Is Liposuction effective, and how painful is it?

Medical content writer - Medical student
01 November. 2022
5/5 - (1 vote)

Is Liposuction effective? Do you want to have a flat stomach this summer? If getting rid of stubborn fat is at the top of your holiday wish list, you're not alone. According to statistics, a record 65% of women and 44% of men have attempted to lose weight in the last year. While it should not be viewed as a replacement for diet or exercise, liposuction is a very popular procedure that can safely remove stubborn pockets of fat that will not shift with other methods. It’s extremely effective at removing fat from the hips, thighs, and bottom, and is frequently a better, less invasive option for removing abdominal fat than a tummy tuck. Do you want to learn more? Continue reading for answers to some frequently asked liposuction questions.

In this article we will discuss:

  • How effective is liposuction really?
  • The importance of finding the right surgeon
  • Does it hurt?
  • How long will the soreness or tenderness last after liposuction?
  • What is the intensity of the pain after liposuction? How to alleviate pain?
  • Anesthesia and post-op pain
  • Final words
  • FAQ

How effective is liposuction really?

How effective is liposuction really?

Liposuction involves the surgeon removing and discarding fat cells from your body, and once they're gone, they're gone for good. As a result, if your weight remains stable, you're more likely to see a permanent reduction in fat in any areas treated, because they'll have less storage capacity. However, if you gain weight after liposuction, any remaining fat cells in the treated areas will swell. So it's not an excuse to eat cake!

It is critical to maintain a consistent and healthy weight after liposuction in order to avoid recurring areas of excess fat.

The importance of finding the right surgeon

It's also important to remember that, as with any surgical procedure, the outcome of liposuction is heavily dependent on the surgeon's skill. Liposuction is only successful if the surgeon removes the appropriate amount of fat from the appropriate area. Otherwise, the results may be uneven, and in the worst-case scenario, the area may look worse. Before allowing any surgeon to operate on your body, make certain that they have extensive experience performing liposuction on a diverse range of patients. You should get the results you want if you do your research and choose a reputable, qualified, and experienced surgeon. We at Mediranco have gathered the most skilled surgeons to find in Iran.

Is Liposuction effective? Does it hurt?

Understandably, the most common question following 'does liposuction work?' is whether or not the procedure is painful. In terms of the operation, the answer is no. You'll be under local anesthesia and blissfully unaware of pain, though you'll feel movement and pressure. However, you will experience some discomfort in the immediate aftermath of the procedure and during the recovery period. There will be pain, swelling, and bruising, some of which will likely last for several weeks. You'll also need to wear compression garments on any treated areas, which can be uncomfortable.

For at least the first couple of weeks, you'll require assistance with child care, personal care, and so on. Your surgeon will see you six weeks after your surgery to assess your healing and take post-op photographs. Some swelling is likely to remain at this stage, but it will go away with time.

Only you will know your own tolerance for discomfort, so think carefully before proceeding. In our experience at Mediranco, once patients have recovered, they are generally so pleased with the results that they decide the pain was well worth it in the end - similar to childbirth!

How long will the soreness or tenderness last after liposuction?

The amount of pain experienced during the two days following liposuction is determined by the type of anesthesia used for the procedure. Local anesthesia is typically maintained for more than 24 hours after surgery. Liposuction performed under general anesthesia without concurrent local anesthesia is much more painful and usually necessitates narcotic analgesia.

The degree of soreness and swelling experienced in the days and weeks following liposuction is determined by the type of aftercare procedures used. Soreness is usually at its peak two to four days after liposuction and then gradually subsides. Tenderness and soreness are typically quite bothersome for up to four weeks, but gradually subside over the next four to eight weeks.

The local anesthesia lasts for 12 to 24 hours after tumescent liposuction, so the only discomfort is described as soreness or tenderness. Beginning the day after tumescent liposuction performed entirely under local anesthesia, the pain is comparable to that of a sunburn and muscle soreness caused by over-exercising. Other than acetaminophen, this type of pain rarely requires medication (Tylenol).

