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I had chin liposuction 5 weeks ago and I still have a line of hard swelling. Is this normal?

I've been massaging the area all days, but it doesn't seem to improve. I also look fatter than I was.

Doctor Answers 10

Hard swelling after chin liposuction

July 14th, 2014
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It is not uncommon for there to be firm areas beneath the chin and neck skin and following liposuction.  Massage typically helps these areas soft and but it can take 6-8 weeks.  Please follow closely with your plastic surgeon.

Web reference: http://www.bostonplasticsurgeryspecialists.com/services/face/double-chin/

Brooke R. Seckel, MD, FACS
July 14th, 2014

Hard swelling after chin liposuction

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It is not uncommon for there to be firm areas beneath the chin and neck skin and following liposuction.  Massage typically helps these areas soft and but it can take 6-8 weeks.  Please follow closely with your plastic surgeon.

Learn more: http://www.bostonplasticsurgeryspecialists.com/services/face/double-chin/

Brooke R. Seckel, MD, FACS

I had chin liposuction 5 weeks ago and I still have a line of hard swelling. Is this normal?

July 13th, 2014
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Relax. This is very common and may last 8-12 weeks. It's very important that you continue with massages. I would suggest that you seek a therapist familiar with lymphatic massages. It will get softer. Good luck.
Jose Perez-Gurri, MD, FACS
July 13th, 2014

I had chin liposuction 5 weeks ago and I still have a line of hard swelling. Is this normal?

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Relax. This is very common and may last 8-12 weeks. It's very important that you continue with massages. I would suggest that you seek a therapist familiar with lymphatic massages. It will get softer. Good luck.
Jose Perez-Gurri, MD, FACS

Chin Liposuction

July 12th, 2014
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Hi Satori,
No cause for alarm as this is part of normal healing.  Keep your surgeon in the loop to be sure nothing else is going on.  Take if from me, this can take a good six months to smooth and soften.  All the best, "Dr. Joe:

Web reference: http://www.tcplasticsurgery.com/procedures/face/facial-liposuction/

Joe Gryskiewicz, MD, FACS
July 12th, 2014

Chin Liposuction

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Hi Satori,
No cause for alarm as this is part of normal healing.  Keep your surgeon in the loop to be sure nothing else is going on.  Take if from me, this can take a good six months to smooth and soften.  All the best, "Dr. Joe:

Learn more: http://www.tcplasticsurgery.com/procedures/face/facial-liposuction/

Joe Gryskiewicz, MD, FACS

Liposuction swelling takes weeks to resolve

July 17th, 2014
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Hi!
After lipo in the neck, there is commonly firmness and nodules of swollen fat for many weeks-- stay patient! Sometimes massage of this area can help move the edema out.
Good luck.
Anne Taylor, MD
July 17th, 2014

Liposuction swelling takes weeks to resolve

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Hi!
After lipo in the neck, there is commonly firmness and nodules of swollen fat for many weeks-- stay patient! Sometimes massage of this area can help move the edema out.
Good luck.
Anne Taylor, MD

Swelling and firmness after neck liposuction--pretty common.

July 13th, 2014
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At 5 weeks post-op, there is bound to be residual dead fat, blood, and scar tissue that need to go through the healing and maturation process that takes 6-12 months. Firmness is common, and is increased when liposuction is performed.

I prefer direct fat excision via a slightly longer incision for this reason, as I can obtain meticulous hemostasis under direct vision, which is impossible with liposuction, Whatever bruising/bleeding you get with liposuction, you get, and it takes longer to soften and heal, and can sometime be lumpy and irregular. Another part of why I have abandoned liposuction under the neck.

But this remains a common operation, and many patients have the exact same occurrence you are describing, so be patient. Don't massage too much, and don't gain weight during this time of increased metabolic activity in this area. Best wishes! Dr. Tholen

Web reference: http://www.realself.com/find/Minnesota/Minneapolis/Plastic-Surgeon/Richard-Tholen#photo-254840

Richard H. Tholen, MD, FACS
July 13th, 2014

Swelling and firmness after neck liposuction--pretty common.

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At 5 weeks post-op, there is bound to be residual dead fat, blood, and scar tissue that need to go through the healing and maturation process that takes 6-12 months. Firmness is common, and is increased when liposuction is performed.

I prefer direct fat excision via a slightly longer incision for this reason, as I can obtain meticulous hemostasis under direct vision, which is impossible with liposuction, Whatever bruising/bleeding you get with liposuction, you get, and it takes longer to soften and heal, and can sometime be lumpy and irregular. Another part of why I have abandoned liposuction under the neck.

