All About Tumescent Liposuction

Liposuction is one of the most popular cosmetic procedures in the United States. It reshapes the body by removing unwanted pockets of fat. Surgeons use various methods when performing liposuction.

At Transform Bariatrics in Greenbelt and Rockville, Maryland, our skilled bariatric and general surgeon, Dr. Hitesh Amin, uses the most popular tumescent liposuction technique.

In this month’s blog, we want to tell you about tumescent liposuction and why we use it.

Liposuction basics

Liposuction is a surgical body contouring procedure that removes fat from various body parts. It’s not a weight loss surgery, but a cosmetic surgery that removes stubborn body fat that doesn’t go away with diet and exercise.

We can perform liposuction on any body part holding on to unwanted fat, including the following:

• Belly
• Waist
• Thighs
• Buttocks
• Back
• Upper arm
• Under the chin

Once the fat cells are gone, they don’t come back. However, that doesn’t allow you to eat whatever you want and never exercise again. The fat cells that remain (anywhere in the body) can get larger if you consume more calories than you burn. 

Diet and exercise still count after liposuction. 

All about tumescent liposuction

Like any other surgical procedure, liposuction is customized to meet individual needs, and surgeons use many techniques. However, tumescent liposuction is the most common.

For this procedure, we inject saline, lidocaine, and epinephrine into the area where we remove the fat. The lidocaine controls pain, and the epinephrine constricts blood vessels to reduce blood loss.

The solution also causes the area to swell and firm up, making it easier for our surgeons to remove the fat. The surgeon inserts a cannula — a thin tube attached to a vacuum — to remove the fluid and fat.

Benefits of tumescent liposuction

Pain control and less blood loss are reasons tumescent liposuction is so popular. But that’s not the only reason we use it. We also prefer this method because it causes less bruising, swelling, and pain. 

The lidocaine we inject into the fatty tissue controls pain for up to 24 hours. Any pain that remains after the lidocaine wears off is easily controlled with over-the-counter (OTC) pain medications. Wearing compression garments also helps with pain control.

Though recovery time varies, most of our patients can return to work within a couple of days and may see improvements in their shape within a week. However, it can take three to six months for all the swelling to subside and the final results to appear.

Another benefit of tumescent liposuction is that it’s safe for almost any body part.

Are you considering liposuction to improve your body’s contours? We can tell you all about tumescent liposuction. Call the office nearest you today or request an appointment online.