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Vaser Liposuction on Stomach and Hips - Well Worth It - Phoenix, AZ

I am sharing my experience with everyone because...

  • 6 Apr 2010

I am sharing my experience with everyone because this site has greatly helped me with tips, pros, cons from reading other peoples experiences. After over a year of research, hesitation and lack of funds…I finally decided to get it done this year!!!

I debated over Smartlipo and Vaser. Although Smartlipo had more reviews and ratings, I decided to go with Vaser and it’s the best choice Ive made! Reading ratings from plastic surgeons on this site, many have preferred Vaser. Vaser uses ultrasound waves to emulisify the fat while Smart uses laser. I visited two MDs that specialize in each field.

My first visit was to an MD who is an Obgyn and now specializes in Smart. Many have praised his work on this site but I was unsure about having this procedure by an Obgyn. Ive read many horror stories about procedures gone wrong and each one emphasizing to go to a plastic surgeon. I didn’t get a good feel from this doctor. I don’t know what it was, but I just didn’t like the way he came across during my consultation. Maybe because he was mostly bragging about himself and how he’s the best and number one in SL.

My second visit was to a plastic surgeon who specializes in Vaser. The minute I met him, I knew he was the right doctor. He made me feel very comfortable and was very pleasant. He explained the procedure to me and answered my questions thoroughly. He also was very down to earth…he laughed and joked which made me feel at ease…unlike the other MD. Dr W showed me what he would be able to take out and how it would look. We went over pictures of previous clients and their outcome…other MD didn’t do this. I know price should not be an option when it comes to these things but he was 4k cheaper than the other doctor who was only doing my upper/lower abdomen, hips and cost of anethesia and 2 garments! And hes not even a plastic surgeon!! I was happy with the price quote he gave me because it was comparable to the prices I have seen on this site. I also researched both MDs and Dr W had good reviews along with a good background and schools.

Day of Surgery: Tuesday

I was pretty calm that day. A little worried about the outcome but for the most part calm. Dr W marked me and explained what he would do. In the meantime, he kept asking me if I was ok and if that’s what I wanted. He made sure the parts he mentioned was what I wanted. He even sat on the floor to get a better angle and to mark things properly! Anesthesiologist came and spoke to me as well. I had the procedure done under general anesthesia and Im glad I did because I don’t think I would be able to stand any pain. The procedure took 2hours. I was so out of it after that I could hardly keep my eyes opened. I was sore and groggy. I slept for about 2hrs when I got home. I tried to eat a little something so I can take my antibiotic and pain meds but I couldn’t. The pain was tolerable but took pain med as I wanted to get good sleep that night.

Day 1: Wednesday

Woke up expecting to have some discharge from my incisions on my sheet I had placed over my mattress but there were none! They had placed pads inside the garment and to my amazement, no leaking on it! I was able to move around with no problem. No pain meds in the morning. I wanted to walk around so I took my dog for a walk for over 45minutes. Just a casual walk and I felt great! They had given me a garment with zippers on both sides so it was easy to take off. I was hesitant to take it off but I was curious what I looked like. I was so swollen on my lower abdomen and hips. My lower abs looked like it had a small water balloon inside. I was discouraged and scared when I saw my hips. My main concern was to have my hips go down but they didn’t. They looked the same to me and my fiancé. I crossed my fingers that it will go down since it was only my second day and I was swollen. Took Vicodin to help me sleep again but pain was minor. Oh, I bought a compression garment online for my back since I feel that it needs support. Hope it’s the right one.

Day 2: Thursday

Compression garment came today but wrong size! Bummer! Will be on a mission to look for one. Swelling went down which was a relief!!! I felt much better seeing the swelling go down. I took some Arnica pills but don’t think they really work. I had some bruising but not as bad as I had expected. Incision sites were tiny! I took a shower today with no problem. No dizziness or feeling of faintness. I walked around the block again and did some light household chores. Tried driving today and did some errands with no problem. I cant stay still hehe. Also started massaging my abdomen, hips and back. Just light strokes…it was sore but tolerable. To my amazement, there was no lumps or hardness on my stomach. No waves either. My fiancé and I were expecting the worst for me….I wasn’t expecting to be moving around so much. I was ready for the soreness, the leaking, the bruises and popping pain pills but none of that! I really felt great considering I just had liposuction done 2 days ago! I even replaced the garment with Flexees. It’s a pain in the ass to put since it doesn’t have zippers on each side. I had to pull that all the way up from my thighs to my chest. Yea you can imagine how annoying that was. But I felt more secure with it since it was tighter, covered some parts of my back, and it gave me more compression. I would double up with the compression sometimes…I had the Flexees and a corsette on top of that. I felt secure doing this but also gave me too much compression that it hurt to breathe. Only did that for 2 days. No pain medication for me today. The only thing I have to complain about is the amount of times I had to get up in the middle of the night to urinate. My body’s way of getting rid of the extra fluid from the surgery and my extra intake of water.

