I got liposuction two weeks ago. This bruise is on my stomach. It looks like skin necrosis. What should I do? (Photo)

Thank you for your question. I am sorry that you are having to go through this.  I am going to go out on a limb here and speculate that your surgery was done in Mexico by an inexperienced and perhaps unqualified "surgeon".  I say this because Kitoscell is not approved by the FDA and is not available in the U.S. as far as I know.  It is available in Mexico for use as a scar gel to improve the appearance of scars. Why your doctor would have you use it on what appears to be at least a deep second degree, if not third degree, burn is beyond me. It would make more sense to have you apply Silvadene cream to the area during this acute phase of the injury.   In 23 years of practice I have never seen anything this severe resulting from liposuction alone.  It shouldn't even be considered as a risk of liposuction unless it is combined with a tummy tuck and even in that case should almost never happen as long as properly done.  This can only have resulted from careless and overly aggressive use of a device that produces heat such as laser or ultrasound.  When burns occur with those devices the are usually much smaller and the result of getting too close to the skin at one spot.  I suggest you find another doctor who is qualified to take care of the injury to your skin.  You should allow the injury to take it's course which will require patience and good wound care.  Months from now you will need to deal with the scarring that will result from this but this is where you are " lucky" in that it is located low enough on your abdomen that a tummy tuck should be able to repair the damage.  Had this been above your belly button you would be in a much worse position.  With all of the information available on the Internet and shows liked Botched I cannot for the life of me understand why ,in this day and age, patients still manage to seek treatment from unqualified practitioners whether in the U.S. elsewhere.  It is so important to make sure that the surgeon you choose is certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery and also preferably a member of the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery and here in California also a member of the California Society of Plastic Sugeons.

I have never had a case like this in many years of procedures, however, it does appear you have necrosis of the skin and need proper wound care.  This should not happen and is likely due to inappropriately performed liposuction or energy based devices.  Best, Dr. Emer.

This is a very unusual complication and from the photographs it appears that he may be suffering from soft tissue necrosis. This happens more likely when ultrasonic or laser (e.g. Smart Lipo) assisted liposuction techniques were utilized which happens more frequently by       non-board certified plastic surgeons. It is extremely important and were followed closely by a board certified plastic surgeon with experience in complications following liposuction. Seeking a second opinion especially if you've lost confidence year surgeon is a good idea. Please see below link for suggestions.

I think that your skin is burn, sometimes the compression garment pressure and the hot temperature can be harm to the delicate skin. Your skin after a liposuction is very sensitive, so I recommend to keep using the kitocell gel and on top of that Silvasorb in gel, that will also help you with the burn, but you should contact your doctor before adding any medication that he hasn't recommend. Good luck, hope you feel better soon!!!

I am hesitant to give you a definitive diagnosis without an examination.Please note that the following description may or may not pertain to you.They are general explanations and descriptions of diagnosing and treating skin necrosis.You need to follow up with your doctor and have him or her evaluate you and manage the situation.If your doctor is a board-certified plastic surgeon, then treating skin necrosis is well within their realm of medical practice.If your treating physician is not a board-certified plastic surgeon, then you may want to seek a second opinion by someone who is properly trained to take care of potential complications after liposuction.Skin necrosis does happen after liposuction but on rare locations.It is possible for liposuction to destroy the blood supply that nourishes the skin.When this happens, skin necrosis can be seen.The biggest risk factors for this complication are over-aggressive liposuction, liposuction close to the skin, the use of tobacco products either before or after the procedure, overall poor health and various underlying medical conditions. When a patient develops ischemic skin necrosis, the correct treatment is initial observation.This allows the area of concern to declare itself.This allows the skin that's not going to survive to show itself and let the skin that's going to survive heal and become healthy.The timeframe for this is two to three weeks.When tissue is necrotic and clearly is not going to survive, then it should be removed as soon as possible.Once all necrotic tissue has been removed, the patient needs to undergo wound care, and a definitive plan can then be made regarding treatment of a wound.Treatment options of open wounds is determined by the size of the wound and other variables.Some treatments include allowing the wound to heal slowly by itself with wound care. This is referred to as allowing a wound to heal by secondary intention.Other treatment options include the use of a device known as a VAC. That stands for vacuum-assisted closure.A VAC consists of a sealed dressing over the wound that is connected to a portable suction pump.The pump stays with the person continuously, and the dressing is changed every three days.The use of a VAC will accomplish the same as healing by second intention, though it drastically speeds it up.Other options include skin grafting and, at times, excising the wound followed by sewing the edges together.Some or none of these ideas or principles may or may not apply to you.It is not possible or appropriate for any physician on a forum such as RealSelf to diagnose or treat your condition. Keep in close contact with your doctor and let him or her know of any changes you notice.Hopefully your treating physician is a board-certified plastic surgeon.If so, they will have the skills, experience and knowledge of how to take care of you.If your doctor is not a board-certified plastic surgeon, then you may need to get a second opinion from someone who is competently trained in liposuction and the treatment of potential complications of liposuction.Feel free to contact me directly if you have any specific questions or if I can be of assistance to you. Best of luck,Mats Hagstrom, M.D.