What Is Awake Liposuction?

We’re often told that diet and exercise are the ideal pathways to our preferred body type…but the reality is that this is simply not always the case. Sometimes, stubborn pockets of fat simply won’t respond to healthy eating and regular exercise. If this sounds like your experience, awake liposuction may be an ideal procedure option for you.

Awake liposuction is a faster, safer, lower-cost way for you to benefit from 360 Liposuction. It is performed by making small incisions and infusing a special solution called “tumescent solution” into the treatment area. This solution combines saline with lidocaine (a pain reliever) and epinephrine, which reduces bleeding/bruising.

This procedure is an ideal method by which you can achieve your body contouring goals and is just one of the many treatment options we offer at our Phoenix and Chandler locations. To learn more about how awake liposuction can benefit you, reach out to Elite Plastic Surgery and schedule your initial consultation today.

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What Does the Procedure Treat?

The same amount of fat can be removed with awake liposuction that can be removed with traditional liposuction. Awake liposuction is not ideal, however, for patients with a low pain tolerance or an anxiety disorder. Even if you have multiple problem areas or an extremely high volume of fat in any of these areas, awake liposuction is still an option, though your surgery may have to be staged. When you visit us for your consultation, Dr. Torabi will help you explore the benefits of awake vs. traditional liposuction. Awake liposuction can be used on stubborn areas like the following:

  • Double Chin
  • Muffin top
  • Abdominal apron
  • Back bra rolls
  • Waist
  • Hips
  • Thighs 
  • Other fatty excess areas

The Awake Liposuction Procedure

During awake liposuction, a cannula is used to perform suction-assisted aspiration on the area, contouring the body and removing unwanted fat. Awake tumescent liposuction is ideal for large-volume liposuction.

The best candidates for this type of liposuction procedure are healthy individuals who are not getting the fastest and best body contouring results from traditional weight loss measures. There will be no general anesthesia during your awake liposuction procedure.

Your surgeon will employ a variety of techniques to keep you calm and comfortable during your procedure while you are completely awake and in control of your senses. A cannula will be inserted through multiple small incisions (which will barely be noticeable after the procedure) to provide access to stubborn fatty areas after these sites have been numbed with a tumescent solution. Your body will experience a gentle rocking back and forth as the doctor eliminates fat and contours your body. The whole process takes about one to four hours to complete.

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How Long Is the Recovery Period?

The recovery time after awake liposuction is much shorter than the recovery that accompanies traditional liposuction. Because there is no general anesthesia required, you will be up and about right after surgery. Most patients who have an awake liposuction procedure are able to recover very quickly and can even return to their normal activities in just a few days. Gym activities can be resumed after about one week. Awake liposuction is a sharp contrast to regular asleep liposuction, which usually has a recovery time of a week or two. If you do not have two weeks to rest and recover from liposuction and you are a good candidate, awake liposuction may be the better choice.

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How Soon Will I See Results from Awake Liposuction?

You’ll be able to notice your awake liposuction results Immediately. As soon as you stand up to get into your garment, you’ll be able to clearly identify decreases in fat volume and a restoration of your physique. While certain non-invasive body contouring procedures can require multiple sessions, the awake liposuction procedure is a one-day treatment that creates instant results.

Your results will improve over the course of a month as the swelling dissipates and the limited skin tightening occurs. On a case-by-case basis, additional skin tightening procedures may be performed to address the presence of sagging skin. In most cases, however, the skin retracts well, and this additional step is not required.

How Much Does Awake Liposuction Cost?

The average cost of an awake liposuction can run between $4,000 and $10,000, depending on how many areas are to be addressed and how much fat is to be removed. If you decide to add a skin tightening procedure to your liposuction, your price may increase to $1,000 or $3,000. As such, the price range for awake liposuction ranges between $5,000 and $10,000 on average. For your convenience, we offer financing options such as Carecredit, Alpheon and PatientFi. We also accept credit cards and cash for our services.

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Schedule Your Consultation Today

Awake liposuction offers patients an exciting alternative to traditional liposuction, creating impressive body contouring results with minimal downtime. You’ll be able to show the world a more toned and refined silhouette without taking too much time away from your busy personal schedule.

Awake liposuction is just one of the many ways we work to offer our patients the most advanced treatment options available, and our team will be excited to learn more about how it can transform not just your appearance…but your experience, as well.

To learn more about what awake liposuction can do for you, reach out to Elite Plastic Surgery at our Phoenix or Chandler locations and speak with a team member to set up your initial consultation today.

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