Michael Schwartz, MD

I am 8 weeks out from my second surgery with Dr. Schwartz. Over two VASER liposuction surgeries, he removed about 23 lbs of lipedema fat from my arms and legs and also performed a beautiful brachioplasty. I came home with a completely transformed shape and most importantly — my lipedema pain, which I’d had since I was a teenager, is gone. I couldn’t be happier with the results of my surgeries and I would recommend Dr. Schwartz to anyone looking for relief from lipedema.

Amazing. Very happy overall. Can’t say enough about my results. I flew from NY and am so pleased I did. I’m already enjoying my results and it’s only been 7 weeks. Dr. Schwartz is skilled and is very interested in what he is doing.

Trying to in a qualified plastic surgeon that has performed a Thigh Lift multiple times.
I realize there is higher risk for infections and wound separation with this procedure. I want someone with experience. I am willing to travel out of state to have it done.

Updated on 5 Mar 2019:
Is this another side effect of Lipodema?

Updated on 20 Mar 2019:
I decided to go with Dr. Peter Fisher in San Antonio, Texas. I will be doing 2 procedures.
I will do Liposuction from Hips to Ankles in August 2019 than Thighlift in 2020.

Updated on 9 Jul 2020:
I have maintained my 110 lb weight loss since 2014. Now it is time for skin removal surgery.
I have chosen Dr. Michael Schwartz in Pasadena, California

Updated on 23 Jul 2020:
I feel pretty good! I am going to try Extra Strength Tylenol instead of HydroCodeine today. I can already walk without assistance.
Taking my first shower today and getting 1 hour of MLD.

Updated on 28 Jul 2020:
I had my 7 day follow up today and the doctor removed the stiches. He put a little strip of glue and taped them back up.
I asked if I could take a quick picture before he taped them back up. The pain has been manageable with Extra Strength Tylenol and I am walking around the house without assistance. I did have Vaser Lipo with the Thigh Lift, that is the reason for all the bruising.
I fly from California to Arizona tomorrow to complete my recovery at my Dad’s house in Mesa, AZ
I took 4 weeks off work for this procedure.

Updated on 30 Jul 2020:
Just received these from the Doctor. After yesterday’s 1 week update. 3 liters removed with Vaser Liposuction.

Updated on 4 Aug 2020:
Not a lot of changes. The tape will remain on the incisions for 4 weeks. I had my 3rd MLD massage today. The bruising is more prominent on the Left leg compared to the Right leg. They just feel tight and bruised, very manageable.

Updated on 15 Sep 2020:
Recovery is going very well. I started back to Walking 2 miles a day at 6 weeks post op.
I wear my Marena compression 24/7. No swelling I speak of. I did 9 MLD massages after surgery.

Updated on 26 Sep 2020:
I am feeling great. This was not as bad as I thought it was going to be in my head. I had a real fear of wound opening or infections. I m happy to say that did not happen to me.
Now I am just waiting for the incisions to flatten out some more.

Updated on 21 Feb 2021:
I am very happy with my results. I didn’t have any problems with my incisions. When I am standing you can’t even see the scars.


Updated on 21 Feb 2021:
The left photo is before 10.5 liters of loopy fat removed by Dr. Peter Fischer in 2019.
The right photo is 7 months after Vaser Liposuction (3 liters) and ThighLift with Dr. Michael Schwartz. Thigh lift was July 2020.

I'm very happy with the rhinoplasty Dr. Schwartz performed on me in 2011. He's very caring and very detail oriented. My results are natural and fit in with the rest of my features. I've taken many friends family to see Dr. Schwartz through the years and they all love their results.

Dr. Schwartz is an skilled and amazing Lipedema specialist and surgeon. I am 6 months post surgery and the results are amazing, even better than expected!
I was diagnosed with this diseas in 2015 and unfortunately was treated by another surgeon prior to Dr. Schwartz . Dr Schwartz accomplished more in one surgery than achieve in 4 surgeries from the previous doctor. If you are suffering from Lipedema, please contact Dr. Schwartz.

