What Causes Lumps After Liposuction?

Lumps are part of the healing process after liposuction. Areas of increased inflammation, collections of fluid, and so forth are by-products of the procedure. Almost always, if the procedure has been done correctly, they vanish. It may take several months, however. Compressive garments, in my opinion, seem to help. But the healing process is takes time and there is little you can do to change that.

Hello tamaraitsmyname,

I appreciate your questions! Two weeks is too short of a time to evaluate your liposuction final outcome. As with any major surgical procedure, liposuction conveys risks such as swelling, bleeding, infection, and contour irregularities, in a small percentage of cases. However, potential complications can be reduced by choosing a skilled, experienced plastic surgeon to perform the procedure and by carefully adhering to the surgeon's instructions, both before and after the surgery. In particular, side effects after Liposuction commonly known as contour irregularities or waviness are proven very challenging to correct, but can be positively prevented and/or managed together by doctors and patients. These post-operative irregularities (in the form of lumps, dimples, grooves, wrinkles or folds) could be generally due to: excessive superficial or too much liposuction; fibrosis with adhesions; inappropriate compression garment or posture or caused by redundant skin. Plastic surgeons should forewarn patients with poor skin elasticity about the risk for contour irregularities and suboptimal skin contraction. Although irregularities of the skin are possible following liposuction, this side effect is diminished by the minimally-invasive 4D VASER Liposuction using micro-cannulas and the criss-cross technique of liposuction. VASER Liposuction is also clinically proven (based on randomized clinical studies) to cause 53% skin retraction relative to other standard liposuction methods, which in turn reduces the risk of occasional irregularities of the skin. Liposuction patients can also actively contribute in preventing contour irregularities by following closely their surgeons’ post-operative protocols, since correcting surface irregularities in the presence of post-surgical scarring and fibrosis is often very difficult and their effects might be permanent. In this respect, I usually recommend them wearing specialized compression garments around the clock, starting immediately after surgery, for six months, to reduce swelling and help their skin contract smoothly to their new body’s contours. Since ill-fitting garments can lead to contour irregularities, I advise my patients about the correct method of using them, to limit folds and creases in the garments, and regularly check if they are worn properly. Additionally, plastic surgeons should advise their patients that, without lymphatic drainage massages, there is a risk that the swelling and inflammation could turn into fibrosis, which is a permanent hardening of the area. At least ten lymphatic drainage massage sessions are required, starting 24 hours after the procedure, to eliminate excess lymph fluid, alleviate swelling and discomfort, and also prevent complications such as seromas (fluid collection) and contour irregularities (indentations, and/or fibrosis). In my experience, manual lymphatic massages by their own have proven successful, in the majority of cases, in achieving uniform removal of swelling and ensuring smooth contours. Best regards! Dr. De La Cruz.

Pockets of fluid accumulate and cause lumps and bumps for up to 6 weeks post liposuction. With massage and exercise they disappear with time.  Lumps/bumps at 3-6 months post liposuction can be due to fibrous tissue or loose fat settling down irregularly. Cortisone injections usually smooth these out nicely.  BodyFX is a radiofrequency treatment that smooths out these areas nicely as well.