Awake Liposuction Physician in San Antonio, TX

Many patients are familiar with traditional liposuction, which involves the use of general anesthetics and the patient not being conscious during the procedure. Awake liposuction, also called tumescent liposuction, involves the same process of fat removal, but the major difference is that you will be awake during the surgery, and with the use of local anesthetics, the area being treated will be numb. However, this is beneficial as your surgeon will be able to ask you to move or flex your muscles or hold a position so that they can better view how the procedure is working and target areas more easily. Dr. Carreon in San Antonio offers awake liposuction for patients, as there are many benefits patients can have from awake liposuction over the traditional method.

Your surgeon will go through the process you would normally have during a traditional liposuction procedure. Dr. Carreon will go over the areas of concern and mark the areas to be treated as a guide to your expectations. This will be followed by an anesthetic being injected into the areas of treatment so that you will feel nothing during the procedure. Once the anesthetic has begun to work and they have confirmed you have no feeling in the area, they will begin by making small incisions to insert the cannula that will remove the fat from the area. With the use of a tumescent solution that is also injected into the area, the blood vessels will then constrict, which is beneficial as this limits any potential for bleeding.

There are a few cons to awake liposuction, but some of these cons will be based on personal preference and previous surgical experience. Since both awake liposuction and traditional liposuction involve using anesthesia, they are just given in different forms and both carry a level of risk, and there are also risks associated with minor discomfort during the procedure. Some patients may also not want to know what is happening to them during their surgery, as some patients may get nauseated by the sounds associated with the procedure.

During your awake liposuction treatment in San Antonio, you can expect to be talked to by your surgeon about what they are doing and you may hear sounds during this procedure as the fat is being removed from the targeted areas. Dr. Carreon may also ask you to move certain parts of your body and this is to get optimal access to the areas you want the fat removed from. Dr. Carreon may also ask you to sit up or move a certain way so she and the medical team can assess the symmetry of your procedure so you can see the best outcome from your awake liposuction treatment.
 
After your procedure has been completed and your desired goal has been met, you will be wrapped in gauze in the area to reduce pain, swelling, and bruising. They may also use a compression bandage or garment; this is also to help with potential swelling and bruising that will form after your surgery for the three to four weeks following. You may notice some drainage at the incision site that contains, which is normal and should not raise any concerns as it will become clear in a few days. Be mindful of the incision site and if you begin to develop any signs of infection you should follow up with your surgeon immediately, these signs include discolored discharge or smells coming from the site. You will also notice bruising and swelling in the surgery area for 10 to 14 days after the procedure which will begin to fade.

Since traditional liposuction and awake liposuction are the same procedure, you are just conscious during awake liposuction, and the same amount of fat can be removed from the area using the awake liposuction method. If you are in the San Antonio area and want awake liposuction, our cosmetic surgeon, Dr. Melanie Carreon, is available for a consultation to go over your goals and any questions or concerns you have regarding treatment. For more information, contact us or schedule an appointment online. We are located at 1199 E College St, Seguin, TX 78155. We serve clients from Seguin TX, San Antonio TX, Kingsbury TX, McQueeney TX, San Marcos TX, New Berlin TX, New Braunfels TX, Santa Clara TX, Marion TX, Zuehl TX, Austin TX, Houston TX, and surrounding areas.