Liposuction with open Incisions. Is this a normal practice?

Question

I see many women who have liposuction + bbl with open incisions to drain fluid with the assistance of a medical professional. Is this a "normal" practice for a patient only getting liposuction? Does it help reduce swelling?

Jason Emer, MD · Answer

Some areas are left open and some are closed especially if you have fat transfer. I suggest seeing an expert in 4D body shaping. Best, Dr. Emer.

Daniel Krochmal, MD, FACS · Answer

Thank you very much for your question.Many times the incisions are closed, but sometimes the incisions are left open to allow for 1-2 days of drainage.I close the vast majority of my stab incisions.  However, I typically leave stab incisions near the ankle (when doing calf liposuction), and the armpit (when doing axillary liposuction) open.  I do feel that the swelling is reduced when these areas are left open to drain.  I haven't noticed particularly worse scarring when these incisions are left open.

Hector Milla, MD · Answer

Hi and thanks for your question. Before starting with the fat aspiration some fluids are infiltrated to make it easier to be removed and also prevent bleeding. Some of these fluids are apirated as well but some are not, with closed wounds it depends on your body to absorb it which takes time, leaving them open helps the dreinage and the aesthetic result is basically the same. If you have seen a PS who leaves open wounds ask him for photos, he surely has a lot of cases.Best wishes.Dr. Milla

Richard Chaffoo, MD, FACS, FICS · Answer

I generally like to close all incisions even the small openings from liposuction as they generally heal with a better cosmetic outcome. Discuss these concerns with your board certified plastic surgeon.

Moneer Jaibaji, MD · Answer

Thank you for the question. The easy answer to your question is some plastic surgeon leave the incision open for drainage to help reduce the amount of fluid under the skin and hence reduce the swelling. Generally speaking; patients interested in liposuction are concerned about the size and location of the incisions and scars before surgery. These incisions are usually placed in areas of natural folds and creases and will be in a hidden areas. In my practice we place the least number of incisions to achieve the patients goals. After surgery most patients are less concerned about the incisions as they start to the difference the surgery brought.

Joseph L. Kiener, MD, FACS · Answer

As has been mentioned some surgeons close access incisions and others do not.  I personally feel that resolution of swelling and induration is much faster when the incisions are left open.  The drainage typically last 24 to 48 hours, but is a minor inconvenience relative to the accelerated recovery.  I have left access incisions open for 20 years and the scars are no worse than when i closed them.

Robert V. Mandraccia, MD · Answer

I agree that physicians vary in their approach to closing lipo incisions. I sometimes close to cut down on drainage in large cases but see no difference in scar quality when doing that.

Johnson C. Lee, MD · Answer

Some surgeons prefer to close all their incisions after liposuction and some may prefer to leave some open, particularly in gravity dependent areas to allow for drainage, although one should expect to have some degree of swelling for several weeks to months after liposuction regardless. There is no standardized guideline for these types of incisions and it depends on the surgeon's personal experience and preference. Discuss your own preferences and/or concerns with your plastic surgeon so you can come up with plan that you are comfortable with together.

Stacey Folk, MD · Answer

Dear Saven123,There is no standard way to treat liposuction incisions, and the same surgeon may actually do something different with each patient. It is fine to leave the incisions open to allow for drainage. They might be closed with deep or skin sutures, and for small cases that might not have much drainage dermabond (medical superglue) might be used. If you have questions (or a preference) I'm sure your surgeon would do what you want if they agree.

Ronald V. DeMars, MD (Retired) · Answer

Personally I have never understood the idea of leaving open wounds as that pretty much goes against most cosmetic surgery thought. We close all wounds. There is some swelling but it resolves as fast as any other swelling.

Liposuction with open Incisions. Is this a normal practice?

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