Local or general anaesthesia for liposuction?

Liposuction can be performed under either local or general anaesthesia. Which applies to you depends on how much fat is being removed, which areas are being treated, your health, and your preference.

The significant difference is straightforward: with local anaesthesia you remain awake; under general anaesthesia you are asleep throughout the procedure.

Both are established techniques. Suitability varies depending on individual health conditions and risk factors, and the decision is made in consultation with your surgeon.

When local anaesthesia is used

Local anaesthesia may be an option where:

• A small amount of fat is being removed.
• You prefer a slower, more incremental fat removal process.
• The treatment area is limited.

Small skin procedures at Me Clinic are performed in clinic under local anaesthesia.

Considerations

• Lower anaesthetic risk. As with any surgical activity there are associated risks, but the risks associated with local anaesthesia are lower than those associated with general anaesthesia.
• Faster recovery. There is no wait in a recovery room for anaesthetic effects to wear off, as there is with a general anaesthetic.
• You are awake. Some people prefer this; others do not.

When general anaesthesia is used

General anaesthesia is generally used where larger amounts of fat are being removed at once. Mid-sized to large areas typically require it, which makes it the usual choice for treating the abdomen, hips, flanks or back.

Considerations

• You are asleep for the procedure, so you experience none of it. Comfort during a surgical procedure varies considerably between individuals.
• Suited to larger volumes and multiple areas in a single session.
• Recovery room time is required while the anaesthetic wears off.
• You cannot drive yourself home and need someone to stay with you for at least 24 hours.

All major surgery at Me Clinic is performed under general anaesthesia in accredited private hospitals around Melbourne. Some procedures require an overnight stay.

Tumescent liposuction and anaesthesia

Tumescent liposuction is the most commonly used technique, and it works with either local or general anaesthesia. In this technique a dilute local anaesthetic and adrenaline solution is infused into the treatment area before suction. The fluid makes the area swell and become firm, helping the surgeon locate and extract fat, and constricting blood vessels so there is less bleeding.

This is why the choice between local and general is genuinely open for many liposuction procedures, rather than being dictated by the technique itself.

Anaesthetist fees

Where a general anaesthetic is required, an anaesthetist is needed. Anaesthetist fees range from $800 to $1,200 per hour, with a single area generally requiring one to two hours.

Me Clinic uses anaesthetists who are members of the Australian Society of Anaesthetists (ASA) and fully qualified to provide general anaesthesia services. Where local anaesthesia alone is used, no anaesthetist fee applies, which is one reason local anaesthesia procedures cost less overall.

See liposuction costs for the full breakdown.

How the decision is made

The choice is made in consultation between you and your surgeon, weighing the volume of fat to be removed, the areas involved, your medical history and your preferences. A consultation is needed for a definitive answer on which is appropriate in your case.

Your surgeon will discuss which type of anaesthesia will be used at your consultation, and it forms part of the quote you receive.

Risks

All surgical procedures carry risks and potential complications. Anaesthesia specifically carries risks that can include lung infection, stroke, heart attack and, rarely, death, along with more minor effects such as confusion and short-term memory loss. These risks are higher with general anaesthesia than with local anaesthesia.

Risks are discussed with you in detail during the consultation process, and you are given written information to take home. Please read our information on the risks and complications of cosmetic surgery before proceeding.

Individual results may vary. Any surgical or invasive procedure carries risks. Before proceeding you should seek a second opinion from an appropriately qualified health practitioner.

Referral and cooling-off period

Since 1 July 2023, all patients are required to have a GP referral before seeing a plastic surgeon or doctor about cosmetic surgery. For any cosmetic surgery there is a compulsory one-week cooling-off period after your second consultation before surgery can be booked.

Related pages

See liposuction, liposuction costs, or the hospitals our surgeons use.