Day 3: Friday

Went to work today for a short time since I had a half day. No problems whatsoever. The drive and work was a breeze. It is uncomfortable getting in and out of the car since my back is sore but nothing extreme. Went home, massaged and walked again. Also vacuumed and mopped my place! I know this sounds crazy but I feel that good! Hehe. Im so happy that Im able to do this because I was expecting much worst! Spent the evening at home relaxing with no pain meds again. Im sore, especially my back but nothing I cant tolerate. It is uncomfortable sleeping at night. I mostly lay on my back and don’t move as much.
Day 4: Saturday

Walked around the mall for a quiet a bit. Went to dinner and watched a movie. No complaints. Still sore but not too much. Still massaging morning and night. Bruises are still visible. Swelling has dramatically gone down. My hips are smaller and hoping it will go down more. Abdomen area has also gone down but its still slightly swollen as well as my back. Feel great!

Day 5: Sunday

Found the right compression garment! Spanx! Slim Cognito. Pricey but well worth it. No bulges or annoying underwire digging into my skin and giving me cuts. It covers my back which is what I wanted as well as my abdomen and thighs. Great material! Also goes unnoticeable underneath clothing…hides bulges and great compression. Walked around again and went out for a drink. No complaints here. Soreness isn’t as bad as before. Back is still more sore than my abs

Day 6: Monday

Saw Dr W today and everything went well. He likes the outcome and states that the swelling will go down even move in 3-4 weeks. Looking forward to this!!! 1200cc was taken out. A lot of fat from my hips…cant wait for that to go down. My next appointment is in 3 weeks, I hope by then the swelling will be dramatically down. Went to work today as well. I was surprised at how good I felt with no pain meds!
I was able to walk easily and get things done like I do on my everyday basis. So happy how things are turning out.

Day 7: Tuesday

Today is one week and my 30th birthday!! Bruises are fading and not too sore. Swelling is still going down and I’m thrilled at what Im seeing. Went for an 80minute lymphatic massage and how good was that! Im able to do everyday things with no problem at all. This procedure had turned out better than I had anticipated.

Dr W took great care of me and I am happy with his work and the results. I am waiting for his office to email me the before and after pictures. I will be going in next week which will mark my one month. Tomorrow will be three weeks. Ive started to feel lumps on my stomach. Ive been massaging at least twice a day. Ive read several articles about the lumps which will go away in 2-3months. The bruises have completely disappeared. Im still a bit swollen but not as bad as the first week. Still waiting for the final results. Will keep you guys posted!

John Ward, MD
Phoenix Plastic Surgeon

He is attentive and listened to what my concerns and what I wanted. Honest and realistic with what he can and cannot do. Made feel very, very comfortable the day of the surgery. Terrific doctor

5 out of 5 stars Overall rating
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Comments (20)

