What's the average percentage of fat that can be removed with Smart Lipo? Do I need a redo? Not satisfied with fat rolls (Photo)

Thank you for your question. At the present time, the Smartlipo Triplex/Cellulaze workstation is the only proven and FDA approved method of permanent cellulite reduction available in the United States. Healing times vary for each patient. Most of the swelling that you are experiencing will decrease allowing you to notice the positive changes to your fat rolls. Always consult with a board certified facial plastic surgeon and follow their recovery instructions diligently.Best wishes,

I suggest seeing a vaser 4D contouring physician.  At this point you should be massaging, hyperbaric oxygen, RF treatments.  Best, Dr. Emer.

Except for a small amount of fat near the surface of the skin, practically all of the fat in any given area can be extracted with lipo. Leaving a small amount of fat near the skin surface protects the skin from wrinkling, damage and discoloration, but rolls and lumps should be pretty much gone. The amount of fluid removed means nothing. It's the fat that counts. However, even when large amounts of fat are removed, swelling is very common in the first few weeks and may give the appearance that not enough was taken. Wear your compression garment around the clock, go for professional massages frequently and wait a few months to see the final effects. Be patient.

Thanks for your questions and pictures.  As you stated, you are still early in your recovery period and swelling at this time can make it difficult to evaluate your results.  Please wait at least 3 months before considering any revision.  The percentage of fat removed with liposuction can vary from area to area but can be as much as 75-80%.  The bra roll area can sometimes have excess skin that will take time to retract after liposuction.  Good luck with your recovery!

Your question includes many important points. First, as you've mentioned, you are only one week postop and you of course are still swollen from the operation which will temporarily mask the results. Second, the number or volume of aspirate (fat and fluid suctioned) is not an absolute number. The surgeon end points include this as well as the pinch test (how much fat can be felt with a pinch), contour of the area, smoothness, and how it looks. Similarly, percentage of fat removed is also an estimate and can range from 50% to 75% depending on the anatomic area (different areas have different amounts of fat). It is not possible to remove all the fat by liposuction even with laser nor is it advisable to do so: we need fat as a glide plane between the fat and underlying tissues to look normal and smooth. However, an experienced plastic surgeon will try to get as much out safely and in proportion to the rest of your body to get as dramatic result as possible. Third, the skin that remains will retract to varying degrees following lipo and that depends on how elastic or loose it was before. In most cases, the areas will look much better. Areas such as bra rolls will smooth out significantly but it's important to note that they will not go away 100%. Your questions are not unusual and your plastic surgeon should be able to answer them readily on your postop visit.

It has only been 1 week since your procedure, your results will not be accurate enough to visually see with the amount of swelling and liquid build up. Lymphatic massage may speed up the healing in combination with hyperbaric oxygen chamber treatments. The final results will start to show within 3 months and it will take up to 6 months to get to the end point, meaning all the retraction has been completed. Once the results are visual you can then reconsider another revision procedure. I recommend looking into Hi Def Body Contouring with VASER Lipo and Fat grafting to the breasts to give them a lift and buttocks to add shape- with this combination of liposuction and skin tightening with ultrasound probes, this will give your body contour and definition of your abdomen, mid and lower back, the back of arms and inner thighs.

Thank you for your question. You are in early phase of healing and swelling at this point is norm. Amount of fat removed varies from area to area and person to person for the same areas. Your surgeon will remove as much as he/she safely. This is not the time to think about revision. Usually fat removed varies between 50-70%, which is not a absolute number and varies widely from area to area. Please follow instructions from your PS and reevaluate in 3 months.

your surgeon took out a good amount. you will continue to improve for 6 months and it can take 2 weeks to 2 months to start to see the difference, so be patient.it is important to realize that there is no magic out there. if you want to look your best, you need to exercise more and eat better by cutting carbs and increasing protein and vegetables etc. Smarlipo is not a way to lose weight or decrease your total body fat. It will remove and decrease  fat in select areas but you need to help the surgeon by also working at this as well.david berman md

Your results after six days are not indicative of your results after six months . It is extremely early in the healing process to have any indication of what you will look like in the future.  The biggest problem with any liposuction is the fact that the skin may not shrink. In the worst-case scenario's abdominal skin or back skin may need to be removed  There is no good way  to tell ahead of time how well the skin will shrink with before pictures like yours . You need to discuss your concerns with your surgeon. Generally areas that have been worked on look better after one month, still better after three months and achieve their postoperative result at around six months. However some patients who swell more may even take up to a year to achieve their final results.  One of the hardest things after surgery is to have the patience to wait for for your results. Best of luck to you