Numbness and Tingling after Plastic Surgery

After plastic surgery, many patients experience a temporary loss of sensation at or around the incision site. Many patients report a feeling of numbness and tingling after surgery. Each patient’s experience will be different, but in general, some numbness and tingling are common side effects of plastic surgery.

Symptoms

The most standard sensation is either no sensation at all (though the patient may feel the weight of the skin, he or she may not be able to feel the skin itself), or a pricking or tingling sensation. Both of these are extremely common with plastic surgery, and most patients will feel both during the recovery process. When these symptoms occur will depend on the patient’s body, how quickly he or she is healing, and the how invasive the procedure was. Some women may not notice the feeling of numbness, but do recognize the tingling sensation, as it is more pronounced.

Causes

The primary cause for the numbness and tingling sensations after plastic surgery is a disruption of nerve endings. When an incision is created during a plastic surgery procedure, nerve endings will be disrupted. This is most likely to occur with  “lift” or “tuck” type surgeries, in which extensive pieces of tissue are removed, and the skin itself displaced; in these cases, the nerves may first cause a numbing sensation, and then the tingling sensation occurs as the nerves regenerate and return sensation to the skin and tissues, signaling the brain that they are once again working.

How Long It Will Last?

How long the numbness and tingling sensations will last depends largely on the patient’s individual body, healing rate, and the procedure itself. Minimally invasive procedures may result in minor numbness and a short tingling period. Liposuction of large areas of the body will result in more widespread numbness and tingling, both of which can last from a couple of days to a few weeks. Most doctors believe that numbness will last only a week, and tingling only for a few days, up to a few months. If numbness lasts for a year, it is unlikely that sensation will ever return to the area.

Prevention

There is very little a patient can do to prevent of the numbness and tingling sensations, as these are normal side effects of the recovery process. However, choosing an experienced plastic surgeon will reduce the chances of the nerve damage being permanent.

Treatment

Most surgeons will suggest a cold pack or a numbing cream, depending on the severity of the tingling sensation. There is generally very little a surgeon can do about the numbness. Patients must simply wait out the recovery period until the numbing and tingling sensations go away on their own. Fortunately, in the vast majority of case, the numbness and tingling is not too bothersome. In addition, for most patients, feeling returns to the area around the incision site within a few weeks of surgery.

To schedule a plastic surgery consultation and find out which procedure is right for you, contact Crawford Plastic Surgery.