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Hi Everyone, I am two weeks post op I had vaser lipo on my flanks, hips, back and inner and outer thighs.....I also had a tummy tuck at the same time. I know it seems shocking, but I feel more sore and that the recovery is much worse with the lipo. Is this crazy? I know many of you avoid the tummy tuck like crazy because it is so invasive, but I had two back to back c-secttions and so much stretched skin and scar tissue, fat too! I am two weeks post op and the pain in my lower back and legs is insane. I am so swollen and bruised...I can feel lumps all under my legs. I feel like the tummy tuck was so easy like my c-sections other than the drains which thank God they are out...but the vaser was sold to me on the fact that it was not a hard recovery???? Am I the only one with this issue? Today was the first day I drove because I have been taking pain pills my inside thighs hurt so bad. I can say that even with all the swelling my saddle bags and chubby hips are gone!!!! Hooray does anyone know how long it will take for the swelling to go down? My PS told me they took 7 liters of fat from vaser and about 3-4 pounds from the tummy tuck. So sure I look smaller but no one prepared me for this leg and hip pain from the lipo it is hell! I appreciate anyone's comments! It is so hard to find this stuff out. Thanks, Mandy
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Hi Mandy. I also got my lower back,flanks,hips and lower stomach done and its been 15 days for me and im not 100%. I still have a little bruising, im still sore,im starting to feel lumps on my sides and I'm sooo uncomfortable with these garments! I was to under the impression that I would be able to get back to my activities right after my procedure and I'm still uncomfortable! I can't get into my jeans because I'm swollen. I'm glad to know that im not the only one going through a hard recovery. I feel like my friends think im whining all the time..ugh! Not fun at all!
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hey city girl..... Please girl, don't think you're alone. I've had a TERRIBLE first 3 weeks... on so many drugs and regretting what I had done. Thought of the worst: surgeon made mistakes, took too much, not enough, damaged my muscles... I thought all sorts, and I'm rather good at taking pain and being objective...BUT it seems like it is normal to have tightness, burning and pinching sensation. I had to drain for 10 days and still have seromas in my back, but I massage them each day twice a day to disperse them and allow my body to absorb better. I try drink 2 litres a day to flush it all out. I'm nearly 4 weeks in and now can walk around and bathe but still have a long way to go. My back burns all the time, muscles are v inflamed, my stomach is getting better but is really tight and hurts when I try and stretch it. I've done yoga for years and now can't even touch my feet!. I can also see that more fat has been taken out from one side andit's a bit wonky, but as the tissue heals and becomes soft again, it won't be noticeable at all. I'm expecting the lumps in my side to dissapeer soon and know the scar tissue under my incisions will eventually go after a long time. But they're hidden. Don't worry too much and give yourself time to heal. Attempting going to work tomorrow with my foam garment on, hoping I can take it off in a week. So far I'm happy with the results... I just need to lay off the cream cakes, pizzas and choccolate boredom comfort foods... Starting my diet tomorrow! Good luck everybody!
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Niceface- don't ge discouraged...the swelling will go down in days. I started seeing results 2-3 days post op despite the swelling. Full results will not come until 6 months. I'm 6 wks post op now and still somewhat swollen and some parts of my back are numb. Can't wait to see the full results. I stopped wearing the garment 1 month post op. thank goodness because it was annoying and uncomfortable! If I had a party to go to, I didn't wear it for the whole day but wore it at night. Bought spanx and wore it 1 wk post op. The garment the doc gave me didn't feel tight enough and didn't cover my back. Still massaging my stomach at night for about 15minutes. Good luck on your 2nd procedure!! You will do fine and can't wait to see results!!!
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Hi 2541anon! Thanks for your sweet comment! Yes I've heard and seen what hi def vaser can do and it's amazing! Would have loved to get it done but didn't have enough money for it. Regardless, I am happy with the vaser lipo I had done. It just makes me more motivated to work out! Like you, skin retraction is slow. Hoping for my skin to get tighter. Life has gotten busy but will post pics up as soon as I get a breather. Do you have pics up?
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Hey Chick! How you feeling now? I am day 4 post Vaser to hips and saddlebags. I am still sore on my entry sites and like you - having a bit of trouble sleeping at night but otherwise ok. I am wearing my compression garment 24 hours a day (literally only take it off to have a quick shower and put it back on). I was advised to wear it 24/7 for 6 weeks in order to give my skin the best chance to re-attach. Can I ask you - how long after the procedure before you started to see any change in your hips and flanks? Like you did - I feel a bit sad at the minute as my hips and flanks look and measure the same size as before. My Doc took 1100 cc's out of hips, flanks and saddlebags so I know I should eventually see something. Having my tummy done in 10 days time. Again - you look hot girl!!! Enjoy!! xx
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Nice results, I am a guy, quite in a good shape, but just had stubborn fats in places which makes one not so athletic. I had vaser hi def in Auckland, NZ. Had vaser on my tummy, flanks, arms, lower back and transfer the fat into places such as my arms and chest. The day of my operation 15th march 2010, my results were very good after the procedure, the definition is very good. Now my shape is still good, but seems more conservative, I guess my skin retraction is slow. I highly recommend the vaser hi def proceedure, but one should look into a reliable surgeon. My results were remarkable, before and after surgery, but then again the proceedure for myself was more a toning proceedure. All the best for your results. I know they gonna be good, as I am seeing results. ;)
