I have a fat pocket right above my belly button from smart lipo. Should I be worried? It's been over 4 months

Question

I got smartlipo done in April on my lower abdomen, lower back, and flanks. Everything looked perfect but I noticed that even after 6 months I had a pocket of fat right above my belly button. I went back and told my dr. So we did my upper abdomen after, hoping to remove the fat pocket but it's still there.so now now I just have this pocket of fat right above my belly button and my dr said its just skin, and theres no way to remove it. Is that true? Please help me.

Marco A. Pelosi III, MD, FACOG, FACS · Answer

Loose upper abdominal skin can sometimes be corrected with surgery on the umbilicus itself or with a reverse tummy tuck where the skin beneath breasts is tightened up to pull the wrinkles away in an upward direction. However, without a photo no real recommendation can be made.

Gary Lawton, MD, FACS · Answer

It may be just skin.  If the abdomen was larger at some point, the skin around the belly button stretches out and may not retract.  This gives the appearance of a lump when in fact it is just the belly button and the surrounding skin.

David Amron, MD · Answer

It is important to determine with proper evaluation if the pocket of fullness is truly fat or if it’s looseness of tissue and muscle. That said, if it’s muscle and skin remaining, liposuction is not going to correct it.  If your surgeon went in twice and it didn’t improve, what is remaining is most likely not correctable with liposuction surgery, but could be remedied with another procedure.

Jason Emer, MD · Answer

I suggest posting photos for advice, without them it is very difficult to give you a good plan of action.  You may need more compression, injections, more liposuction or a noninvasive treatment to help smoothen it all out.  I suggest getting a second opinion with an expert in liposuction treatments.  Best, Dr. Emer

Steven Svehlak, MD · Answer

It is difficult to advise you without photos.  I have seen some patients who do develop some relative fullness above and around the umbilicus after their surgery.   It can be related to some retained fat that may need a little more treatment with spot liposuction.  However, if it is truly loose skin, then this can be more difficult to treat. Most lasers and skin tightening technologies will only improve the looseness slightly (20%).   Sometimes excess skin can be carefully cut out from the upper umbilicus to help improve the contours.  This will, however, leave a permanent scar.  I think it would be best for you to get a second opinion with a qualified plastic surgeon.  Thanks for the question.

Bruce E. Katz, MD · Answer

Thank you for your question. I recommend
following up with your surgeon in regards to your healing process. Typically
with Smartlipo you will need a full 6 months to heal properly. Be patient with
your results, good luck!

Michael H. Gold, MD · Answer

It is hard to evaluate your concern and to make recommendations without seeing photographs of the treated areas and the area of concern. If the concern is truly skin, one of the skin-tightening devices can effectively work here — Venus Legacy, EndyMed 3Deep, Alma Accent, BTL Exilis or one of the others out there can tighten the skin. If the area is in fact fat, then your options are to find a different liposuction doctor for a second opinion or perhaps find someone who has CoolSculpting or UltraShape and see if these might help.

I have a fat pocket right above my belly button from smart lipo. Should I be worried? It's been over 4 months

Answers (7)

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