Liposuction - Related FAQ's

Q: I have a hanging pouch of fat over my lower tummy. Can liposuction help?

A: You may need a tummy tuck. An examination would determine the appropriateness of liposuction surgery in additional to the abdominoplasty.

Q: I had laser liposuction and have a pain in the arm where the procedure was done a month ago. Will this go away?

A: Most of the rare cases in which there is local soreness, the pain resolves in the first few months. Some pain, however, could be related to temporary nerve irritation and this can take many months, if not more than a year, to heal. You should see your surgeon for an evaluation and reassurance.

Q: I had liposuction and see the improvement but both my surgeon and I agree that there is still more fat in the belly and he suggested I undergo the procedure again but I have to pay an anesthesia and operating room charge. Is this normal?

A: Absolutely! The surgeon may not be receiving any further financial gain from doing your procedure but the cost of the anesthesiologist has to be paid as does the supplies, nurses and room charge of the O.R., or what is referred to as the facility fee.

Q: I really want liposuction but the surgeon told me I will have Lidocaine injected and my dentist had injected the same anesthetic once and my heart was beating out of my chest so I have avoided it since. Can I have liposuction or was this an allergy that will prevent me from having the surgery?

A: You should check with your physician, but usually, your symptom described is what is referred to as palpitations and is a result often of the adrenaline (epinephrine) that is mixed in the local anesthetic (Lidocaine / Xylocaine) that helps constrict blood vessels to decrease bleeding during the procedure and minimize bruising that develops. The adrenaline is a direct heart stimulant and the heart rate can increase dramatically but this is a pharmacologic effect and not an allergy. Your doctor should evaluate your condition and make sure you don’t have an underlying heart rhythm disorder, and sometimes a referral to an allergist is helpful to ensure there is no other cause for you to react to the local anesthetic.

Q: I had liposuction and now have dark spots at the entry marks. Will these go away?

A: The insertion sites usually are affected by friction when the cannulae of the liposuction tubes go back and forth. The friction generates heat and can induce more pigmentation in your skin. Post inflammatory hyperpigmentation may improve slowly over more than a year. It may improve with prescription lightening cream and other topical products. Lasers may worsen this by inducing their own hyperpigmentation as this is a result of your skin, not surgeon error.

Related FAQ's

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