Best procedure for upper thigh/buttock revision liposuction? 5’10, 155 lbs, mid-40s. (photo)

Question

5’10, 155 lbs, mid-40s. Had lipo to knees, inner/outer thighs, hips 10 years ago. My surgeon, now retired, would not touch the banana roll area but I do carry a significant amount of bulk in the upper thigh and buttock area that I would love to see reduced, as well as the rest of the upper thigh and hips. I’ve read about all the different lipo procedures out there and really don’t know which to focus on when selecting a surgeon. I’ve done my own “morph” of dream results (unsure how realistic)

Connie Hiers, MD, FACS · Answer

i would meet with a board-certified plastic surgeon who does a lot of liposuction and discuss the areas of concerns. the banana roll can be treated in a conservative manner since it is not very forgiving.

Mats Hagstrom, MD (license on probation) · Answer

Delivering consistent quality, liposuction, results is more difficult than most people realize. The number of plastic surgeons who mastered this procedure are in a small minority. There are a significant number of plastic surgeons who are simply not good at Liposuction. Patient should be very careful when choosing providers for this procedure. Poorly done Liposuction can leave people disfigured, and it is very difficult to improve poorly done liposuction results. Secondary Liposuction is far more difficult and complex in primary procedures. Do you know enemy is different and what can be achieved after Primary Liposuction depends a lot on your candidacy, which has been influenced from the first procedure. 
The banana role is a skinfold, and typically does not respond well to fat removal. I see lots of people ending up with problems from having this area treated with Liposuction in appropriately.
Do not be confused by all the terminology and marketing terms used to sell Liposuction. There is very little difference from different types of liposuction. All of it is used to try to market patients into believing somebody has an upper edge. The truth is Liposuction is still done with a small stainless steel cannula connected to a vacuum pump, the same way it has for the last 40 years. The difference between quality Liposuction and bad work is not the name of the equipment but who is doing the procedure. Talented plastic surgeon can deliver exceptional results with any type of Liposuction Equipment . The reverse, however, is not true. Somebody who doesn’t know how to do Liposuction while he’s not going to get results, no matter what equipment they use.
Do you choose your mechanic because of what tools to use? By bread because of what oven the baker uses?
I cannot emphasize enough the importance of provider selection, and that is the only variable you should be concerned about. There are only two variables determine what cosmetic surgical outcomes are going to look like. The first one is the patient’s candidacy for the procedure. In your case, your candidacy was altered a bit I having previous Liposuction, and this needs to be taken into consideration. The second variable is the choice of provider in for this you have complete freedom to choose whoever you want. To find the best provider. I suggest patient schedule multiple in person consultations with local plastic surgeons who seem to do a lot of Liposuction. During each consultation, ask each provider to open up their portfolio and show you the entire collection of before, and after pictures of previous patients who have similar body characteristics to your own. You may want to bring your own pictures of yourself to use as a reference. It would also be a good idea to bring before and after pictures from your previous procedure if you have them. If you don’t see if your previous provider still has them and ask them to send copies. An experienced plastic surgeon should have no difficulty showing you the before and after pictures of at least 50 previous patients. Being shown a handful of pre-selected images, representing the best results of the providers career is insufficient to get a clear understanding of what average results looks like in the hands of that provider. It’s also important that they show you patients whose body characteristics looks very similar to your own. Variables like skin, laxity, or pregnancy related changes can have a drastic impact on someone’s candidacy for Liposuction results.
There is no correct number of consultations needed to find the best provider. The more consultations you schedule the more likely you are to find the best provider for your needs. Considering how much variation there is a Liposuction skill I recommend patients, considering having at least five in person consultations before choosing a provider for permanent irreversible body contouring procedures, I can potentially lead people disfigured.
Being board-certified in plastic surgery with years of experience, and an overall good reputation, does not mean that somebody has mastered all procedures, especially not Liposuction.
When in doubt, slow down and schedule more consultations. Don’t let people get you confused by using terminology or trying to sell you on things that are unimportant like the brand equipment used.
If anything, those trying to sell you on special equipment, are probably providers to avoid.
A lot of plastic surgeons, who do liposuction on a regular basis, like certain equipment because it makes their job a little easier. It’s not necessarily because the results are better because it’s easier for the surgeon to do their job. 
Best,
Mats Hagstrom, MD

Best procedure for upper thigh/buttock revision liposuction? 5’10, 155 lbs, mid-40s. (photo)

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Best procedure for upper thigh/buttock revision liposuction? 5’10, 155 lbs, mid-40s. (photo)

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Everything you need to know about Liposuction Revision

Our mission is to create a world where every investment in modern beauty is Worth It.