I had Vaser Liposuction for Lipedema 2 weeks ago! Dr Schwartz is not only a highly skilled surgeon but he is truly caring and companionate, down to earth and extremely knowledgeable in Lipedema fat disorder. I had a ‘top doc’ from Beverly Hills do my surgery first and had little to no results. This was extremely frustrating because the doctor said my fat was too fibrous. Dr Schwartz went right in with the Vaser and got all of the fibrous Lipedema fat out! I highly recommend him for any of your aesthetic needs. He is located in Pasadena CA

Hi everyone, my story dates back to 2007 when I decided to rid my nose of a bump on it. After the swelling went down my nose was crooked and had a small cartilage bump on it that looked really bad. I didn't do much research and went for a really cheap doctor and regretted this choice. I naively thought bad cosmetic surgeries happened in Mexico only. When I decided to fix it I did extensive research and consulted with many doctors . I decided on Dr. Michael Schwartz in Pasadena Ca. because he took a genuine interest in my case and showed me other rhinoplasties he'd done as well as what he would make my nose look like. It is now 2016 and after said nose job and a chin implant performed by Dr. Schwartz I can say I look 100% better. I have a tremendous amount of confidence and I no longer worry about how I look on a day to day basis. My only regret is not attesting to how much he's changed my life for the better, much earlier. I have a beautiful dignified nose I'm proud of thanks to his care and attention.

Updated on 23 Jun 2016:

I never had strong stomach muscles, always had a pouchy stomach. When I had my son at 25 and weighing only 116 pounds, he really stretched out my small frame. I had stretch marks everywhere. 11 years later I had my daughter and I haven't been able to get the spare tire around my waist off. Ive tried losing weight, working out very hard, RF treatments, Cavitation treatments, Mesotherapy shots, however nothing seem to aid in the tightening of the flab on my lower abdomen. I didn't feel comfortable naked, let alone wearing underwear or clothes comfortably. I wanted to change this and be able to rock a bikini again. I had a few consultations and they were leading to a full TT. I loved the honesty of the consultation I had with Dr Michael Schwartz; he explained that I could continue getting this laser fat reducing treatments but would only lose up to 22% of that fat, Or for a few thousand dollars more have the full TT w/lipo with 98% fat reduction. The number made sense; me being analytical as I am. So I made my decision with 4 weeks to the the operation date. If I didn't schedule then and pay the deposit I would not have returned. Wow!

Updated on 11 Apr 2016:
I felt like a champ. I stopped taking the generic form of Vicodin and transitioned to Extra Strength Tylenol. I'm able to sit up with ease and learned to ease my way out of the high bed I have. I believe the compression socks from Lace Poet and keeping a pillow directly under my knees have helped with the healing process. For the most part I'm just taking it easy and feeling extremely sleepy. I was told that I could eat whatever I wanted but I was concerned about constipation so I decided to down some Phillips MOM. I should had waited because now I'm constantly going to the bathroom and my stomach is making some really weird noises. LOL.

Updated on 11 Apr 2016:
I'm feeling improvements today. Was able to take a shower without any problems....ahhhh felt sooooooo good!! I'm happy that the doctor removed my drain on 1 Day PO, it hurt like heck but he knew what he was doing. It has enabled me to sleep better, move around, etc. I have a pic I took of my progress. I want to share that I started taking Vitamin C, Probiotic, Zinc Picolinate Co Q-10 at two weeks post and Doctor's Best Quercetin Bromelain and Arnica Montana 30 just a few days post. I strongly believe these all aid in the prep and recovery process of having surgery.

Updated on 11 Apr 2016:
Definitely happy about being able to get out of this big bed on my own. :-) Experiencing the swelling today! Not cool! My 11 year daughter said I looked pregnant, which made me laugh then cry because boy that was very painful. DON'T LAUGH NOR COUGH and you will be fine. LOL!
I got up and went downstairs to make myself breakfast and ready to visit the doctor for another post surgery appt. I was feeling quite nauseous today so he took my blood pressure as well as my oxygen levels but everything checked out good. He believes it's just because I need rest. He agreed that I was swelled up but touched my stomach and said it doesn't appear to be any fluid underneath the skin so all is good and I'll be back on Friday for him to remove my Lipo stitches from the back. So far the only real pain I've felt was from the Lipo incisions. I'm just eager to get back to moving faster around the house and driving. I was happy that I was able to walk the dog at least, progress, progress, progress!!!!

