Recent laxity, cellulite and contour deformities from the lipo. Alternatives to a Thigh/ Knee Lift? (Photos)

Question

I'm a 43 year old, healhty, active woman with great skin. 5 years ago, I had liposuction done on my knees / lower thigh area - twice. The first time was normal, but the second time I did "body tite" with the radiofrequency . My legs looked amazing for years. Something happened recently - i'm not sure if it's hormone changes or some mild weight loss, but that area looks like I aged 80 years. I have terrible skin laxity, cellulte and contour deformities from the lipo. Morpheus8 made it dramatically worse. I don't know what to do and it's very distressing. I look like I'm in my 20s and my thighs look 80. I don't think I'm a great candidate for a thigh lift because my skin is tight everywhere else. And I don't want the scars. Is there anything that will help? I'm mixed black/white and my skin loses pigment if I laser. Thanks for your help.

J. Timothy Katzen, MD, FACS · Answer

Hello MissJade2222 in Culver City, CA, thank you for your question regarding deformities from the lipo. Alternatives to a thigh/knee lift. Thank you for your history and pictures. You are NOT a suitable candidate for a thigh lift. You do not have much excess inner thigh skin or fat. Furthermore, you stated you do not want the thigh lift scar. Furthermore, do not do any more liposuction; your thighs will get worse. Most plastic surgeons would recommend radio-frequency (RF). RF is minimally invasive and only leaves a small scar. RF can be performed under local or twilight anesthesia. Good luck. I hope that I have answered your question regarding deformities from the lipo and alternatives to a thigh/knee lift.  Sincerely, Dr. Katzen, MD, MBA. (President of  the American Society of Bariatric Surgeons, Certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery, Fellow of the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, American College of Surgery, International College of Surgery, and American Board of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery, and member of the American Society of Plastic Surgery, American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery, RealSelf Hall of Fame, and RealSelf Doctor Advisory Board for Medical Review and Consumer Panel.)

Yasemin Aydinli, MD · Answer

Sudden laxity after years of good results usually reflects hormonal shifts (perimenopause is common at 43) plus thinner post-lipo tissue, not a failure of the original procedure. Before a lift, reasonable steps are fat grafting to blend contour deformities, and skin-tightening modalities (RF microneedling, Renuvion) knowing their effect is modest. If laxity is significant, a lift remains the definitive fix &mdash; the scar is the trade-off.

Recent laxity, cellulite and contour deformities from the lipo. Alternatives to a Thigh/ Knee Lift? (Photos)

Answers (2)

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