7322 E 91st St, Tulsa, OK 74133 · 918-392-0880 · tulsasurgicalarts.com
Oklahoma Surgical Arts · 12400 Saint Andrew’s Dr, Oklahoma City, OK 73120 · 405-751-0042
Liposuction
Plain-language patient guide
What this surgery is
Liposuction removes stubborn pockets of fat. Common areas are the belly, waist, hips, thighs, arms, chin, and neck. It shapes the body. It is not a weight-loss method.
The best results come when your skin still has good snap-back.
What happens during it
You get anesthesia (medicine that makes you sleep) or deep sedation.
The surgeon fills the fat with a numbing salt-water solution. This limits bleeding and pain.
A thin tube (called a cannula) goes in through cuts of a few millimeters.
The tube suctions the fat in smooth passes, sculpting the area evenly.
The tiny cuts are closed or left to drain and seal. A snug compression garment goes on.
Main risks
Every surgery has risks. Here are the main ones for this surgery, in plain words. We will go over all of them with you in person.
Dents, waves, or uneven spots in the skin. A touch-up can help.
Loose skin if the skin cannot shrink to the new shape.
Numb patches for weeks to months.
Fluid shifts during large-volume surgery. We limit how much fat is removed in one day for safety.
Bleeding. Some bleeding can need another trip to the operating room.
Infection. Signs are spreading redness, warmth, pus, or fever.
Scars. Every cut leaves a scar. Most fade over a year. Some stay raised or wide.
Numb skin near the cuts. Feeling usually returns over months. Small areas can stay numb.
Blood clots in the legs. A clot can travel to the lungs. That is an emergency.
Problems from anesthesia (the medicine that makes you sleep). These are rare in healthy people.
Uneven results. The two sides of the body are never a perfect match.
The need for another surgery to fix a problem or improve the result.
What recovery is like
First few days
The numbing fluid drains from the small cuts. Bruising blooms, then fades. Walk the same day.
One week
Most people return to desk work. Wear the garment day and night.
Two weeks
Light cardio. Swelling hides the result at this stage. Be patient.
Six weeks
Full exercise. The shape keeps improving as swelling clears.
Six months
The final contour shows.
When to call us right away
Call us at 918-392-0880, day or night, if:
A growing, painful bulge under the skin in a treated area.
You have chest pain or trouble breathing. Call 911 first, then call us.
One leg swells, or one calf hurts more than the other.
You have a fever over 101 degrees.
Blood soaks a bandage and does not slow down with gentle pressure.
Redness spreads out from a cut, or you see pus.
Your pain gets much worse instead of better.
A wound pulls open, or stitches come apart.
Approved for patient use — released under the clinical review of the Tulsa Surgical Arts surgical team, August 2026.