Hardening after Smart Lipo. How long will it last?

Liposuction involves the removal of fat cells.  As the body heals, there is the inflammatory healing cascade that involves collagen production.  Less soft fat and more firm collagen/protein equals a more substantial feeling tissue.  The skin retracts backwards to the underneath tissues forming a more dense infrastructure of the skin. Tenderness reflects the healing when the tissues are touched. This is normal and expected.  It resolves with time for most people within a few months or less.  Some people may take longer.  Compression garments often provide relief of symptoms while in others, it may be an annoyance. Eventually this firmness provides the result that most people aspire to obtaining, specifically, a thinner frame with less bulky fat.

people who tell you there is no swelling with smartlipo probably don't perform it.  i think there is less bruising, but probably more swelling, at least in the immediate post-op period.  the laser actually melts fat and heats skin, and the firmness is a healing response to this tissue damage.  it is a normal part of healing and expected with smart lipo.  this typically takes anywhere for 6 wks to 6 months to completely resolve.

The hardening that patients experience after liposuction or Smartlipo is temporary phenomenon that happens as part of the natural healing process.  It is nothing to worry about.  It generally starts around the 2-3 week and may continue for a month or more. It passes and always disappears.  Generally, I tell my patients that it is a good sign that the skin and tissues underneath are tightening. It does worry patients, but it goes away.  The treated areas can be sensitive but this also dissipates. Not everyone is overly sensitive, it varies with each patient. Whether or not it effects sexual relations is also going to be an individual situation. You should be prepared for a period of sensitivity in case it happens to you after the procedure. Try your best to plan for it.  The end results should be worth a few weeks of sensitivity.

Firmness from liposuction may happen as a reuslt of fat necrosis. I really haven't seen this with traditional liposuction.

Hardening of tissue after smartlipo liposculpture represents inflammation of the skin and underlying tissue. This can resolve on its own and be improved with anti-inflammatory agents.