Tumescent Liposuction Technique

If fatty trouble spots won't go away despite diet and exercise, you may be considering liposuction. Liposuction can help smooth out stubborn fatty areas like the inner thighs and lower stomach. Advances in liposuction treatment have led to a process called tumescent liposuction, which offers superior results than traditional methods. Minneapolis plastic surgeon Gregory T. Mesna offers this overview to help you understand why so many are choosing tumescent liposuction treatment.

Undergoing Tumescent Liposuction

Tumescent liposuction is safer, less painful, and yields better results than traditional liposuction treatment. Tumescent liposuction begins with an injection of a special solution, which aids in pain reduction and fat removal. The solution used in tumescent liposuction is made of lidocaine to help reduce pain and epinephrine to reduce bleeding. This solution is held together with a saline base. The saline base, which is basically salt water, helps to liquify the fat, making liposuction easier. Once the injection is made, the treated area will swell from the increase of fluid and the surgeon will make a small incision in the tissue. Next, a special medical tube called a cannula is inserted through the incision.  The cannula is then used to suction out fat to create a beautifully sculpted body.

Why Choose Tumescent Liposuction?

Tumescent liposuction has many benefits over traditional liposuction methods. Tumescent liposuction treatment has been developed in an effort to reduce the side effects common to traditional liposuction. Some of the benefits of tumescent liposuction include:

• Reduced blood loss: The epinephrine used in the tumescent solution helps reduce blood loss during the liposuction treatment by constricting the blood vessels.
• Less painful: Tumescent liposuction is less painful than traditional liposuction thanks in part to the anesthetic lidocaine used in the tumescent solution.
• Less swelling and bruising post treatment: Because the tumescent solution allows for easier fat removal, tumescent liposuction is less traumatic to the body, resulting in less bruising and less swelling following treatment. 
• Faster recovery: Tumescent liposuction is known to have a shorter recovery time in comparison to other forms of liposuction, which may be attributed to the fact that tumescent liposuction is more gentle than traditional liposuction.
• Improved appearance: Tumescent liposuction can improve the body's appearance by creating sculpted, contoured limbs or stomach. 
• Improved confidence: Tumescent liposuction can improve the appearance of trouble spots that diet and exercise alone may be unable to improve, letting you look and feel your best.   

The Potential Risks of Tumescent Liposuction

Tumescent liposuction is much safer than traditional liposuction, however, it is a surgical procedure, and like all surgeries, carries some risk. The risks of tumescent liposuction include:

• Lidocaine Toxicity: Lidocaine toxicity may occur if the concentration of lidocaine is too high when injected.
• Fluid Accumulation: Fluid accumulation is another potential risk of tumescent liposuction. Fluid accumulation may occur if too much tumescent solution is injected.

See if Tumescent Liposuction Is Right for You

Tumescent liposuction can give you the sculpted body of your dreams. To find out if tumescent liposuction is right for you, we invite you to schedule a consultation with Dr. Mesna today!