I have significant ITP (thrombocytopenia). My platelets are usually in the 60s. Am I a candidate for liposuction?

Given your description, you are probably not an ideal candidate for elective major plastic surgery.  However, you may still be able to do careful, limited liposuction in a conservative manner.  It will depend on your hematologist's opinion, as well as your platelet function.  I recommend consultation with your hematologist, and an experienced board certified plastic surgeon for their input.

Thanks for your inquiry, if your hematologist is okay with it and you are doing smaller areas,  patients with ITP have low counts but often high functioning platelets. Good Luck.

Given your platelet count, I would not feel safe performing liposuction.  A platelet count around 50 or less is critical and unsafe to have elective surgery done.  Even though you are at 60, that is still pretty low.  Although your hematologist may think other wise and may have a recommendation how to temporarily bring up your platelet count before the surgery, this is a purely elective procedure which can do lead to a major complication for you, bleeding.I would discuss this with your hematologist first and make sure he is aware exactly the procedure and the amount of liposuction that is going to happen.Hope that helps.

Dear kgodoy82,as long as you get a clearance from your haematologist you might be a candidate for a surgery. If you are considering a surgery, I would suggest you to consult a board-certified plastic surgeon. Only after a thorough examination you will get more information and recommendations.Daniel Barrett, MD
Certified, American Board of Plastic Surgery
Member, American Society of Plastic Surgery
Member, American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery

As long as you are cleared by your hematologist, you can have liposuction. For best results with liposuction, 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

Thanks for the question, we see people with all types of medical history. I usually call the hematologist and discuss the ins and outs of the operation and most of the time we can figure something out to ensure safety!

You are probably not the best candidate for any elective surgery, but I would suggest talking to your hematologist about it first. You could receive a platelet transfer just prior to surgery if needed. Also, a bleeding time would be helpful to see just how well your platelets are functioning.

Dear Kgodoy82,Hello and thank you for your excellent question. You will need medical clearance, but you are still a candidate for liposuction. You may want to look into a body contouring procedure that combines both liposuction with laser, radiofrequency (RF), or acoustic therapy to produce the best balance of fat reduction and skin tightening and smoothing for your body type and anatomy. For the last 12 years, we have been developing a proprietary technique that we call IDEAL Liposuction. First off, all devices and instruments used are FDA-approved, unlike some of the liposuction and fat transfer devices being used today. These procedures are usually performed in the office, with only local anesthesia. We typically use Smart / Laser Liposuction or VASER (ultrasound) to reduce dense, fibrous fat, and stimulate collagen formation; Radiofrequency-based skin tightening (like Body Tite, or Thermi) to maximize skin contraction; and Ultrasound, RF, or subcision (Z Wave, Venus, Cellfina) to treat cellulite. Patients go home the same day as surgery, do not need any narcotics postop for pain control, and can return to light exercise and work two days after their procedure. In my practice, we select the appropriate treatment for each patient based on their skin quality, amount of fat and surgical goals. It is best to answer your question during a face-to-face evaluation, when you can discuss your goals and expectations for the procedure, and you can have a physical examination to evaluate for that procedure. I recommend that you find a board-certified, or board-eligible plastic surgeon with whom you are comfortable. Be sure to have all of your questions answered during a face-to-face meeting with your surgeon, and review before and after pictures of similar patients whom have had this procedure. If you have any questions, call our office for assistance. Good luck!

Best,

Jon Ver Halen, MD FACS

Harvard educated plastic surgeon

Texas “Top Doc” 2017, 2018

RealSelf100

America’s Top Plastic Surgeons, Consumer’s Research Council, 2010 – 2018

BeautyAdvisor Top Contributor