Do You Perform Liposuction Under Local?

Q: Dr. Eppley, Do you preform liposuction using local anesthesia? If so how many areas can be treated at once?I am interested in getting my inner and outer thighs treated. Are there any disadvantages to having liposuction done under local anesthesia.

A: While I do occasionally perform liposuction under local for small body and facial areas and is some cases of revisional liposuction, I am not a fan of larger areas done similarly. My experience is that it limits the amount of fat that can be removed in a single session and patients do not seem to be perfectly comfortable in many cases. There is also the issue that it ultimately costs more because it takes a lot more of my time to perform it.

I am well aware that liposuction under local is a procedure that numerous surgeons of various backgrounds tout and promote. They have their own reasons for so doing that may depend on their training, board certification, operating room privileges and experience. While successful outcomes can be achieved with local anesthesia, It is just not the way I perform liposuction most of the time and certainly not how I would have it done if I was undergoing the procedure myself.

Dr. Barry Eppley

Indianapolis, Indiana