But this remains a common operation, and many patients have the exact same occurrence you are describing, so be patient. Don't massage too much, and don't gain weight during this time of increased metabolic activity in this area. Best wishes! Dr. Tholen

Learn more: http://www.realself.com/find/Minnesota/Minneapolis/Plastic-Surgeon/Richard-Tholen#photo-254840

Richard H. Tholen, MD, FACS

Hard swelling 5 weeks after chin liposuction

July 12th, 2014
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After liposuction of the neck (under the chin), there normally is some firmness and swelling to the area during the healing process.  These issues normally improve over time, but it can take several months for this to occur.  Since your procedure was 5 weeks ago, it would not be unusual to have some firmness and swelling still present.  An examination would be needed to determine if the amount of firmness and swelling you have is normal or out of the ordinary.  
Michael I. Echavez, MD

Michael I. Echavez, MD
San Francisco Facial Plastic Surgeon
4.5 out of 5 stars 18 reviews

July 12th, 2014

Hard swelling 5 weeks after chin liposuction

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After liposuction of the neck (under the chin), there normally is some firmness and swelling to the area during the healing process.  These issues normally improve over time, but it can take several months for this to occur.  Since your procedure was 5 weeks ago, it would not be unusual to have some firmness and swelling still present.  An examination would be needed to determine if the amount of firmness and swelling you have is normal or out of the ordinary.  
Michael I. Echavez, MD

Michael I. Echavez, MD
San Francisco Facial Plastic Surgeon
4.5 out of 5 stars 18 reviews

The neck should be feeling more supple at five weeks

February 21st, 2015
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Some firmness, bumpiness or unevenness is to be expected in the early phase of healing after neck liposuction.

Typically, when patients go on to complete the resolution, these should have been diminished by now.

I have seen several patients on RealSelf describing firm rope-like contracture scar bands in the neck after neck liposuction.

Many have been well over three or even six months out.

Please follow up with your plastic surgeon and do so on a regular basis.

More important than anything else is to understand what this represents. If it's just early scar tissue, massage and time will make it better.

If it's an area that's been over-liposuctioned, then the problem may be difficult to address. Sometimes there can be scar adhesions attaching the skin to the muscle layers.

At five weeks, your condition will most likely get better with time.

Follow up with your surgeon to see what his or her thoughts are.

Best of luck,

Mats Hagstrom, M.D.
Mats Hagstrom, MD
February 21st, 2015

The neck should be feeling more supple at five weeks

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Some firmness, bumpiness or unevenness is to be expected in the early phase of healing after neck liposuction.

Typically, when patients go on to complete the resolution, these should have been diminished by now.

I have seen several patients on RealSelf describing firm rope-like contracture scar bands in the neck after neck liposuction.

Many have been well over three or even six months out.

Please follow up with your plastic surgeon and do so on a regular basis.

More important than anything else is to understand what this represents. If it's just early scar tissue, massage and time will make it better.

If it's an area that's been over-liposuctioned, then the problem may be difficult to address. Sometimes there can be scar adhesions attaching the skin to the muscle layers.

At five weeks, your condition will most likely get better with time.

Follow up with your surgeon to see what his or her thoughts are.

Best of luck,

Mats Hagstrom, M.D.
Mats Hagstrom, MD

Chin lipo and hard swelling

December 9th, 2014
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Yes, the hardness is still subcutaneous swelling which can last 3-6 months after surgery. Sometimes massaging the area can help resolve that.
Ariel Ostad, MD

Ariel Ostad, MD
New York Dermatologic Surgeon
4.3 out of 5 stars 17 reviews

December 9th, 2014

Chin lipo and hard swelling

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Yes, the hardness is still subcutaneous swelling which can last 3-6 months after surgery. Sometimes massaging the area can help resolve that.
Ariel Ostad, MD

Ariel Ostad, MD
New York Dermatologic Surgeon
4.3 out of 5 stars 17 reviews

Firm area after liposuction

September 1st, 2014
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Firmness in areas of liposuction are normal.  This will resolve with time.  The final results of liposuction are best seen at 3 months
Earl Stephenson, Jr., MD, DDS, FACS
September 1st, 2014

Firm area after liposuction

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Firmness in areas of liposuction are normal.  This will resolve with time.  The final results of liposuction are best seen at 3 months
Earl Stephenson, Jr., MD, DDS, FACS

Yes, it's normal

July 21st, 2014
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It can take 2-3 months for your neck to soften after neck liposction. After the initial 2-3 weeks of healing, massage of the troubled areas and the scar, other therapies like ultrasound can help reduce tight or thickened scar tissue. This is very norma after surgery.

Web reference: http://www.sbplasticsurgery.com/face/lip-chin-augmentation-santa-barbara-ca/

Wesley G. Schooler, MD
July 21st, 2014

Yes, it's normal

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It can take 2-3 months for your neck to soften after neck liposction. After the initial 2-3 weeks of healing, massage of the troubled areas and the scar, other therapies like ultrasound can help reduce tight or thickened scar tissue. This is very norma after surgery.

Learn more: http://www.sbplasticsurgery.com/face/lip-chin-augmentation-santa-barbara-ca/

Wesley G. Schooler, MD

These answers are for educational purposes and should not be relied upon as a substitute for medical advice you may receive from your physician. If you have a medical emergency, please call 911. These answers do not constitute or initiate a patient/doctor relationship.