Plastic Surgeons in Tampa, FL, Offer Advice about Numbness after Surgery
As top plastic surgeons in Tampa, FL, the Artlipo team is well-placed to offer you expert advice about surgery. Many of our patients ask us about numbness and tingling following their procedures. These symptoms are common side effects following many types of cosmetic surgery. Therefore, here you’ll find more information about loss of sensation around or at incision sites.
What Are the Symptoms of Numbness following Cosmetic Surgery?
Following a cosmetic surgery procedure, many patients will experience some sensation loss around the site of the incisions. While this can be worrying, this is almost always a temporary problem and is usually no cause for concern. Some tingling and numbness is a commonly seen side effect of cosmetic surgery.
Typically, patients who experience this problem report a sensation of tingling or pricking in their skin. In some cases, they can feel no sensations at all. While they may feel their skin’s weight, they cannot feel the skin itself. Both these issues are very common during the process of recovery after cosmetic surgery. When such symptoms occur depends on each patient’s body. They will depend on how rapidly the patient is healing and how invasive his or her surgery was. While some patients don’t notice feeling any numbness, they notice a tingling sensation since it’s more pronounced.
Why Does Cosmetic Surgery Cause Tingling and Numbness?
Primarily, the disruption of nerve endings causes tingling and numbness following cosmetic surgery. A surgeon makes incisions during cosmetic surgery procedures, and these disrupt the nerve endings. This occurs most frequently in “tuck” or “lift” procedures, as these involve tissue removal and displacement of the skin. Nevertheless, tingling and numbness can also occur in less invasive procedures, such as liposuction. In such cases, at first, the nerves cause the sensation of numbness. When the nerves begin to regenerate, a tingling sensation will arise. This is because the sensation is returning to the tissues and skin. The tingling is a signal to the brain that those nerves are functioning once more.
How Long Do Numbness and Tingling Last Post-Surgery?
The length of time that the tingling and numbness last following cosmetic surgery depends largely on the patient. Each patient’s body heals at a different rate, and each procedure has its own recovery time. A minimally invasive procedure could result in minor numbness, as well as a shorter period of tingling. Meanwhile, a more extensive procedure could cause more widespread tingling and numbness. These may last longer – sometimes up to several weeks. In most cases, however, numbness tends to only last a week. Tingling will generally not last longer than a few months. Should the numbness last for more than a year, though, it’s unlikely that feeling will ever come back to that area.
Can I Prevent Numbness and Tingling?
Unfortunately, there isn’t much that patients can do to stop tingling and numbness following cosmetic surgery. These symptoms are a natural part of the process of recovery. Nevertheless, you can minimize your chances of permanent nerve damage by choosing highly experienced and skilled plastic surgeons.
How Can I Treat Numbness and Tingling?
Sadly, there isn’t much that even the best cosmetic surgeon can do to treat numbness of the treated area post-surgery. On the other hand, you can relieve tingling by using a numbing cream or cold pack if it’s very severe. Essentially, a patient must wait out his or her recovery period and, eventually, the tingling and numbness will subside. On the upside, for most patients, these symptoms aren’t too bothersome. Usually, patients find that sensation comes back to the treated area just a few weeks after surgery.
Choosing A Skilled Surgeon
As we’ve already said, choosing an experienced and skilled surgeon will minimize the chance of suffering from permanent nerve damage. Not all cosmetic surgeons are equal, however. Therefore, you need to take the time to do your research thoroughly. You need to find out as much as possible about your chosen surgeon and his or her work. Checking out before and after photographs on the website will help you to see his or her work. Before making any commitments, you should speak to your chosen surgeon and get answers to any questions you may have.
Here at Artlipo, we’re very proud of the high level of service that we offer our patients. Our experienced and skilled team is on hand to answer your questions and to offer you any information you need. You can feel free to ask us any questions you may have at any time. We want you to be confident that you’re making the right choice.
If you’re ready to learn more about the cosmetic surgery we can offer, contact our team today. As top plastic surgeons in Tampa, FL, we’re looking forward to helping you achieve your perfect physique.
Dr. Thomas Su, is the owner and cosmetic surgeon of Artistic Lipo. He has led our full-time clinic specializing in awake-only liposuction since 2007. Dr. Su began his medical career in internal medicine, practicing that until 2005, when he began to provide a full spectrum of non-invasive cosmetic procedures.
