What Causes Lumps After Liposuction?

Lumps are part of the healing process after liposuction. Areas of increased inflammation, collections of fluid, and so forth are by-products of the procedure. Almost always, if the procedure has been done correctly, they vanish. It may take several months, however. Compressive garments, in my opinion, seem to help. But the healing process is takes time and there is little you can do to change that.

Hello tamaraitsmyname,

I appreciate your questions! Two weeks is too short of a time to evaluate your liposuction final outcome. As with any major surgical procedure, liposuction conveys risks such as swelling, bleeding, infection, and contour irregularities, in a small percentage of cases. However, potential complications can be reduced by choosing a skilled, experienced plastic surgeon to perform the procedure and by carefully adhering to the surgeon's instructions, both before and after the surgery. In particular, side effects after Liposuction commonly known as contour irregularities or waviness are proven very challenging to correct, but can be positively prevented and/or managed together by doctors and patients. These post-operative irregularities (in the form of lumps, dimples, grooves, wrinkles or folds) could be generally due to: excessive superficial or too much liposuction; fibrosis with adhesions; inappropriate compression garment or posture or caused by redundant skin. Plastic surgeons should forewarn patients with poor skin elasticity about the risk for contour irregularities and suboptimal skin contraction. Although irregularities of the skin are possible following liposuction, this side effect is diminished by the minimally-invasive 4D VASER Liposuction using micro-cannulas and the criss-cross technique of liposuction. VASER Liposuction is also clinically proven (based on randomized clinical studies) to cause 53% skin retraction relative to other standard liposuction methods, which in turn reduces the risk of occasional irregularities of the skin. Liposuction patients can also actively contribute in preventing contour irregularities by following closely their surgeons’ post-operative protocols, since correcting surface irregularities in the presence of post-surgical scarring and fibrosis is often very difficult and their effects might be permanent. In this respect, I usually recommend them wearing specialized compression garments around the clock, starting immediately after surgery, for six months, to reduce swelling and help their skin contract smoothly to their new body’s contours. Since ill-fitting garments can lead to contour irregularities, I advise my patients about the correct method of using them, to limit folds and creases in the garments, and regularly check if they are worn properly. Additionally, plastic surgeons should advise their patients that, without lymphatic drainage massages, there is a risk that the swelling and inflammation could turn into fibrosis, which is a permanent hardening of the area. At least ten lymphatic drainage massage sessions are required, starting 24 hours after the procedure, to eliminate excess lymph fluid, alleviate swelling and discomfort, and also prevent complications such as seromas (fluid collection) and contour irregularities (indentations, and/or fibrosis). In my experience, manual lymphatic massages by their own have proven successful, in the majority of cases, in achieving uniform removal of swelling and ensuring smooth contours. Best regards! Dr. De La Cruz.

Pockets of fluid accumulate and cause lumps and bumps for up to 6 weeks post liposuction. With massage and exercise they disappear with time.  Lumps/bumps at 3-6 months post liposuction can be due to fibrous tissue or loose fat settling down irregularly. Cortisone injections usually smooth these out nicely.  BodyFX is a radiofrequency treatment that smooths out these areas nicely as well.

It’s not uncommon for patients
to have lumps and bumps following liposuction.Contour irregularities may have a variety of potential causes.These may include differential swelling, fat
necrosis, seromas and hematomas.They
are usually transient and respond to conservative management with compression
garments and massage.Rarely, aspiration
is necessary when hematomas and seromas are present.In most cases, these problems have no effect
on the long-term results of liposuction.

Lumps after liposuction can be caused by several factors, including:1. Swelling and inflammation: It’s common to experience swelling and inflammation after liposuction, which can create temporary lumps or irregularities. This usually resolves as the body heals.2. Uneven fat removal: If the surgeon did not remove fat evenly or left uneven pockets of aft during the procedure, it can lead to lumps or bumps.3. Fibrous tissue or scarring: Formation of fibrous tissue or scarring in the treated area can result in lumps or irregularities.4. Inadequate post-operative care: Proper post-operative care, including massage and wearing compression garments, is essential to help prevent and address lumps.5. Infection or complications: In rare cases, infection or other complications can lead to lumps or irregularities.If you’re concerned about lumps after liposuction, it’s important to consult with your surgeon to determine the cause and discuss potential solutions, which may include massage, additional procedures, or time for natural healing.

After liposuction your body needs time to heal and recover. Often when the tissue is recovering, swelling and fluid may cause lumps. With massage and time, lumps are reduced and eventually resolve on their own.

You are still very early after your procedure. A lot of changes are still going to take place. Some irregularities are normal at this stage and will resolve with time. Make sure you are wearing your garment and that it fits you properly. This will help shape the skin and minimize fluid collections under the skin. Speak with your surgeon about these areas and see what he suggests.

Two weeks post op is very early in the recovery phase of liposuction. There is still a significant amount of swelling and tissue inflammation in the healing process. As the other surgeons have expressed there can be fluid collections. But also fat is different everywhere. This is one of the theories behind cellulite. Fat can be different even in the same area of the body. So this may be fat that could not be appreciated at the time of surgery. The tumescent solution often masks the true feel of the fat.
But don't fret. It takes up to six months for the final result to be in for the liposuction. So continue to wear the garment. If there is still a contour irregularity (the plastic surgery term for lumps) after 6 months then bring it up with your surgeon.

Lumps after liposuctin can be from areas of under resection, it can be fluid, it can be differential swelling.  Sometimes massage can "even" it out a bit.  Review this with your doctor.

In liposuction, it is more important to leave a smooth bed of tissue and remove less than it is to removal all the fat and leave the skin to contract. Our skin has limits in its ability to lay smooth following fat removal.
Think of your bed quilt or comforter. When pulled tight, it lays flat even with sheets or blankets wrinkled. Now, remove the comforter and put a sheet on over the top of the blankets. Unless everything is pulled tight and perfectly smooth, you will see the contour changes under the sheet.
While not exactly like liposuction, this is a good analogy that once the fat is removed there is a space that will hold healing fluids and you will see them as the quilt covering has been reduced to a loose sheet. The swelling will take three to six months to resolve and the skin will take a year to tighten. In the end, additional liposuction, structural fat grafting or a skin reduction procedure may also make you happier.
I would optimize your nutritional heal, exeercise and see your physican. I hope this helps. See your physician and ask if lymphatic massage maybe helpful to soften the bumps you are describing.