15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
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Please add back in some of my original photographs as they have been removed after submitting another recent treatment I tried in an effort to correct some of the smart lipo damage. Anyway, I hope that the pictures can show others what could happen. thanks. It won't left me just submit the photographs as I originally intended.
before
before
After - outer left leg, knee, and banana roll
The New Me! Indentations, Lumpiness and All.
Smart Lipo reviews by RealSelf.com users
Avg cost $5,740
81% say Smart Lipo was worth it
19% say Smart Lipo was not worth it
4/30/08
I also was upset to realize, at the END of my surgery, that my well-known doctor did very little of my procedure, and when I go back for the second set of areas I will insist that he do all of it. I totally agree with you that if you are given the impression one perosn will do it, and then someone else does, you're not getting what you paid for.
4/30/08
I also had smartlipo done on my outer/inner thighs, butt and banana roll exactly 2 months ago on 02/29/08
I am still waiting since results are very minimal :o(
As you I got fat taken out but I am still the same weight before the procedure (I'm 5'3" 125 lbs) I do exercise 3x a week or more and eat right.
I am very discouraged and sad that I spend $8,000.00 in a procedure that didn't give me the results that I wanted.
The only thing left is keep hoping to see improvement in the next few months.
Xenia
5/1/08
good luck to you. Hang in there. I hope you get what it is you are searching for. You sound like a good candidate. That's just an awful lot of monies to pay out.
5/8/08
Hi-
I'm so sorry to hear all your bad news! Adding one more bad thing to your plate certainly wasn't needed. I too submitted a "not worth it" review for smart lipo. It's only been a month but I'm hopeful it will turn out better.
I will concede that your cellulite doesn't look like somthing that happens naturally. There is an unevenness that seems a bit different. Not being a doctor myself but hearing your story and seeing your pictures, it does seem likely the procedure is at fault. I'm curious... how long after losing your baby (a failed pegnancy?) did yoy have this treatment? Do you think hormones could have exacerbated this effect? I say this to try and help you come up with all possible answers. I'm not insinuating pregnancy caused this but there certainly is a role with hormones and cellulite. Maybe the timing of the procedure didn't go well with the timing of the hormones. The doctor should note this so it doesn't happen again. I imagine science involved with optimal plastic surgery results.
Anyway...no matter how much you paid...even if it was free...the doctor needs to make it right! What has happened is NOT accepatble. I beleive you would have a really good court case based on your story with the switching of doctors alone.
However, Cellulite is VERY hard to fix. BUT if you were told too much fat was taked out, fat can be injected back in (OMG- sounds horrible I must admit). Have you talked with the doctor? I'm sure he will want to do the right thing. If he doesn't, start gathering other expert opinions to get a case together. Also, I would report it to the place you bought it from. They shouldn't want to ask for his donation again.
One thing I have learned from plastic surgery...be VERY weary of anything that is lower priced. Deals happen for a reason and will cost you much more in the long run. I know! My $1000 lower priced breast augmentation 2 years ago is now costing me another 9K to get it repaired.
So, I wish you better luck and pray that your doctor will do the right thing. It's time you start heading in the right direction!
Julie
5/9/08
I wonder about your legs...my arm looked like that and my doctor did lymphatic massage...are the ripply areas hard in places? If they are, the massage might work for you, and clear out that inflammation. If not, endermologie can probably help. I have always read laser lipo does not help cellulite. Endermologie really does help it, but you do have to keep up the treatments once a month - otherwise it is temporary. I quit going after the first 14 treatments and my results eventually went away.
5/10/08
Thanks for the suggestions. I am willing to try anything. Money is low so before doing anything else amI researching Mesotherapy, Velasmooth, Velashape, Accent and I will check out endermologie. Thanks. I know one thing is for certain. I am smaller than I was. The fat is completely gone from that area. Anyway, if you come across anything else that looks helpful please let me know. And yes, a few areas are hard. Maybe I should ask about that Lymphthatic Drainage I know that with cellulite that is one of the reasons it occurs. Whether man made cellulite is the same I am not sure. How long did it take for your arm to correct itself.? I am excercising again and trying to build up some muscle in that area and see if that helps. I am also trying a cellulite type diet. The doctors from Fix my Lipo.com and and Lipostructure.com seem to think i have a cobblestone appearance after viewing my photos. Which unfortunately is a risk and common in older women. I am tending to agree with them but it is definitely cellulite at any rate.
