After Liposculpture, Day 1 Looked Great, Day 7 I Could See All the Fat Coming Back

asked 10 months ago by Clemence du Flavy in Europe
Latest answer by Richard H. Fryer, MD
Question viewed 272 times
Tags: 1 week post-op, normal, swelling, water retention

I had liposculpture on outer+inner thighs, hips, and arms one week ago. On Day 1 the thighs looked good, 7 days later, I can see the fat coming back to the areas which it was removed from (making me look pear-shaped, where as on Day 1 I had no bulges out of my thighs) Could this be water-retention? I've had enough time to let the swelling subside. Is it normal to see better results on days 1 and 2 than days 7 and 8? Am I looking at having a 2nd procedure?

10 answers to After Liposculpture, Day 1 Looked Great, Day 7 I Could See All the Fat Coming Back

Final liposculpture results after 8 weeks

I tell my patients that they need to wait for a minimum of 8 weeks after liposuction to begin to see their final results. The more aggressive the liposculpture, the more time needed to allow swelling and fibrosis to resolve.

Richard H. Fryer, MD
Salt Lake City Plastic Surgeon

Different results 1 and 7 days after liposculpture

the results you report are not unusual and certainly does not mean that the fat that was removed is returning. Almost certainly, this represents postop edema which comes and goes after surgery. Please try to be patient!

Lawrence Kass, MD
Saint Petersburg Oculoplastic Surgeon

Swelling after Liposuction.

Thank you for the question. What you have experienced is not unusual; patients will report increased swelling one week after surgery. It will take several months for the swelling to dissipate and up to one year for the skin to redrape so that you can see the final result. Continue to follow-up with your plastic surgeon with any unusual signs or symptoms and to address questions and concerns. I hope this helps.

Tom J. Pousti, MD
San Diego Plastic Surgeon

Swelling after liposculpture

It is very common to be more swollen a few days after liposuction than the first day. The swelling takes time for the body to absorb and most of it should be gone in about 6 weeks, but the final result might take 6 months or more.

Julio Garcia, MD
Las Vegas Plastic Surgeon

Laser Liposuction Best Results

Yes, patients often look better just after the procedure then the following week. One really starts to appreciate improvement at one month but wait 6 months to see final results.

Hannah Vargas, MD
Kansas City Facial Plastic Surgeon

If you have concerns, please check back with your surgeon.

If you have concerns about your results, check back with your surgeon. If your procedure was done by a skilled and experienced doctor, he/she will be in the best position to give you answers to your questions. It take some time to see the final results.

Mark Taylor, MD
Salt Lake City Dermatologic Surgeon

Liposculpture vs. Liposuction

Patients who undergo liposculpture have liposuction. Whats the difference between liposuction and liposculpture? Fat is removed by different techniques: LASER, suction, ultrasound, etc. The inventors of the various forms of the removal claim their form of fat removal is less "stressful" to the tissue, less "traumatic" and ensures less downtime and more rapid healing. Consider this: the less surgery you perform, the less healing that has... more

Jonathan Berman, MD
Palm Beach Plastic Surgeon

Swelling after liposculpture

Post-lipo swelling is common for the fist 3-4 weeks. Fat did not return. It usually takes 3 days for third spacing or swelling to occur after surgical trauma. I recommend my patients to wear the fist stage compression guarment 23 hours/day for the first 7-10 days followed by the second stage guarment for an additional 6-8 weeks to minimize swelling and to support the skin as the healing proceeds. In my practice, I also manage the post-op healing actively with keeping the patients active,... more

Edwin Ishoo, MD
Boston Facial Plastic Surgeon

Swelling after Liposuction

Seeing good results on day one and then to temporarily have swelling is very common. I warn people against depression in the week after liposuction. The swelling that occurs is similar to what you might expect if you sprained your ankle. The fluid swelling is what you are seeing. Then at two to four weeks it is common for the area to become unusually firm and knotty under the skin. Again this is just an expected phase and resolves with little or no additional care. After... more

T. Wayne Day, MD
Nashville Dermatologic Surgeon

After Liposculpture, Day 1 Looked Great, Day 7 I Could See All the Fat Coming Back

Allow 3 months of healing before considering revision lipo. Could be water retention or ;ate swelling effect. Try lymphatic massages or external ultrasound therapies.