Tumescent Lipo
Tumescent liposuction can safely remove fat from almost all parts of the body, including the face, neck, chin, breast, stomach, hips, flanks, back, inner and outer thighs, buttocks, knees, calves, and ankles. It is also the method of choice for various other fat removal needs such as or benign fatty tumors.
Tumescent Liposuction works well for patients who want fat removed from specific parts of the body that they find troublesome in appearance.
What to Expect at Your Consultation
At El Paso Cosmetic Surgery board certified plastic surgeon Ozan Sozer, M.D. will meet with you to discuss your goals for fat removal. The consultation will include a discussion about your medical history and an examination of your skin and the areas you would like contoured. Photographs will be taken for before and after the procedure.
The Tumescent Liposuction Difference
- With the Tumescent Liposuction method, a solution containing a local anesthetic and drug called epinephrine will be injected into the targeted areas of excessive fatty deposits. The solution fills the fatty layer of the skin and causes it to swell and become firmer, allowing Dr. Ozan Sozer to have better control when contouring the area. The solution also causes the blood vessels to temporarily shrink, greatly reducing blood loss during the procedure, and reduces bruising, swelling and pain after the procedure.
- After the solution is injected, a small incision is made in the skin. A microcannula, a small, skinny tube that is connected to a vacuum-like machine — is inserted into the fatty layer. Using back and forth movements, the fat is sucked through the tube into a sterile collection system. This type of tube allows for a smoother, more gradual and controlled removal of fat. An elastic compression garment is then worn to help the skin contract and heal.
- The local anesthetic injected into the fatty tissue lasts for about 24 hours following surgery. This greatly minimizes post-operative pain. Once this wears off, most patients experience some discomfort that is usually managed with over-the-counter pain relievers.
- Most patients are alert and able to function without nausea or grogginess. Walking is encouraged immediately after the procedure to enhance healing. You may resume exercise three to seven days after the procedure. If your job does not involve heavy physical labor, you can usually return to work within a few days.
- Most of the swelling goes down in a few days. Although you will see improvement within one to two weeks, it takes at least three to four months, and in some cases as long as six months, to see the treatment’s full benefit.
- Like all surgery, Tumescent Liposuction carries both benefits and risks. Complications are rare and typically minor. The most common include skin irregularity, lumpiness, dimpling, loose skin, numbness, infections, and scarring. If these do occur, in most cases they can be easily corrected. You can rest assured when your procedure is performed by Dr. Sozer at El Paso Cosmetic Surgery.
In Summary
The word “tumescent” means swollen and firm. By injecting a large volume of very dilute lidocaine (local anesthetic) and epinephrine (capillary constrictor) into subcutaneous fat, the targeted tissue becomes swollen and firm, or tumescent. The Tumescent Liposuction technique is a method that provides local anesthesia to large volumes of subcutaneous fat and thus permits liposuction totally by local anesthesia. This method eliminates both the need for general anesthesia and need for IV narcotics and sedatives, constricts capillaries and prevents surgical blood loss, and provides fluid to the body by subcutaneous injection so that no IV fluids are needed. Tumescent Liposuction totally by local anesthesia has proven to be extremely safe.
Your El Paso Cosmetic Surgery cosmetic surgeon Ozan Sozer, M.D. would be happy to talk with you about Tumescent Liposuction.