5/10/08
Thanks for your email and advice. All of your suggestions and hunches are great. As for the pregnancy I was 7 weeks along. I lost the baby on Aug 22, 2007. I had smart lipo on Dec 10, 2007. Give or take, 5 months. I guess very possible. However, now that I have put myself out there to the world a few of the sites that will repair Lipo deformities as they call them seem to say that this is not uncommon. It is called a 'cobble stone' appearance. Yea! Anyway, Another factor is that they removed way too much out of my thighs. Anytime that you work on the lateral thigh it seems trouble arises. I am not sure why they inserted the cannulas on the front of my thighs to do the outer. Thanks for the help on what to do next. Of course the doctor that performed the procedure is willing to do-over the site but that is not what I need. I spoke to 2 doctors who say I have to have fat graphs. But they are tough to accomplish too in my case. My doctor does not do graphs. Too bad on my part. I really blew it. Anyway, everything you said was right on. Thanks also for your honesty about your breast Aug. I am glad you got it worked out eventually. Some Deal, huh? What I would give for those chubby lil' thighs back. = )
5/13/08
Is there anyway you can email me the doctor that you went to? I'm interested in the procedure, however I don't want to run across the same doctor. I believe you're in the Bay Area of CA since you mentioned the Mercury News. I too am in the Bay Area and would love to know who to avoid. THANKS A BUNCH! I hope everything goes well.
5/13/08
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5/16/08
I am so glad I read your story. I am really sorry for all of the trauma you have been through, I lost a baby at four months and understand the desire to make a change after something like that happens.I am having a scar revision (mini-tuck)for an emergency c-section (vertical incision), I was contemplating smart lipo on my inner thighs but now think I will just pass, they aren't that bad.
I hope things are better for you and I appreciate you putting this information out there. All I have found is how great this procedure is and how there are no big complications. I guess they are not big unless they happen to ourselves...thanks again and good luck.
5/18/08
Thank you. I too appreciate you sharing your story with me!
5/19/08
It is hard to tell what you legs looked like before you had this procedure done. Do you have a closer shot of your legs before the procedure to look at?
Did you do any post operative treatments like triactive or velasmooth? Nothing out there can fix cellulite but I know these two treatments after Smartlipo help to smooth everything out.
I am sorry to hear that you went through such a tramatic experience.
5/20/08
Your story brought tears to my eyes, I hope things are going better for you, we all know us women are more critical on ourselves than anyone else could be and to be totally honest I dont think you look bad post lipo. The main thing is for you to be happy and I truly hope you are getting to that point. Best of luck and thanks for sharing your story. God Bless....
5/29/08
I recently had smart lipo done, actually just two weeks ago and I have amazing results! I wish you did too. My Dr also does vaser after the smart lipo which helps to smooth out the lumpy look and tone the skin. I had my love handles, inner, outer and top of my thighs done. I had huge legs that would become one when I stood, now I almost have a space between them! I don't know when the soreness will end and if it is still swollen around my waist as I am still sore to the touch. My dr is also going to add a little more vaser to the back of my thighs in a few weeks to help with the cellulite, it made a HUGE difference on the side of my thighs. Once I figure out how to post a pic I will, I lov emy results, can't wait to move freely again though, it can be painful...
5/30/08
I am happy for you. No one hase mentioned anything to me about Vaser after lipo. I wonder???? Maybe, it could work for me too. Hang in there with the swelling it does last a bit. I will go down though. The result tends to get better and better in most cases.
6/1/08
thanks for the info, I do worry a little about my waist though. I read above from someone that they lost their curves, I kind of think that I did too. I will be working on my abs a lot more when the the pain is less on my lower back. Did anyone feel like this and then eventually start to shape more?
6/11/08
I'm so sorry to hear what you have gone through... I have seen many photos where the person actually looked better before because the tone of their skin now looks so unnatural, and have been very afraid of that exact type of thing. I had a procedure called mesotherapy a couple of years ago for fat loss and cellulite, mostly fat loss. It's not permanent since the fat cells are not sucked out, but I have to say, my cellulite, at 43 and definitely I'm in worse shape, is much better than it used to be. I've heard that it can help even out the results of liposuction mistakes--it could be very worth it to check it out. Good luck to you--
Lisa
6/12/08
Thank you Lise!! It is people like you that help us keep going. Thanks for taking the time to view my story and post a comment.
7/9/08
I saw your pictures today. You look amazing.. Really, really good! I am happy for you.
8/6/08
Hi there,
I just checked out your posting again and saw the newer pictures. What I see on your legs looks very similar to what I’ve got right now, but I have actual ridges where the suction stopped and started. It’s been about 3 ½ months since I had the bad procedure done and I’ve noticed a couple more changes in the past week, I think I may have lost a bit more fat, too. My outer left thigh definitely has less fat then my right and is a bit more lumpy.
Don’t know if you read my follow-up on July 22 about my second consultation. I’m putting all my faith in Dr. F’s evaluation that everything will work out fine. If he can just eliminate the ridges and most of the lumps I’ll be happy, which is his plan. If you are interested in traveling (don’t know where you live) you might be interested in talking to him. He’s at Rejuvenate Medispa in Utica, NY. You can tell him that Roberta R. suggested you call him. I’m not an expert but from what I see in your new pictures he may be able to help you, at least somewhat.
8/8/08
Thank you for everything. Honestly. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.