It's been a year since I had a (successful) knee replacement. Is it too soon to do lipo around the knees (& calves, and thighs)?

Liposuction of the knees can safely be performed after a knee replacement as long as all the swelling from the surgery has subsided.   Usually, a year would be sufficient in most cases as long as there has been no complications with the healing of the replacement.  Best of luck.

liposuction around the knees after surgery can be done right away but I have people wait 3-6 months then proceed.
You need a formal evaluation by an expert in body shaping and contouring to determine what is best.  Traditional liposuction awake and smart liposuction are old methods and do very poorly for tightening skin or significant skin tightening or contouring.  Small problem areas can be improved slightly by these methods.  The best in body contouring not only removes fat with energy devices like VASER ultrasound but also internally heat the skin with radio-frequency devices such as J PLASMA/RENUVION, InMode BodyTite, ThermiRF to heat the under surface of the skin and tighten it at the same time as fat removal. These combinations are called 4D HIDEF VASER contouring and can only be done by a well . trained body contouring specialist. At the same time fat should be harvested, PRP and stem cells added and injected into muscles or indentations/cellulite to get body shaping and contouring.  This is known as a Brazilian butt lift when you inject the fat to the buttock for contouring and lifting, but fat can also be used in areas such as the chest/breast, arms/shoulders, calves and face.  Cellulite should also be treated with cellfina, sculptra, subcision and/or fillers such as bellafill, renuva synthetic fat, or sculptra.  If skin is very loose before surgery then it will need to be removed such as lower abdominal skin (tummy tuck/abdominoplasty), breast skin (breast lift), arm skin (brachioplasty).  Overall you need a full assessment, but simple liposuction alone will not tighten skin and needs a combination of various methods -- fat removal, skin tightening, defining, fat grafting, skin removal -- to get the best in body contouring and body sculpting.  Dr. Emer.

This may be reasonable provided mobility is not hindered and the orthopedic surgeon clears you for the surgery.  Fat transfer with very small facial cannulae and small volume injections will give you the best chance for improvement.  The knee area is more prone to contour irregularity after liposuction, and as such liposuction should be limited.  You also do not want to have an issue with falling skin.  Would need photos or in-office exam to comment on lipo of calves and thighs,
Kenneth Hughes, MD, ABPS Board Certified Plastic Surgeon
Los Angeles, CA

Dear  55 and counting,
it is hard to tell for sure but if you are fully healed and recovered from your knee replacement, you might be a candidate for a surgery. If you are considering a surgery, I would suggest you to consult a board-certified plastic surgeon. Only after a thorough examination you will get more information and recommendations.
Daniel Barrett, MD

Certified, American Board of Plastic Surgery
Member, American Society of Plastic Surgery
Member, American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery

Hello dear!!
Thanks for the question and provided information as well. 
You should be ok, but please talk to your primary doctor to see if you are clear for plastic surgery and then I suggest you to book a consultation with a board certified plastic surgeon to discuss the best options for your goals.
Hope this is helpful. Good luck :)

Hello, and thank you for your question. (Keep in mind that an in-person consultation is necessary for the best advice.) Liposuction can be safely performed once the swelling has resolved---usually 3-6 months after the procedure. If you decide to pursue surgery it’s very important that you find a surgeon whom you are comfortable with and trust and who evaluates you in-person and tailors an individualized treatment plan for you and your aesthetic goals. Best of luck!
Matthew A. DelMauro, M.D.

Hi and welcome to our forum!Some patients who have undergone total knee replacements complain of postoperative chronic lower leg swelling secondary to venous insufficiency on the affected side. Chronic leg swelling increases infection risk. I recommend orthopedic clearance prior to surgery. If there is no contraindication, you would be considered a surgical candidate at this time as your previous surgery has healed.Best wishes...

A year is enough time to wait before having liposuction in that area. The procedure itself remains in the fat layer just below the skin and should not go into the muscles/tendon/or joint. Therefore as long as the surgeon is aware of your previous surgery, they can safely manuever and perform the treatment for you. Hope this helps!Johnson C. Lee, MD
Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon

it's important to differentiate what you're trying to achieve. Most 55-year-olds who come in getting consultations for lower extremity liposuction want tight smooth skin under thighs and legs.  Liposuction will not make your skin tight in anyway and can definitely make it loose and look uneven.  If your goal is sized reduction then liposuction that can help.  Liposuction below the knees meaning calves and ankles is technically the most difficult area on the body to work on. Recovery is typically two or three times longer than anywhere else in the body. You should expect swelling to last for 3 to 6 months minimum with difficulty  in wearing certain types of shoes for six weeks to three months.  I don't think your previous knee replacement would be an issue but should it get contaminated during the procedure the outcome will be devastating. And infected knee replacement would have to be removed. This would be very very bad.  Again, it's fairly unlikely this would happen but the consequences would be pretty bad.  You could ask your surgeon to only do liposuction in the superficial layers meaning close to the skin surface when working around the actual knee joint.  This should minimize the chance of contamination. Obviously the procedure is done in a sterile way but there is always some bacteria when we do any surgical procedure.  I suggest you talk to a few board-certified plastic surgeons will have extensive experience with liposuction and you can get an idea if this is an appropriate procedure for you.  The term micro cannula is used exclusively for marketing purposes.  It is a Way for doctors or companies to self promote.  In reality we use the appropriate size cannula just like a mechanic or carpenter would use the correct size screwdriver, correct size wrench or anything else. I've seen both doctors and cosmetic  surgery corporations use the term micro cannula's referring to three and 4 mm cannula's which are fairly large cannulas used for high volume liposuction.  There's also nothing new about these cannula's. Small cannula's down to the size of 1 and 2 mm have been around for many many years.  It's simply not possible to make any headway or remove any significant amounts of fat with a one or 2 mm cannula when working on lower extremities.  Enough about that. The only thing that really makes a difference in your case is who you end up consulting with and or doing the procedure.  I cannot emphasize enough the importance of picking the most competent, qualified and ethical board-certified plastic surgeon in regards to outcomes and overall experience.  Best, Mats Hagstrom MD