Dimples and Cellulite After Lipo...any Cure?

Sorry to hear about your problem.  There is a new treatment for cellulite that appears to be very promising.  It is called Cellulaze and it is the first FDA approved one time only treatment for cellulite.  It is a procedure related to SmartLipo where a laser is inserted under the skin.  This laser is used to treat the three causes of cellulite: superficial fat lobules, thickened bands causing dimpling, and loss of skin elasticity.  There is data now showing that the results from one treatment are lasting 2-3 years.  If you truly have cellulite, Cellulaze may be your best option. All other options to treat cellulite require multiple treatments and only give temporary relief for the problem.  Find a Cellulaze surgeon near you to find out if you are a good candidate.  Good luck!

   After one year, the dimpling is probably not going to improve by itself.  Unfortunately, there are no reliable nonsurgical methods to treat this.  Kenneth Hughes, MD Los Angeles, CA

Thank you for your question.  Contour irregularities or dimples after liposuction happen in some patients whose skin tone is dimished or as a result of the procedure itself.  Usually, this dimpling improves postoperatively as the swelling of the remaining tisuues resolve and the scarring matures.  In some cases the dimpling is permanent. Nosurgical treatments include non invasiive devices that massage, suction, or heat the skin through light or radiofrequency energy or some combination thereof.  In the early postoperative periord some patients find lymphatic drainage massage moderately helpful,  There is scant supporting data to show that these treatments work much beyond providing temporary improvement.  Creams and vitamins are probably in the same category.  Once this problem arises, your options  include accepting the result if possible in less severe instances, surgical skin tightening in very severe cases, and touch-up liposuction with fat transfer in intermediate cases.  An in person consultation would help to determine which course of treatment is most appropriate for your dilemna. 

A side effect of fat harvesting for transfer, and liposuction itself are dents and irregularities. The pattern might look like cellulite though is probably small scars and adhesions where suctioning was peformed. Lymphatic massage and time will soften the denting as the scars mature. For the worst of them fat grafting into the dents can help. If you only suctioned your thigh for fat to transfer, bummer. Breast fat transfer can produce modest gains, so we hope the trade-off was a good one for you.