What is the intensity of the pain after liposuction? How to alleviate pain?

Patients usually experience less discomfort after surgery when liposuction is performed entirely under local anesthesia rather than under general anesthesia.

Because of the persistence of the local anesthetic effect, the intensity of pain immediately following liposuction is quite mild when local anesthesia is used. Patients rarely require medication other than acetaminophen after liposuction performed entirely under local anesthesia (Tylenol). When general anesthesia is used without enough lidocaine (local anesthetic) in the tumescent solution, the pain is much more severe and frequently necessitates the use of narcotic analgesics. But what can be done to control the pain? let’s see.

When used in conjunction with the open-drainage technique, elastic compression garments can help to reduce post-liposuction pain. The technique of not closing the tiny liposuction incisions with stitches in order to maximize the drainage of inflammation-causing blood-tinged anesthetic solution is referred to as "open-drainage." Immediately following surgery, elastic garments promote maximum drainage of blood-tinged anesthetic solution, which reduces pain. Even after all drainage has stopped, some patients continue to wear a compression garment to limit movement or jiggling of the treated areas. This alleviates discomfort and provides a sense of security.

Anesthesia and post-op pain

Is Liposuction effective? Some patients have had liposuction performed under general anesthesia first, followed by tumescent liposuction. The vast majority of patients report that liposuction using the tumescent technique is significantly less painful than liposuction using general anesthesia. The tumescent technique is typically associated with minimal discomfort when infiltrating local anesthesia. Surgery in the area is essentially painless once the area has been completely numbed. Furthermore, because the local anesthesia lasts for more than 12 hours in the treated area, there is no pain immediately following the surgery.

Is Liposuction effective?

Pain associated with liposuction can occur at three stages: during tumescent solution infiltration, during liposuction, and postoperatively. If the surgeon or nurse performing the tumescent infiltration has received special training in the techniques, the patient will typically experience very little pain during the injection of the local anesthetic. The technique for infiltrating the tumescent anesthesia solution necessitates special skill and training. Surgeons must rely on general anesthesia without this specialized training. The subsequent liposuction should be painless after the tumescent local anesthesia has been thoroughly infiltrated into the fat. Liposuction under general anesthesia causes significantly more postoperative pain than liposuction under local anesthesia. Local anesthesia lasts for many hours after tumescent liposuction, and patients only need Tylenol for discomfort. In contrast, patients under general anesthesia usually require narcotic analgesics to control post-operative pain. Finally, general anesthesia, as well as the use of intravenous sedatives and narcotics, are linked to an increased risk of nausea, vomiting, and postoperative chills. Such symptoms are uncommon with local anesthesia.

Is Liposuction effective? Final words:

So how painful liposuction really is? Most people describe it as having a huge bruise where it was treated. It shouldn't be so intense that it makes it difficult for you to focus on other things (reading, watching TV, walking, etc.). People who don't spend the recovery period lying in bed or on a couch for extended periods of time and who have realistic expectations of pain (i.e., there will be some pain because you just had surgery, but it shouldn't be 10/10 pain) typically experience less pain than they anticipated.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Swelling after liposuction can be quite severe. In some cases, this takes a few months, and it won’t be possible to see your final outcome until then. After four weeks, the majority of the swelling does, however, subside. For the first four to six weeks following your procedure, you’ll wear a compression garment to reduce swelling and aid in pain management.

  • Through minuscule incisions, the liposuction apparatus is inserted beneath the skin. Normally, the length of each incision is equal to the width of your pinky fingernail. The number of areas you are having treated and how simple it is to remove the fat in those areas will determine how many of these incisions you have. The incisions are concealed whenever possible in a fold or crease in the skin.

  • It’s impossible to predict this one. You should notice a decrease in fatty tissue in the area that was treated, but it is impossible to say in advance whether or not this will result in a decrease in clothing size. As a result, it is impossible to predict what size clothing you will wear following the procedure.

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