Why do the dents and ripples on my thighs keep getting worse and worse after lipo if it's been 3 years later?

Question

I've been told 4D Vasor hi def can help with lumps and ripples but why do they keep getting worse? It started a year after lipo with dents on outer thighs then lumps soon after. Months later I noticed my inner thighs sinking in and shriveling from lose skin. As times gone on I've got more dents and ripples over my entire thighs now it looks 10x worse then it did 2 years ago. I don't understand why its getting worse is there anything I can do in the meantime to stop it from continuing to get worse?

W. John Bullis, MD · Answer

Thanks for your question and I'm sorry that you are experiencing this progressively worsening situation after your procedure.  I cannot give my advice or recommendations for you, specifically, without seeing you, but generally speaking, this sounds like either skin laxity or cellulite or both together.  Anytime fat is removed or destroyed, such as happens with any type of liposuction procedure (or CoolSculpting, SculpSure, Kybella, etc.), the skin is placed on less tension.  Now, if your skin is young and healthy and has no stretch marks, it may behave just like a balloon when you let the air out - a new balloon you just blew up, that is.  If you have a balloon that was inflated a week ago and you let the air out, it does NOT return to its original size.  This is analogous to one's skin, in that anyone who has been very overweight and lost weight, women after pregnancy, or anyone who has been on planet Earth long enough for gravity, radiation, pollution, cigarette smoke, etc to take their toll, skin laxity can be a problem.  A lot of this is also genetic - some people just experience more of this than others for no other reason.  Liposuction or fat removal can also result in skin laxity, which can worsen over time.  There are many devices on the market to treat skin laxity and cellulite, unfortunately none of them is guaranteed to work, but some are better than others.  In general, liposuction techniques that employ some means of heating the tissue as they remove fat, tend to produce better skin tightening - Vaser is one such device.  No matter what the device is, however, the way they all work is to produce a thermal (heat) injury to the tissue, which then stimulates the body's own natural healing mechanisms.  New production of collagen and elastin in response to this tissue injury is what causes whatever skin tightening one may see.  The fact that this depends upon the individual patient's response to injury, necessarily means that no two people should get the exact same result; and this is the problem with many of these treatments.  Some people may get great results and others get only so-so results, regardless of what machine is being used or who is doing the treatment.  I still feel that the best device for non-surgical skin tightening on the market is ThermiTight, or Thermi's new more powerful platform, Arvati.  I wish I could invent the device that will cure cellulite and skin laxity without surgery!  As of now, the gold standard for skin tightening is still skin excision (removal), such as thigh lift or tummy tuck, but those are big surgeries with real risks and many people are unwilling to go through all that.  See my video of a ThermiTight procedure on the chin - this can be done on any body part though.

Jason Emer, MD · Answer

Without an in-person evaluation or pictures, this is difficult to answer. For best results smoothing irregularities, I recommend a hi definition procedure like VASER liposuction. I use VASER HI DEF with ThermiRF/J Plasma/Renuvion/InMode BodyTite and fat grafting to get the most fat removal, skin tightening, contour and definition. This combination will give you the most toned result. I recommend getting a formal evaluation with a hi definition physique expert. Best, Dr. Emer

Arian Mowlavi, MD, FACS (license on probation) · Answer

What you need is an evaluation of your dimples. Are they secondary to cellulite or is it due to redundant skin that is creating the deformities. If there are true cellulite dimples, then Vaser Smooth and fat grafting is your solution. If they are due to skin redundancy, then a lateral thigh and buttocks tucking will be required. A skype consultation or facetime consultation with a Vaser specialist can help provide you an accurate recommendation.

Kristine Brecht, MD (license suspended) · Answer

Your skin issues need to be addressed with a in office visit, to discuss the treatments you have had to date.Several techniques and technologies exist for smoothing skin, including Vader, reaction by Viora, massage, lymphatic drainage.... Best, Dr Brecht Seattle, Wa

Why do the dents and ripples on my thighs keep getting worse and worse after lipo if it's been 3 years later?

Answers (4)

Answer: Skin dumplings

Answer: Skin dumplings

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Why do the dents and ripples on my thighs keep getting worse and worse after lipo if it's been 3 years later?

Answers (4)

Answer: Skin dumplings

Answer: Skin dumplings

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Recommended reading

Everything you need to know about Vaser Liposuction

Our mission is to create a world where every investment in modern beauty is Worth It.