When liposuction is done totally by local anesthesia, patients can usually depart from the surgical facility within 30 minutes of the completion of surgery. When general anesthesia is employed, then patients usually require one to three hours of post-anesthesia observation before being discharged home. Most patients can return to a desk-type job with two days after tumescent liposuction. Because of the significant decrease in swelling, inflammation and pain after tumescent liposuction, patients are able to return to normal physical activities very soon after tumescent liposuction.