Updated on 14 Apr 2016:
Much easier to get around, finally able to master getting in and out of bed. Showered all by myself and even washed my hair by bending over since I can't stand up straight. My biggest complaint is the heaviness around my waist because of the swelling and the tightening prevents me from standing up straight. It's a bit exhausting. I started takin Vitamin B6 which is to aid in the reduction of water retention, swelling, etc. I've noticed some improvements. On 6 Day PO I had no choice but to drive my daughter to school, I was a bit nervous about driving but it went very well. I needed a nap after all the excitement. LOL. I just need to remind myself it's okay to slow down and take it easy.

Updated on 16 Apr 2016:
As each day passes my recovery improves. I'm sleeping less and moving around more.
Made it out yesterday to go grocery shopping with my mom. I'm now finding the recliner to be the best seat in the house, and I sometimes take naps on the couch while laying on my side. Since I'm doing more moving around I'm wearing the compression socks less, they make me feel so hot. I cooked dinner yesterday and just trying to eat healthy meals without overeating because that feels uncomfortable. Today I got up and had the energy to flat iron and curl my hair as well as put on a comfortable loose fitting dress. I notice I can stand up straighter as each day passes. I just can't wait until the swelling minimizes, I was told the swelling is from the tumescent fluid used during lip. My hips and back area swollen as well. The surgical tape was removed from my belly button yesterday and there are dissolvable stitches so I'm eager to see the final results of my belly button. :-)

Updated on 17 Apr 2016:
Hi everyone, I over did t today and feeling exhausted now. I went out today with my 11 yr old, she's been so patient and helpful I wanted to take her to see a movie. I did pretty well. As I was walking out of the theater I can feel a bit of pulling on my incision as I attempted to walk normal. I feel like people are staring at me because of how bent over I am when walking. In any case I continue to feel better and better each day. Today I pulled out this string bikini set I had bought back in 2012. Well I won't be wearing a "string bikini" for sure, I'll have to have a bottom that's at least 2 inches wide to cover the scar. I can't wait to shop for it!!! I'm still pinching myself in disbelief, I keep saying to myself, "You actually did it". Wow!!

Updated on 19 Apr 2016:
Hi Realselfers, I'm Day 12 PO today and feeling good. I had lot's of energy this morning. I am able to bend over better and move around to where I'm back to doing light chores. I even danced around the living room for a little while. I'm standing up better today as well. Yesterday I was swollen and cranky. I really need to watch the salt intake and continue to sleep well. So today is a better day.
I'm posting some pics to get some opinion's on my belly button healing. Other than that I'm a bit annoyed about my stretch marks flaring up again, especially on my sides. Also, on my left side, I have these deep creases at the end of the tape, on my hip. Hoping these disappear once the tape and stitches are out. C'mon!!!! I'm on it though!!! I emailed my doctor with pics so we will see what he says. I will see him again on Friday. Meanwhile I'm constantly battling with myself to take it easy. I can now sleep on my sides for a short period of time as well and stopped wearing my compression socks because they were making me so dang hot. Oh and wondering when I can begin Lymphatic message.

Updated on 20 Apr 2016:
Felt pretty crappy today. Started with feeling naseaus most of the morning. I could understand this. I decided to take Tylenol because maybe my body is trying to tell me something. So that made me feel little bit better. But for the most of the day I felt tired and I was swollen. It was hard to stand straight or just move around the house. I'm hoping for a better day tomorrow.

