Loose Skin After Liposuction. Can It Shrink Back or Do I Need a Bodylift? What is Possible with the Chest? (photo)

Question

Hello, i am 19 years old and got Liposuction of the abdomen and lovehandles 5 weeks ago. I was overweight as kid and could not get rid of the tummy and lovehandles. The doctor recommended trying Lipo because of my age and potential skin shrinking. I´ve seen a lot of surgeons and all of them recommended the TummyTuck with additional lipo on the flanks. Now 5 weeks after the procedure im left with less fat but loose skin. My doctor said it will shrink back when scarring occurs.

Jeffrey M. Darrow, MD · Answer

While a physical exam is always the best way to determine skin laxity, your photos show a fair degree of skin laxity which is not likely to improve much over the next months. Your best chance for skin tightening and additional improvement in the contouring and narrowing of your waist is at a minimum an extended abdominoplasty with additional liposuction of your flanks but likely the best result will come from a belt lipectomy/lower body lift. Your chest contour appears good and this may be acceptable to you even if the skin is slightly loose there as the scars from tightening the chest skin can be more visible. Good luck!

Kenneth Hughes, MD · Answer

I think that you should give yourself at least 3 months. Then you can decide on whether a tummy tuck or a variant is necessary. Find a plastic surgeon with ELITE credentials who performs hundreds of tummy tucks each year. Then look at the plastic surgeon's website before and after photo galleries to get a sense of who can deliver the results. Kenneth Hughes, MD Los Angeles, CA

Thomas G. Liszka, MD · Answer

You are 5 weeks following your operation and still have some residual swelling. I would re-evaluate your skin laxity in 1 to 2 months. That being said, you will probably need additional surgery for skin tightening or more liposuction based on your pictures. Of course, a physical examination would be required to give you the most accurate advice.

Raffy Karamanoukian, MD, FACS · Answer

Its likely that you will experience some residual tightening. You may consider doing additional skin tightening lasers that we have available to further tighten the skin. Raffy Karamanoukian, Los Angeles

Darryl J. Blinski, MD · Answer

As you wrote, "try" liposuction. It was a "try"!! Now you must consider skin excision if you desire more tightening.

Remus Repta, MD · Answer

Hello,

	Thank you for the question and the photos.  At 19 years of age there is a good chance that your skin will continue to improve.   Because of this I would wait longer and see how much more improvement you will achieve.  I suspect, from your photos, that you may still also have additional fat that can be removed through liposuction.  

	All the best,

	Dr. Remus Repta

Jourdan Gottlieb, MD · Answer

I would be quite surprised to hear back from you that the skin has shrunk down to give the kind of results you would have liked. 

	I feel you would be well served to have an abominoplasty, perhaps with extention around the back (belt lipectomy or lower body lift). 

	As to the chest, an exam is needed. While I am sure there is loose skin, it has little visual impact, so I am not sure that the scars needed would be worth the improvement. 

	All the best.

Loose Skin After Liposuction. Can It Shrink Back or Do I Need a Bodylift? What is Possible with the Chest? (photo)

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