Can a Compression Garment Smooth Hips?

Question

I am young (20), skinny, and fit but my hips have a "violin deformity". I would prefer not to remove the fat, i.e. lipo, but to move it downward so that my hips appear smoother. Would wearing a compression garment for a length of time solve this issue? Are there any alternatives to liposuction that would apply?

Otto Joseph Placik, MD · Answer

Conventional wisdom states that a "spanx-like" garment or bodyshaper will certainly alter your shape....temporarily. However, you do have a good point and one that I have pondered. I have observed that men that wear particulary tight belt buckles or females as well tend to develop atrophy in the suprapubic area that appears directly related to the pressure applied. I have believed that perhaps this observation could be applied elsewhere. IT is a fine balance and that is the problem. Excessive presure will cause a sore. Perhaps garments will be designed that can monitor the exact pressure. We shall see......?

Richard J. Bruneteau, MD · Answer

Unfortunately, compression
garments have minimal long-term impact on body contour.Unless the fat cells were somehow destroyed
by pressure, they would still be present and behave in a normal manner.For this reason, short-term changes following
the use of compression garments are probably related to the removal of residual
edema.For
this reason, changes in body contour usually always require removal of fat
cells.This usually requires techniques
such as liposuction or CoolSculpting. If
you’re interested in changing the contour of your hip area, consultation with a
Board-Certified plastic surgeon is appropriate.This surgeon should be able to formulate a treatment plan that addresses
your anatomic findings and achieves your aesthetic goals.

Jerome Edelstein, MD · Answer

Probably not, unfortunately. It would probably be more effective to perform exercises that could help contribute to the shape you'd like if you don't want to consider liposuction. Good luck!

Ron Shelton, MD · Answer

No, compression garments won't help and no Zeltiq Coolsculpture won't give you the same volume reduction as liposuction, but without liposuction or surgery, Zeltiq coolsculpture which is an FDA cleared device for fat chilling, can lessen fat for some people as much as 20% with one treatment that takes one hour, and the results can be seen in the first several months. Love handles, lower abdomen and flanks, no surgery. We're still getting experience with it but there is a high satisfaction rate. Speak to a physician to learn of the risks and advantages, but remember, it's not the same as liposuction!

Martin Jugenburg, MD · Answer

Compression garments are not a replacement for liposuction. They can help mask contour abnormalities but will not leave behind a lasting effect once taken off. Liposuction is very effective in changing body contours, unlike many non-surgical treatments that are on the market today. None of those can produce the effect of a real liposuction.

Sincerely,

Martin Jugenburg, MD

Sincerely,

Martin Jugenburg, MD

Jeffrey M. Darrow, MD · Answer

I don't know of any credible product on the market which will thin areas of the body or redistribute the fat using compression. At best, firm compression will temporarily flatten areas but these areas will quickly return to the original shape once the compression is gone. Although you would like to avoid it, liposuction is a relatively quick procedure with a quick recovery and predictable permanent results. Other modalities, though heavily marketed, are not proven to be as effective as liposuction.

Richard H. Tholen, MD, FACS · Answer

You describe yourself as "skinny" but with a violin deformity of the hips. Other call this a "muffin top" but we all know that this localized extra fat looks bad coming out over your lowrider jeans or snug-fitting slacks. (I have 4 daughters in their 20's!)

	If this is indeed localized fatty tissue, you are an excellent candidate for liposuction (or liposculpture) of this area. At 20, you (probably) have excellent skin tone and muscle tone, and removal of this fat by an experienced, board-certified (American Board of Plastic Surgery) plastic surgeon can give you a wonderful, long-lasting improvement in your appearance.

	No garment will create any movement of tissue; your cells are not fluid! Spot exercising does not work either.

	Lipo-dissolve or mesotherapy is NOT recommended, These techniques use injections of caustic chemicals designed to KILL the fat cells. Unfortunately, instead of "harmlessly absorbing the dead fat" as the advertisements and marketing state or imply, sometimes you are left with hard, calcified lumps of scar tissue beneath the skin that can not be removed without more scarring and severe deformity. I have seen patients with this, so even if it is "rare," I would NEVER recommend this form of fat removal. Of course, liposuction is an operation that has risk as well, so careful research about your surgeon is critical to minimize any likelihood of any risk or complication. Best wishes!

Richard Baxter, MD · Answer

It is possible in theory that a very high pressure garment could have some effect if worn for a very long time but it is not likely that you could push it where you want. The far more sensible choice would be lipo with fat transfer. It is not a particularly major procedure and the outcome more predictable.

Jason Hess, MD · Answer

Good question. From a non-medical standpoint, compression makes perfect sense. Unfortunately, from a medical standpoint, it doesn't. You could wear a compression garment all day every day for months and only result with a skin rash and discomfort. It will not mold fat one millimeter. However, this does not mean that you need liposuction. Liposuction, though aggressively marketed, is best for people who are otherwise fit. What I would suggest is to amplify your workout routine. If you've reached a point where you plateau, then consider other options. If may be a good idea to talk with a personal trainer to focus on exercises that will shape your external olbliques (these help to shape your waist and hips). Hope this helps.

Barry L. Eppley, MD, DMD · Answer

While the use of compression garments after liposuction is standard postperative care, such an approach without liposuction will not be successful at reshaping or moving fat around. Fat must first be 'loosened' or partially removed to have a compression garment help in reshaping any excess fat area. A compression garment does not have magical properties, it is a passive device that does more to control swelling after liposuction than it does in reshaping fat contours.

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