Fibrosis after lipo 8 months ago - what can be done to remove it? (Photos)

Dear Affectionate550134,
I would have to examine you but it appears that this is a contour irregularity after liposuction. This happens often when areas the undergo liposuction are not feathered appropriately.
The good news is that it can be fixed and I have done so with good results before. While there is always a chance for contour irregularities with liposuction, someone who takes their time and uses the appropriate sized cannulas should give you a superb result.I have all my patients wear compression garments and I use multiple sized cannulas to feather out the result.
Daniel Barrett, MD
Certified, American Board of Plastic Surgery
Member, American Society of Plastic Surgery
Member, American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery

Fibrosis is a term often used to describe liposuction outcomes that were done in an excessive or overly aggressive manner. if almost all the fat is removed then the body responds by making scar tissue. Moderate amounts of scar tissue typically do not cause any significant problems for people when there is some fat left. When almost all the fat is gone the percentage of scar tissue to fat makes the area feel firm and there’s a little that can be done to correct it. Most people who have what they describe as fibrosis have been overtreated with overly aggressive liposuction often done and a manner leaving them with an uneven fat distribution.
Liposuction is permanent and irreversible.
Correcting poorly done Liposuction is very difficult and sometimes not possible. revision Work is many times more difficult than primary Liposuction treatment options typically come down to revision liposuction, fat grafting or a combination of both.
Honestly, your pictures don’t really look all that bad but there may be a sensation of uneven fat distribution that is noticeable by touch that doesn’t show on the photograph.
There are no non-surgical treatments that can change your fat distribution or create a more even fat distribution.
Attempts at improving this surgically can easily make it worse so if you opt for any type of actual revision you should make absolutely sure that you are in the hands of the most talented and experienced plastic surgeon for that type of work.
I continue to tell people on a daily basis that delivering consistent quality liposuction results is more difficult than most people believe in this includes plastic surgeons.
Most plastic surgeons are not as good at Liposuction as they think they are.
Mastering this procedure takes years of practice and thousands of cases with a continued devotion to always improving your outcomes.
Unfortunately many providers doing what they’ve always done and never involve the technique and so the results remain average throughout their career.
To find the most talented and experienced provider I suggest patients have multiple in person consultations. During consultations ask each provider to show their entire collection of before and after pictures of Liposuction results. an experienced provider should have no difficulty showing you a minimum of 50 sets of before and after pictures for common procedures like abdominal liposuction. simply seeing a handful of preselected sample pictures is insufficient to get a clear understanding of what average results look like in the hands of each provider.
Look carefully at results looking for any evidence of contour irregularities or uneven skin. Ask the provider specifically what areas were treated and what areas were not treated and have them point out the transition zone between treated and untreated areas. The transition zone should look natural without evidence of having had surgical intervention.
Personally I view the torso as a single anatomic unit and believe in treating the entire torso rather than treating only the problem areas. In other words I don’t believe in spot treating the torso. doing so leads to an abnormal fat distribution with unnatural transition zones from treated to untreated areas. A full torso includes upper abdomen, lower abdomen, love handles, waist, full back and under arms all the way to the edge of the breast.
It’s hard to make an assessment based on your picture. I suggest first and foremost to follow up with your provider and see what he or she has to say.
If you want a proper second opinion consultation then schedule those as in person consultations and come prepared bringing with you proper before and after pictures and a copy of your operative report from your first provider. Your pictures and operator report are part of your medical records that you’re entitled to if you ask their office to forward them to you.
Best,
Mats Hagstrom MD