Updated on 21 Apr 2016:
Wow, two weeks now and making progress each day. Still experiencing tenderness from the Lipo on the backs and sides. Still feels more comfortable to sleep on my back with a pillow under my knees rather than sleeping on my sides. I'm swollen most of the time and when it's less, I'm able to do more and stand up straighter. My energy level is so so, it's strange because I can just feel myself healing . Tomorrow is my two week Post Op appointment so I'll share more tomorrow.

Updated on 24 Apr 2016:
Catching up on the past few days:
Day 15 PO I had my 2 Week PO appointment. Happy that my boyfriend came into town and drove me to my appointment. The Doctor says everything looks great and my boyfriend got a sneak peak as well and said it looks good. My belly button is healing and the swelling is normal. He changed the tape on the incision and I could feel some discomfort but he wants me to continue wearing the tape for another 2 Weeks. He also said it was too soon for lympahatic drainage, but after 4 Weeks PO I could benefit from it.
Day 16 PO I had a couple complications from constipation to yeast irritation, probably from the antibiotics to wearing the tight compression garment. OMG! I was so miserable. Not much more to say about this day because I was not happy.
Day 17 PO I woke up not as swollen so that felt pretty good. I'm able to stand up straight for short periods of time. If I sit back down for awhile, it makes it tougher to stand up straight. So still working on the tightness/heaviness feeling around my waist. I'm feeling better today but i must say I just can't wait until this is all over. I would like the numbness and swelling to go and never come back. I'm also still so tender from the back Lipo, it's a lot better but it's still hard to sleep. I also took some pics where I could see a little puckering under the tape, hmmmmmmm. I'm not going to worry about it, everything is still healing so I will continue to listen to the doctor and take things easy until I go back for my 4 WeeK OP.
I bought two products from Amazon to aid in the stretch marks. AltheaDerm Stretch Mark Butter & Itch Soothing Butter with Clementine Essential Oil. This product immediately soothed the itchy feeling on the stretch marks. Love it so far. I also started putting on Senvie Setavan Stretch Mark Cream, which had great reviews. I still use my BioOil as well because I just like the way it feels. Okay so that's my update. I hope everyone is doing well. Can you other 2 Week PO RealSelfers comment on how they are doing????

Updated on 28 Apr 2016:
Can't believe my surgery was 3 weeks ago. The first few days just creep on by. I'm overall happy with my new look but the swelling is now driving me insane. I have minimal swelling in the morning but most of the day I'm swollen. I can stand straight up in the mornings as well but as the day goes on it's definitely difficult. It is very uncomfortable, especially going from a sitting position to standing. Forget it. I managed to take the dog to the dog park. Poor dog, he hasn't been out much since my surgery. However, I'm feeling quite drained, but I think it's from the bacteria infection I got when taking the Antibiotics. That's probably why I feel so blah and irritated. I am experiencing some shedding of my skin. My skin was itchy about a week ago and I have been hydrating it with a few things. So I'm sure that has something to do with it? So I'm hoping at 4 weeks PO I will make progress and give a better report. That's when I have my next PO appointment as well. Take care!!

Updated on 29 Apr 2016:
Had a pretty good day today. The swelling didn't bother me as much today and I did a bit of exercise in form of dancing around the room and worked out the arms with my 8 pound weights. Felt great! I did some mini squats too. I can definitely feel the muscle in my tummy however my tummy is still pretty numb but each day I feel there is little progress. This really takes some time!! Still sore on the back from the Lipo as well. I'm just looking forward to 4 Weeks PO, I'm really hoping the swelling will decrease and I can get back to really working out.

Updated on 1 May 2016:
Hi everyone, today I woke up feeling pretty good, feeling a bit of a turn around today. Swelling not as bad and gaining some feeling on my stomach, especially the sides. I decided to try on some things just to see how they fit as I prepare for a cruise I plan to take in June. I took my daughter out to the Upland Lemon Festival and wore jeans for the first time since surgery and walked around a whole lot. Thought I would be tired but I did real well. I got bad news today, my grandmother passed away today at the age of 89. We knew it was coming but wow, this is hard. My emotions are all over the place today. Curious, when is it okay to travel by plane after a TT and Lipo procedure??? I just don't think I'm up to traveling to Indiana at this point. I posted some pics but nothing has changed much at all. Have a great week everyone.

