5 weeks post op from lipo and BBL. Stomach is not as tight as before. Is my compression garment not tight enough? (Photo)

Question

Is my compression garments not tight enough? The skin was sticking to the muscle but now seems loose. I wear my compression garments religiously.

Emmanuel Mallol Cotes, MD · Answer

Thank you very much for sharing your concerns with us.At this point (5 weeks post op) the swelling is normal.To reduce it, I recommend you perform daily lymphatic drainage massage therapy over the abdomen and wear a postoperative girdle from thigh to the breasts.Kind regards,Dr. Emmanuel Mallol Cotes.-

John Paul Tutela, MD · Answer

Thanks for reaching out.  Often times after liposuction the remaining skin is loose.  Sometimes it needs to be excused with a tummy tuck.  I always advise my patients of this possibility.  It is more common in older patients or those who have lost a lot of weight. Younger patients that have more snap back to their skin experience this less frequently.  Many times a tummy tuck is planned at the time of liposuction because of this.  You can also stage the two operations for different times.I hope this helps :)

Sam Jejurikar, MD · Answer

Hard to know whether your compression garment is tight enough; a general rule is that it should be uncomfortable when you first put it on. It'd be good to review this with your plastic surgeon at your next postop appointment; depending in the elasticity of your skin prior to the liposuction, it's possible that your skin will end up being a little looser postoperatively. This tends to be true in patients who have lost massive amounts of weight or have had multiple pregnancies.Hope this helps! Sam Jejurikar, MD

Erika Sato, MD, FACS · Answer

No, as the swelling after surgery goes down it is normal for the skin to get loser. This may continue to happen all the way to 3 months. You technically won't have your final result until after 6 months. Tight compression will not make skin tighter. The only way to fix lose skin is to cute it out. You may consider a tummy tuck or mini tummy tuck.

Jules Walters, MD · Answer

You likely had loose skin preoperatively.  Liposuction by itself can only do so much in regards to skin tightening. Give it some time prior to judging your final result but u may need a tummy tuck in future to get the tightness you desire.

Christopher T. Chia, MD · Answer

You are still in the healing phase following the operation and there will be fluctuations in the swelling and the skin 'redraping'. Five weeks is too early to see the final results. The most important criterion for anticipating how the skin will look afterwards is how elastic it is before the operation. Large swings in weight, multiple pregnancies and other factors will affect how well the skin will retract afterwards. The short answer is to wait and see how you will heal after giving it at least three or four months. If you have any questions, see your plastic surgeon.

Douglas Taranow, DO, FACOS · Answer

Janne,Thanks for the question and the photo.After liposuction, there is a large amount of swelling and the abdominal skin feels tight.  As the swelling resolves, the skin may feel loose.  Over time, tow things may occur:The skin will tighten/contract due to the scar tissue and normal contraction of the skin.The skin may remain loose due to the loss of the subcutaneous fat removed during the liposuction thus causing the lack of support under the skin.Give it time.  There will be many more changes before the final results sometime between the 6th and 12th months.Dr. T

Steven Wallach, MD · Answer

The skin may be a bit loose after the procedure because the fatty layer was deflated. Sometimes it improves a bit as the swelling subsides.

Mats Hagstrom, MD (license on probation) · Answer

At five weeks your compression garments will probably have little impact.

It will certainly not change your final results.

At five weeks results are beginning to be similar to what your final results will be.

You can anticipate minor changes for the next several months.

Removing fat especially high volumes of fat welcome to some skin confirmation or skin laxity.

This is especially true for people who have mild skin laxity before the procedure.

The same type of skin laxity often happens with people who have massive weight loss.

After liposuction there is less fat to push the skin tight.

Follow up with your doctor and have him or her address your concernsI get a more accurate assessment.

Best,

Mats Hagstrom M.D.

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