3 months post-op BBL. What are these lumps and how do I get rid of them? Lymphatic massages aren’t working anymore. (photos)

Question

I’m 3 months post 360 lipo and bbl. I love my results but I have these pockets. They used to fill with fluid but would go away after my lymphatic massages. Now they don’t go anywhere when massaged. What are these pockets and can they be fixed? I had my surgery in Miami and can’t get there right now. Is it likely that another plastic surgeon would be willing to correct the problem? What are these pockets and how do I get them to go away?

Emmanuel De La Cruz, MD · Answer

Hello Chels_e,
I appreciate your pictures and questions! Side effects after liposuction commonly known as contour irregularities or waviness are proven very challenging to correct but can be positively manage together by doctors and patients. These post-operative irregularities (in the form of dimples, grooves, wrinkles or folds) could be generally due to: excessive superficial or too much liposuction, fibrosis with adhesions, inappropriate compression garment or posture or caused by redundant skin. Plastic surgeons should forewarn patients with poor skin elasticity about the risk for contour irregularities and suboptimal skin contraction. In my experience, manual lymphatic massages by their own have proven successful, in the majority of cases, in achieving uniform removal of swelling and ensuring smooth contours after liposuction. However, after a 6 months recovery period has passed, persistent cases of irregularities due to excessive fibrosis may require a combination of touch-up liposuction along with Autologous Fat Transfer (AFT) to be adequately corrected. Surgeons can suction raised areas around the depression and fill in the depression with autologous fat grafts (from patient’s own body) to achieve the best possible, smooth contours. VASER Liposuction may be useful treatment for cellulite and may cause less contour irregularities. Good luck and may God bless you! Dr. De La Cruz.

Erika Sato, MD, FACS · Answer

From your photos it looks like surface irregularities - a know complication after liposuction especially aggressive liposuction done with a BBL. These irregularities can be from many things: 1) uneven liposuction - more fat taken in some areas than others 2) seroma or seroma formation leaving a rind or thickening of tissue 3) normal swelling that will still improve over time  4) if they area hard to touch, it can be fat necrosis or scar tissue 5) loose skin laying down uneven.MASSAGE will help all of the above. You need frequent and aggressive massage - deep tissue, endermologie, Exilis etc. If you aren't happy after 6 months, you can consider more surgery. This may entail more liposuction or liposuction with fat grafting.

3 months post-op BBL. What are these lumps and how do I get rid of them? Lymphatic massages aren’t working anymore. (photos)

Answers (2)

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