Updated on 8 May 2016:
Happy Mother's Day to all! I've been so busy now that I can get up and do a lot more, can't get a chance to check in and update. Last week I was able to roll over on my stomach!!! YIPEEEEEEE!!! I was so excited it was hilarious. It's most comfortable early in the morning when I'm not so swollen. I had my 4 Week PO with my doctor and he says I'm doing well. I discussed the unevenness on my back from the LIPO and he keeps saying it's swollen and over time will be okay BUT feels that the lymphatic drainage massage (SmoothShapes) will help. I will go in for 4 sessions and hopefully it makes a difference. I still experience tenderness but heck, it's gotten a lot better now. I'm feeling a lot more flexible. As for the Tummy Tuck he finally removed the tape and I was impressed at how my scar has healed. I'm unhappy with one side, I had a drain on my left side for 24 hours only but I'm still tender there and the incision goes downward at the tail end. I have read about dog ears and I've been praying that I never get them. But OH MY STRETCH MARKS, are noticeable right above my incision line, they look like long lines or indentation in the skin. There's nothing I can do about it, I'm being told that the swelling makes them look this way and he promises it will go away...."I believe you Dr. Schwartz!". LOL! He may need to do some laser treatments at 6 months as it will be clear what needs to be "adjusted" at that point. So for now I must be patient. No heavy exercising except for walking and can resume to gentle sex. I asked the Doctor to put on the Embrace Scar Therapy silicone strips I purchased. So he put the three on and we will see just how great this product claims to be. I can wear them from 8-10 days straight, instead of using silicone tape and putting on scar cream every day. I have pics of what it looks like. Spent time looking for Spanx garments since my Doctor said I can stop wearing the compression garments they gave me. Also tried on some bathing suits, etc. getting ready for my Cruise next month. I think I can get away with wearing a bikini top with wide sided bikini bottom. I found a few adjustable bikini bottoms, etc and will wear one pieces most of the time. Wow, haven't worn a bikini since 1993. So now that I'm pleased with my stomach area, I'm noticing how my upper thighs need help now!! LOL!! Geesh!!!! I need to work out BADLY.
We'll anyway, felt great today and noticed I'm not as swollen, I'm more flexible and received great compliments from my mom and family.

Updated on 12 May 2016:
This week seems to be a turnaround, able to walk straighter, except still having a hard time going from sitting to standing. I'm so so stiff!! Any suggestions for helping with the stiffness? Other than that the swelling seems to be getting better and looking good in clothing. I'm still achy from the back and flanks Lipo, dealing with the swelling. My doctor suggested SoothShapes so I made an appointment and tried it and OUCH! I couldn't go through with it and instead the opted for the hand Lymphatic Drainage Massage, which was exactly what I needed. I didn't notice a decrease in swelling however. I will schedule a couple more to see if anything changes. As far as my scar, it's Day 7 on the Embrace Scar Recovery Strips, I plan to take them off on Day 8 or Day 9. I can't tell if it's doing a great job or not but I can feel I well it prevents tension. I may go for another round of wearing these strips or try the Metipac tape with daily BioCorneum cream. Overall, I'm not totally happy with the results, I feel like I look fat, I know it's the swelling but I'm starting to wonder if all the fat was removed properly, especially on the flanks. I just look awkward in some spots and I'm not digging that. Week 6 is around the corner so I'm looking for some major improvements by the end of next week. I'll post some more pics in a bit.

Updated on 13 May 2016:
Posting some pics early in the morning before I broke my toe. SMH! I can't believe I stubbed my toe on my handheld weights and actually broke it. Felt so frustrated today as I was looking forward to exercising soon to get ready form a trip next week as well as the cruise next month, now I have another set back. I just want to heal...ALL OVER, is that too much to ask????

