Lumpy, Uneven, Hard Stomach After Liposuction? (photo)

Your abdomen looks so good after 1 week because there was still swelling present which caused the tissue to look smooth and even.  At 2 weeks, some of the swelling has gone down (edema fluid) and now you can see the pre-scar formation on your abdomen.  As you can see, the fat has separated into bands similar to the bands you had on your abdomen before the liposuction, and those were the normal folds.  You should have worn a compression garment, preferably with a piece of Reston foam over the middle portion of your abdomen to decrease this type of formation. 

Technically, there are some free fat cells which are knocked off their moorings, and they migrate both above and below your skin folds after liposuction.  These get trapped in clumps above and below skin folds held together by fluid and some blood components, and if not treated, can turn to scar tissue which may be difficult or impossible to get rid of. 

If you were my patient, even at 2 weeks, I would have you begin wearing a pressure garment with Reston foam.  I would begin you on ultrasound (the kind physical therapists use for sore muscles) 2-3 times per week, 20 minutes per session.  I would begin using DMSO immediately to decrease bruising and swelling.

There is a bigger question here.  How old are you and how many children have you had?  If you are young, i.e. under 40 and have had no children and no large weight gain or loss in your life, then possibly this question is moot.  However, if you had children, if you are older or had big weight gains or losses, then you may have been a more appropriate candidate for a skin resection to include a tummy tuck rather than a liposuction. 

Thank you for your question and photos,
With two weeks post surgery you still do not see the results of the surgery, you should wait at least 6 months to realize the results. For the moment what I can recommend is that you attend lymphatic drainage massages and wear compression garments.
Good luck.

Thank you for your question and for submitting your photos. It is not uncommon in the early post operative period to begin to see lumps and uneven areas following liposuction. You are still very early in your recovery period so I would not worry too much at this time.  Massaging the area can help soften harder areas and smooth out uneven areas but you should check with your PS if you are clear to start massaging.Normally I recommend compression garments for 4-6 weeks post liposuction however, this can vary from patient to patient and from PS to another.Hope this helps.

Thanks for the question. After Liposuction surgery, 3-9 months you still see progress in the performance of the surgery. After 1 month you will still have swellings and it is still early to say something about the final result. You should follow up the progress with your surgeon. I wish you all the best.

Lipo garments do a lot and are usually worn for 6 weeks post liposuction.  Swelling occurs after lipo and the lumps and bumps can be there for up to 6 weeks but with a lipo garment on, then they smooth the whole area out nicer and quicker.  Don't panic, just suggest to your doc you would like to try a lipo garment .

Hey there, thank you for your question.  Swelling can be present for 6-8 months so you are in the very early stages of recovery.  I would recommend you follow up with your surgeon and address any concerns you may have and follow their instructions.  Best of luck to you.

Thank you for your question and I'm sorry to her about the issues that you have been experiencing. One week after surgery, swelling was still present and as it goes away your results are changing. Speak with your surgeon about their specific recommendations, but I would recommend aggressively trying to smooth the area. I would recommend wearing a compression garment. In my office, I use Topifoam. It's similar to the Reston foam that Dr. Schleshsinger recommended. It helps apply even pressure to the areas of liposuction. In my office, I recommend massage at home or lymphatic massage performed by a licensed massage therapist. I would try to be as aggressive as possible, so I would use ultrasound as Dr. Schleshsinger recommended. 

Because it has been only two weeks since you had liposuction of your abdomen, I would expect you to improve dramatically as the swelling resolves completely over the next six months.  Try not to worry to much about it until that time has passed. If you still had lumps, options include revision liposuction, diet, exercise and skin removal. Good luck.

Thank you for submitting your question. Wavy, irregular areas after laser
liposuction are common and will dissipate in about 6 weeks to even as
long as 6 months. Lymphatic massage and external ultrasound will help
smooth out the areas faster. Good Luck and hope for a speedy recovery

It’s not unusual for surgeons to
recommend the use of compression garments following liposuction.Although the majority of plastic surgeons
recommend some type of compression, there are plastic surgeons who don’t always
recommend compression.It’s important to
understand that every patient is unique, and for this reason the use of
compression varies from patient to patient. Patients
who undergo liposuction can expect swelling, pain, firmness, lumpiness and
contour irregularity following this procedure.At this point, your swelling and contour irregularity are entirely
normal and should resolve with time. Significant
improvement in swelling and pain can be seen in the first three weeks following
surgery, with the majority of swelling gone in about three months.Small amounts of swelling may persist up to a
year following surgery. We
generally recommend a low-salt diet before and after liposuction.Exercise is usually started early in the
post-operative period, and we want patients to ambulate as soon as possible
following surgery.Massage is also
helpful.It decreases swelling by
mobilizing retained fluid following liposuction.All of these steps help to minimize the
duration of swelling following surgery and ultimately improve the aesthetic
result.In
your case, your physical findings are normal and should resolve with time.Compression, massage, ambulation and low-salt
intake will hopefully help you get there sooner.

You are still early on in your recovery. The final result can usually be assessed at 3-4 months.Ask your surgeon if you can begin massaging the area. Massage can start at a week or ten days after surgery. You can use your hands or a soft paint roller for about 20 minutes once or twice a day.