I had fat grafting to pad the silicone implants after mastectomy. It was done at the same time when the expanders were taken out and the silicone implants inserted. Fat grafting was done from the inner thighs and knees mainly. As you can see, the bruising is horrendous 8 days after the surgery. I developed also a hard area along my inner left thigh, about 10 inches long. My fingers leave holes in this area when I press. Is this fluid and can it resorb? The area is painful.
March 5, 2016
Answer: Liposuction bruising It is not unusual to have some bruising following liposuction. You should call your surgeon and discuss this with them. They may want to evaluate you in person to ensure that this is self limited bruising and that there is nothing more serious occurring.
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March 5, 2016
Answer: Liposuction bruising It is not unusual to have some bruising following liposuction. You should call your surgeon and discuss this with them. They may want to evaluate you in person to ensure that this is self limited bruising and that there is nothing more serious occurring.
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March 5, 2016
Answer: Major Bruising after Fat Grafting Thank you for your question. I agree with you - your bruising and swelling is quite severe. However, this will likely resolve with time and will not be an issue. At this point, it's just ugly, sore and a nuisance. When fat grafting is performed to other areas of the body (like the breasts), it sometimes isn't done using in the same manner as traditional liposuction. With liposuction, a tumescent fluid is typically injected - which contains compounds that help to minimize bruising and pain. With fat grafting, the amount of fluid injected prior to fat removal is typically much less. It can get complicated, but the short answer is that this different technique beats up the fat cells less so they survive when transferred. So, depending, this can lead to worsening bruising. Also, if you are on any sort of medication that can worsen this bruising - things like Coumadin, aspirin, or NSAID use (Motrin) - this can also worsen the amount of bruising in the immediate post-operative period. And finally, when a procedure is performed to the lower extremities, it typically takes a lot longer for the swelling and bruising to resolve. The reason for this is simple: gravity. It takes more effort to get the fluid back to the heart and into the lymphatic system. I would suggest that you speak / follow-up with your plastic surgeon. You should likely be in some sort of compression garment - something tight, like bicycle shorts, or spanks - to help with the swelling and bruising. You should also be sleeping with your legs elevated above your heart to (again) help resolve the swelling. Massaging the area, though painful, can also help to expedite the healing process. It is normal to have some hardness after the removal of fat - this should resolve with time. However, you should have an in-person examination to ensure that you don't have anything more significant going on - like a hematoma (collection of blood) or a seroma (collection of fluid). Hang in there, keep monitoring the area, and follow-up with your surgeon. Best of luck!
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March 5, 2016
Answer: Major Bruising after Fat Grafting Thank you for your question. I agree with you - your bruising and swelling is quite severe. However, this will likely resolve with time and will not be an issue. At this point, it's just ugly, sore and a nuisance. When fat grafting is performed to other areas of the body (like the breasts), it sometimes isn't done using in the same manner as traditional liposuction. With liposuction, a tumescent fluid is typically injected - which contains compounds that help to minimize bruising and pain. With fat grafting, the amount of fluid injected prior to fat removal is typically much less. It can get complicated, but the short answer is that this different technique beats up the fat cells less so they survive when transferred. So, depending, this can lead to worsening bruising. Also, if you are on any sort of medication that can worsen this bruising - things like Coumadin, aspirin, or NSAID use (Motrin) - this can also worsen the amount of bruising in the immediate post-operative period. And finally, when a procedure is performed to the lower extremities, it typically takes a lot longer for the swelling and bruising to resolve. The reason for this is simple: gravity. It takes more effort to get the fluid back to the heart and into the lymphatic system. I would suggest that you speak / follow-up with your plastic surgeon. You should likely be in some sort of compression garment - something tight, like bicycle shorts, or spanks - to help with the swelling and bruising. You should also be sleeping with your legs elevated above your heart to (again) help resolve the swelling. Massaging the area, though painful, can also help to expedite the healing process. It is normal to have some hardness after the removal of fat - this should resolve with time. However, you should have an in-person examination to ensure that you don't have anything more significant going on - like a hematoma (collection of blood) or a seroma (collection of fluid). Hang in there, keep monitoring the area, and follow-up with your surgeon. Best of luck!
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