Updated on 15 May 2016:
Feeling great today so thought I post some pics. I'm able to flex my stomach muscles.
I may remove my Embrace strips today or tomorrow to view how the scar is healing so will post more pics within the next few days. This week I'm trying to work out on the lower body with my broken toe and all. SMH! I would love to go sit in the sauna at the gym but not sure if it's too soon? I have my 2nd Lymphatic Drainage Massage this week. She wants to work on the scar tissue at some point, she said it can really help with speeding the healing process up. Flying out of town at the end of the week to see my boyfriend and go to a concert, so we will see how it all goes.

Updated on 30 May 2016:
Hi everyone! It's been a little while since I've updated my profile. I'm now 7 weeks PO, will be 8 weeks PO this Thursday and I almost feel like I did pre surgery. Swelling is minimal or as expected with increased activity or eating too much sodium. Seems like when I hit 7 weeks I had a major change in my energy level and mobility of my stomach muscles as well as decreased soreness from Lipo. I feel great! This weekend I hardly noticed the tightness and was able to dance, etc. without any problems. At 7 weeks PO I hit the gym and did a light workout on the elliptical machine and sat in the sauna. I thought I was going to be tore up the next day, but actually felt pretty good. I love the way I look in clothing, it's such a great improvement to how I looked before. I still wear a Spanx Compression Garment, it's very comfortable and greatly helps with any swelling and any uneveness from the Lipo. Trust me, I tried to go without it for a few days and could tell the difference. I wear my Marena compression garment a night sometimes. My scar is still healing and decided to go for round two with Embrace Scar Therapy. My belly button is looking pretty good as well. I do notice some areas of concern in regards to my left side flank from Lipo (it's still looks swollen and/or not enough fat was removed) so one side looks flatter than the other side. My TT scar on my left hip has some pleating which is starting to flatten out a bit, finally, so hopefully this will continue. I'm sleeping a whole lot better as well. I'm going on a cruise in two weeks and super excited to wear some of the bikini's I purchased on Venus.com. They have some bottoms that cover my scar pretty well. I'll send pics tomorrow.

Updated on 2 Jun 2016:
I can finally say how happy I am with my results. My stomach looks AWESOME! I can't comment on the scar as of yet as I'm on my second round of Embrace Scar Therapy strips. BUT, looks like the pleating of the skin on my left hip is smoothing out and I'm thrilled about that. I don't know if it's just me but now that I'm happy with my tummy and back Lipo I notice other areas that bother me, such as my upper thigh area and wish Injad more booty. I'm not perfect so whatever, I'm just happy that I'm back to myself. Sleeping is better and my flexibility is back as well. At the gym doing light workout only due to the fractured toe I got A few weeks ago. So I have new Pics in new bathing suits I purchase on Venus.com for my upcoming trip to Puerto Rico and the Carribean Islands on one week!! Sooooo excited.

Updated on 2 Jun 2016:
I took a few pics of my new bathing suits. I'm very hard on myself so I immediately notice areas where I need improvements, like hmmmmmm maybe I should had opted in for the butt fat transfer. LOL! Anyway there is major improvement from before so YAY!

I'm really happy with the results of my Juvederm lip injections yesterday. I'm a little swollen today but even if it doesn't go down then it looks good. I wanted fuller lips, no correction to the shape or anything, and that's exactly what I got. The area was numbed with lidocaine only & felt no pain

Updated on 9 Mar 2016:
Are they settled yet I wonder? I feel a minor dick bill on the top but of course me staring at a mirror every 20 mins doesn't help...

Updated on 15 Mar 2016:
It's been one week and all swelling has subsided. They feel normal and the duck lip effect has subsided. No one in my close circle has noticed anything injectible afoot. This was the only thing I really was concerned with. Also, lip gloss looks and stays on SO MUCH BETTER! It's super fun trying new shades and styles that used to just look meh. Totally, totally worth it

Dr. Schwartz is amazing! So professional, very sterile! So kind, I would recommend him to any friends or family. He is so patient, and listens to his patients. He cares about their pre op & post operation care very much! He genuinely cares about his patients happiness & desires. I wouldn't trust anyone else to perform surgery on me.