tolerance.,  Of course,  recovery will obviously depend on the volume of liposuction performed,  , how many areas were treated and each patient’s general health,  but with the proper post-operative medication and the right fitting compression garment, one can quickly be on the road to recovery. Many patients will have their procedure on a Thursday or Friday and are able to return to work without difficulty on Monday.  For those people whose jobs are sedentary, or do not require any physical activity or exertion, they can sometimes return to work by the next day. Following the procedure, you may have drainage of the anesthetic solution, but for most patients, this stops in 24 hours, or perhaps over a few days. Bruising and swelling are common, but generally, slowly resolve over days to a couple of weeks. The level of post-procedure discomfort is highly variable, but generally slowly diminishes over several weeks.  Remember that each person heals differently, but it is worth it in the end!!!  While patients will see improvement in the treated areas early on (once the initial swelling fades), it is important to keep in mind that the area will continue to contract over time, so that final results will not be visible until about six months post-procedure.

In-Office Liposuction in Kansas City

Although Dr. Craig Schwartz offers Pro Lipo™ Laser Lipo, which uses laser energy to melt fat, and VaserLipo®, which uses ultrasonic energy to break up fat, his preferred method of tumescent liposuction is Tickle Lipo (also known as Lipomatic® or Nutational Infrasonic Lipoplasty), which uses a gentle, high-speed vibration-assisted energy to break down fat while keeping the connective tissue intact.  The liquefied fat is then gently suctioned from the body.  As this form of liposuction does not use any type of heat component as its energy source, there is no chance of skin burn or injury, as there can be with laser and ultrasound technology. And because this procedure assists in the stimulation of collagen in the treated area for up to six months post-treatment, excessive skin folds with large volumes of fat excavated often tighten up during this period. With TickleLipo, candidates that previously did not qualify for outpatient liposuction procedures (typically those not within 30 pounds of their ideal body weight) can now have larger volumes of fat removed without the trauma and high costs associated with a hospital or surgery center-based liposuction under general anesthesia.

Consultations Available Now

To learn more, schedule your consultation with Dr. Schwartz by filling out the form on this page or by calling his practice at 913-451-8346. Premier Vein & Body by Schwartz serves patients throughout the Kansas City metro.

As Dr. Schwartz was one of the first Kansas City area surgeons to train in tumescent liposuction with Dr. Jeffrey Klein, liposuction patients can feel confident knowing they are in the hands of one of Kansas City’s most experienced surgeons. And because we offer the greatest variety of in-office tumescent liposuction technologies, patients can expect to be matched with the liposuction procedure that is ideal for their body contouring and fat reduction goals.

Testimonials

*Individual Results May Vary

5/5

Read from real patients about their experiences with Dr. Schwartz and his team at Premier Vein & Body by Schwartz.

Premier Vein & Body by Schwartz provides liposuction consultations and guides each prospective liposuction candidate through their fat reduction and body contouring choices.  Please complete a form on our page to request your liposuction consultation or call the practice at (913) 451-8346

*This blog provides general information and discussion about medicine, health and related subjects.  The words and other content provided in this blog, and in any linked materials, are not intended and should not be construed as medical advice. If the reader or any other person has a medical concern, he or she should consult with an appropriately-licensed physician.

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