Palo Alto Liposuction doctors

Pain in the low back area is  a reality in 100% of patients after hip, flank liposuction.  The absolute 95% cure is time.  There is no alternative.  In 2 or 3 months your pain will fade and fade and go away.  Meanwhile avoid salt (sodium).  Salt makes you swell more and swelling causes pain.  Of course aspirin and ibuprofen help.  Try physical trerapy things such as heat and cold.  See which works.  Massage usually is comforting.  Ultrasonic PT does a little possible but don.t hold your breath.   A back support type garment may feel good.  We humans are impatient.  When there is surgery there is some pain.  Low back liposuction causes low back swelling and pain.  95% of the relief comes with time.   You cant rush it.  Of course the above plus sleeping medication and even occasional narcotic medication can help.  Also a Medrol dose pack can add steroid influence and relief if you are really bothered.   A great relief is just the fact that it will go away.  My Best   Dr George Commons

You should call and let your surgeon know what is going on.  I always encourage my patients to get in touch with me if they have any concerns, at any time.   Every patient gets my cell phone number after surgery - it provides ease of mind for both of us.

Depending on the technique that your surgeon used, there is often a lot of fluid is used for liposuction, and as your body tries to deal with the extra fluid, some of it can end up in areas like the legs and ankles, due to gravity.  Wearing a compression garment as instructed, doing some light walking, and keeping your legs and feet elevated while resting can help reduce the swelling.

But please do call your surgeon and make sure that you are seen.  Although it's probably just normal postoperative swelling (and not fat that has transferred elsewhere), you also want your surgeon to make sure that you haven't developed blood clots deep in your legs that can be dangerous.

This is best treated by prevention.  Although one could argue that loose skin before surgery will result in the same or greater degree of looseness after surgery, specific techniques and attention to this area will give the best chance of avoiding this outcome.

Liposuction of the area under the buttock crease can result in lack of support of the buttock, leading to a deflated and overhanging lower buttock with folds of loose skin just below the buttock crease.

To prevent this, as much as possible, liposuction can be limited to only the superficial layer of fat, just under the skin, in the area at and below the buttock crease.  Care is taken to leave a supporting column of fat in the deep layers to support the buttock and prevent it from overhanging the crease. The key is not removing too much fat in this area.

For an established problem, since the problem is excess fat removal, the solution is replacing fat by fat grafting under the buttock crease and upper posterior thigh.  This can be done 4-6 months after an initial procedure.

If the buttock and buttock fold are too loose to be restored by fat grafting, then it would be reasonable to pinch up the excess skin below the buttock, at the crease, and remove it surgically, placing the scar in the lower buttock crease.

Some patients have a lot of loose skin under the buttock, and their buttocks are a bit droopy over the buttock fold.  These patients are best served by fat grafting as in initial procedure, or if this is not feasible due to lack of fat, then the option of skin removal at the crease can be chosen.