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Hi Jeanz1 Vaser will definitely make you smaller but wont take out the cellulite. My MD warned me before the procedure that it will not take away cellulite since that is permanent. Vaser will only take out unwanted fat, not cellulite. Once its there, its there. I know..it sucks. Only way to diminish it is by exercise. That will tone and lift you up. I dont imagine it will be difficult for you since youre at a good weight range now. Try working out and see if you see any changes. Hope this helps.
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Hi bootyfull (love that screenname!) Wore the garment for about one month. By the end of the first week, had to buy spanx since the one they had provided for me didnt feel secure and tight enough. They were some days I didnt wear it all because I was at an event and too uncomfortable. Ive read that some people wear it for only 2 weeks. I felt more at ease with it on and i felt that it held me more in place. Had the lymphatic massage done for twice. Dont really know if it was worth it. Its almost similar to a regular massage. Only difference is they massage your stomach...which you can do yourself. I massaged my stomach 3 days post op. Dont do it that early. Didnt find out you were supposed to wait until 10 days post op. Reason is you'll get more bruises by doing it that early. You can definitely do the massages on your stomach by yourself. Do it at least 10-15minutes a day. You'll feel hard lumps which is normal. That should go away after 2months. Good luck on your procedure!! you'll be fine!!!
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glad u like my name! I found it hard to find one, i dont know why i came up with that! Had my upper, lower stomach, hips and back done mid definition yesterday and i feel like ive been hit by a bus. I can hardly move! I didnt realise quite how much it would hurt. I can c a huge difference already and im obviously very swollen! Im leaking like a bitch! Ha x x
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Felt in pain today. Went to my 2nd aftercare appointment crying but left feeling much better. Still in pain but i think im over the worse of it. I cant believe how much smaller i look. Ive hardly bruised at all and i swear its coz of the arnica i took 2 weeks before. X
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I used arnica too but don't know if it worked. As you can see from my pics, had bruising but don't know if it wouldve been more without it. Sorry to hear that you're leaking like crazy. I didn't at all which scared me cuz I didn't know where all that fluid would go! Had the same stuff done as u did but not the definition. Good luck with your healing and let me know how you like the results weeks post op!!
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Hi Bootyful! I got my vaser done on April 26 too. I got my lower back, lower stomach and hips done. I leaked like crazy the first and second day. How do you look now? Its been 2 weeks for me and I'm still swollen, noticed a couple lumps and sore especially on my sides and lower stomach. I can't wait to get out of these garments! It made me feel a lot better knowing that I wasn't the only one going through a not so speedy recovery. For a minute I thought it was just me. ;)
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hello, am looking to do vaser lipo, however i am really thin about 115 pounds just looking to decrease appaerance of cellulit. Would this make me go down in size? Thanks
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hi jeanz1 - ive actually heard lipo of any kind makes cellulite worse due to skin tightening....
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Oh my God, u look brilliant hun! Im having vaser done next week on my hips, lower and upper abs!! A bit nervous but excited too!!! How long do u need to wear ur garment for? How many lympthatic massages have u had? thanks
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hi niceface! thanks so much! today is actually one month! saw the md yesterday and we both are happy with the outcome. im still slightly swollen but he said it should all go down in another 6 weeks to 2 months. cant wait for it! also stopped wearing the annoying garment and back in the gym! will post pics soon. the pics i posted are actually one week post op so you can see alot of swelling. im glad i was able to help. that was why i wrote it so i would be able to share my experience and im glad i was able to help you. not too many people post about vaser and it was frustrating for me because i wanted to read other peoples experience. im sure you will do fine. you must be counting the days!! good luck and let me know how it goes!!! =)
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hi italy44 how soon until you were able to run again? ive been told at 2 weeks you can start exercising but then ive also been told you cant start running for 4-6 weeks ... how was your experience with this?
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Wow Girl - you look amazing!! And I can't wait to see your befores and your nows as well. I am scheduled for Vaser to my hips, saddlebags, flanks and a small bit on my tummy in 10 days time!! Will let you know how I get one - thank youfor your info by the way - has helped calm me down about the recovery - my husband is in the military and away alot - Ive got the kids to look after on my own and you have given me hope I will be just fine! thank you !!
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Thanks for the interesting story. I personally prefer the Smart Lipo MPX unit over the Vaser, I do both. It is just my vast experience with both as a boarded plastic surgeon. Happy for you. From MIAMI Dr. B
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