What is this discoloration after lipo? (Photo)

Unfortunately this is a complication from overly aggressive liposuction superficially and/or energy based liposuciton devices such as smartlipo/laser and vaser/ultrasound.  there is no treatment or cure. I have tried external devices such as venus legacy and velashape with some improvement as it improves the vascularity of tissue and this is due to damage to the underlying small vessels in the upper levels of the skin.  Seek the advice of a body contouring specialist.  It is unlikely this is a result of bruising or hemosiderin, but if it was, this would resolve in 3-6 months.  Best, Dr. Emer.

Thank you for your question and photo.  Bruising normally resolves over several weeks.  A small percentage of patients (5-8%) may have delayed bruising.  Hemosiderin is the breakdown product of blood, which causes a brown discoloration that can take 1-2 years to improve, but it may never completely dissipate.

I think there are two issues going on.One is the discoloration.This is most likely from one of two causes.While initial bruising typically fades away in 10 to 15 days, there can be a remaining pigmentation that takes much longer to resolve.The physical manifestation of bruising is caused by blood in tissues.Hemoglobin in red blood cells breaks down and is eventually formed into bile.That transformation process goes through many different steps with the hemoglobin molecule changing in each step.The various forms of the molecule have different colors.Bilirubin is perceived as yellow, and biliverdin is seen as green.This is the reason bruising shows so many different colors. These pigments are typically always absorbed with time, and the color of the bruising will disappear.There is a pigment called hemosiderin as well.This forms from the iron atom that is part of hemoglobin in the red blood cells.Hemosiderin deposits appear as darker areas of discoloration and can last for many months and sometimes appear to be permanent.Most of the time hemosiderin deposits after surgery or trauma will go away with time.The uneven outcome is a direct result of the liposuction.Patients who have cellulite, loose skin or areas of unevenness are at substantially higher risk for developing uneven contours after liposuction.Liposuction that is done aggressively or unevenly will leave an uneven contour. Uneven results from liposuction are very difficult to treat, and sometimes it's not possible.At one month, it is much too early to make final assessments of your outcome.My best guess is the discoloration will improve with time.Hopefully the contour will improve as well.Follow up with your surgeon to see what he or she has to say.Best of luck,Mats Hagstrom, M.D.