Loose skin after Liposuction, what can I do? (Photos)

Question

I had liposuction on my upper back lower back stomack and my thighs. My skin from certain places is going loose like from my hips my bra fat from on top of the bra and my side handles! I had surgery 4 mnts and 2 weeks ago and i stop using the compression garments at 3 mnts ! Im i suppost to go back to wearing it or will my skin eventually shrink back ! I do exercise 4 to 5 times a week and look into what I eat!

Afshin Farzadmehr, MD · Answer

In my surgical experience of 19 years what I would suggest is to assess the axillary for remaining fat.  This is not loose skin in the picture only.  The waists however if the surgeon have removed more fat than he should have to sculpt you nothing will fix that than extanding the tummy tuck scar to excise that extra skin.  I would not recommend wasting any money on any energy devices such as RF radio frequency Cellutone for cellulite RF or hyperbaric oxygen or other lasers etc as that is just plain no results in skin tightening but loss of hard earned dollars.  Thanks for great question

Justin Yovino, MD, FACS · Answer

You likely have reached your final results and the only way to significantly tighten the skin and soft tissue is with further surgery to remove excess skin.

Stefan Mark Szczerba, MD · Answer

As you heal, your skin may feel loose now that the fat is removed. Visit with your plastic surgeon as there are skin tightening tools that may improve your outcome.  Best Wishes!!

Jason Emer, MD · Answer

Unfortunately, you may not have been a candidate for liposuction alone, but needed a tummy tuck and/or lifting procedure to improve sagging skin. You still have swelling, which can last 3-6 months after your procedure. I recommend adding hyperbaric oxygen and lymphatic massage along with your compression to help decrease swelling. To improve your final results, I also recommend adding vanquish for further fat removal, exilis/venus legacy for skin tightening, cellutone/z wave to make the skin smooth, remove scar tissue, and improve the skin’s appearance. See an expert. Best, Dr. Emer

David Hansen, MD · Answer

We use Body FX which a 3rd generation ratiofrequency device to help tighten skin and smooth irregularities after liposuction. Skin does continue to tighten after lipo on its own for at least 6 months.

Donovan Rosas, MD · Answer

There is an inherent tonicity to the skin which allows for elastic recoil when the fat volume decreases. 
Generally speaking, a good rule of thumb is "excess skin before/excess skin after." Patients with loose or excess skin prior to surgery will usually have a worsening of the appearance of the skin post suction.These patients will typically be better served by skin excision procedures.
Beware of stretch marks as these are the hallmark of skin with poor inherent tonicity which is unlikely to "snap back." Older patients with older skin also do not retract as well as younger patients.
While there are modalities aimed at skin tightening (SmartLipo/Thermi), these are of limited effectiveness when there is more significant laxity.With regards to your specific question, the majority of the post operative changes occur in the first several weeks after surgery, however, a final result may take up to 6 months. I generally have patients wear compression for 4-6 weeks post op.Based upon your photos, you might consider an excisional procedure to address the skin laxity.
As always, discuss your concerns with a board certified plastic surgeon (ABPS).

Jayanthy Ravindran, MS, DNB, MRCS · Answer

After liposuction, you will see your body contour improving every week. Even so, many people experience some loose skin after liposuction. This is a very common problem. The loose skin and fat may be removed by the surgeon using one of the following methods: 
1.  Liposculpture: A small incision is made in the area that needs to be tightened and then the excess fat and skin are carefully removed by liposuction. The contour is then sculpted to remove any remaining fat or skin.
2.  Body Lift: In this procedure, a large incision is made from the chin to the pubic region, and excess skin is removed by surgical scissors and other cutting instruments under direct visualization. Since loose skin from the lower abdomen often overlies the pubic area, a separate incision can be made in that area for a "pubic lift," which will effectively tighten up the lower abdomen along with the upper leg area. The resulting scar will end at each side of the pubic area, where it can be hidden under bathing suits or underwear.
3.  Tummy tuck: Tummy Tucks are major surgeries that take quite a bit of time to do and also require general anesthesia. They can take anywhere from 3-6 hours depending on how much skin needs to be removed and how many muscles need to be tightened. There is some minimal pain after the surgery, but for the most part, you will wake up with a stiff abdomen from the muscles being pulled tight.

Giovanna Ghafoori, MD · Answer

Residual or new loose skin is one of the potential limitations of liposuction, and many factors come into play such as age, existing skin quality and elasticity, previous weight fluctuations, pregnancies, and the specific anatomic region to name a few.  There are techniques that a surgeon can employ to try to optimize post-operative skin tightening and there are some early post-operative care steps that may also help.  While the skin will continue to remodel for months to come, if you already have significant skin laxity at 4-1/2 months, it is unlikely that you will achieve the amount of skin retraction that you were hoping for.  I would encourage you to follow-up with your surgeon.

Steven M. Camp, MD · Answer

Thanks for your question.

I recommend follow up with your surgeon to discuss your concerns.  At your stage in recovery most of your expected results should be noticeable.  Discuss options to deal with existing concerns you may have such as loose skin, and be open to the idea of non-surgical skin tightening and or the possibility of exicisonal contouring procedures.

Best wishes

Ven Erella, MD · Answer

Thank you for your question. Usually it takes upto 6 months for the skin to shrink after lipo. How much it is going to shrink on multiple factors like skin quality, stretch marks etc. At this time garment is not going to make any difference. Please talk to your PS about skin tightening non invasive procedures if they help you.

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