Fatty Lump After Chin Lipo? (photo)

Chin (Submental) Liposuction: What to expect
There are many predictable portions of the healing process that ALL PATIENTS EXPERIENCE after liposuction. Temporary areas of firmness (lumps) can be seen early on but usually resolve on their own. Although both doctor and patients would like to not have this happen, it is part of the healing process. These Side effects refer to what you will be experiencing from the healing process: Here are some of the common things you will experience. The common side effects include: swelling which is maximum 2-3 days later, bruising (highly variable), numbness which takes several months to resolve,  tightness takes several days to months to resolve, discomfort (generally mild with this surgery, nausea (variable) and in some patients emotional lability in some. Although most of the visible edema resolves in 2-3 weeks in mini-lifts and 3-4 weeks in traditional facelift approaches, residual firmness (edema you feel but don’t see) can linger for several months. Skin suppleness also takes a while to return as does scar maturation. I tell my patients it takes up to a year for final resolution of the healing process. A chin strap often hastens recovery after neck/submental chin liposuction. In my experience, the above rough time table is usually delayed in smokers, when multiple procedures are performed together and when resurfacing procedures are done at the same time as the lift. The same is true if complications occur such as infection, hematoma, skin loss or compromise, etc

After liposuction of the neck, I recommend ultrasound (the kind the physical therapist uses for sore muscles and not the kind that sees the baby in the uterus).  This is known as therapeutic ultrasound.  If liposuction is done as a separate surgery, we begin ultrasound 3 days after surgery.  If it is done in association with a facelift, we begin ultrasound 7 days after surgery.  It usually takes about 8 ultrasound treatments and it clears 99% of any lumpiness.  Very dilute injections of corticosteroid done by a very experienced plastic surgeon and followed by ultrasound may be necessary in the most extreme cases.

It is not uncommon to be experiencing some #lumps following  neck and chin procedures. Some degree of firmness or lumpiness under the skin is normal after surgery and will resolve with time. Local #massage of the areas may accelerate the resolution of this problem, which normally takes 2-4 months to disappear completely.
The lumps should diminish with time. If not, your doctor can provide suggestions for this concern. In-office medi-spa treatments may be an option. Your incisions will go through many changes before seeing the final result of your procedure. But, it's best to be patient in the meantime.  The healing process in general can take up to one month for the majority of swelling to subside, incisions to close, sutures to come out, and for bruising to completely go away. If ever during your healing, you have any concerns, it is suggested to call your board-certified surgeon or their medical staff and discuss those #concerns.

There may be residual swelling or hypertrophic scar tissue that is forming.  I would consider aggressive early treatment to soften the resulting swelling. 

Lumps and bumps are expected at 4 to 8 weeks after neck liposuction (any liposuction really).  I would let things continue to heal for another couple of months.  Things that have not resolved may persist but it is surprising how much things can improve in this time frame.

I am sorry you're having a setback in your recovery. You have some excess skin and the fat was removed so the extra slack skin is wrinkling on itself and is swollen - giving the appearance of "worms under the skin". The correct treatment may have been a proper necklift but in this situation aggressive massage consistently 2-3 times a day for 5 minutes can help soften the scar tissue and get the skin to redrape. If it does not go away at 1 year you may want a mini necklift. Do not allow them to remove the skin from under the skin, this will worsen the neck with a "clothesline effect". Instead, the incision behind the ear should be used to access the neck and then the extra skin is cheated out that way. Goodluck.