Is this a seroma or scar tissue and will this go away? (Photos)

Question

I recently had Smart lipo done (10/24/18) and my PS stated that my stomach was flat after the procedure. However; after I removed the bandages and padding 2 days later I got this huge bulge which hasn’t gone down since. Its over 9 days, It’s tender to the touch and bruised. PS said it might be scar tissue and there’s not much he can do but hope it goes down. I look horrible, my stomach now looks deformed.

A. David Rahimi, MD · Answer

Dear patient, It seems like that you are still in the early stages of post operative healing. You will need to wait a little longer to see if the swelling resolves by itself. Otherwise a study as such Ultrasound or MRI can be performed to see if there are pockets of fluid that need to be drained off.The garment and possible pads to absorb the anesthetic fluid may have caused irregular pressure spots on the abdomen. I would recommend that you return to your Surgeon and allow him or her to adjust or evaluate your post surgical garments. Lymphatic drainage and gentle massages also help bring swelling down. I hope that this was helpful.

Jerimiah Mason, MD · Answer

You are very early in your recovery, this is probably normal swelling and tenderness.  I would keep wearing your compression garment +/- foam as instructed by your surgeon, this will help quite a bit.

Marco A. Pelosi III, MD, FACOG, FACS · Answer

Postop swelling after lipo is common in the early healingphase. Excess swelling needs to be examined closely to make sure it's not something that needs to be drained. In general, compression garments and frequent lipo massages are the best way to keep swelling under control.

Leonard Grossman, MD · Answer

If your surgeon said that you were flat after the procedure, then this is most likely just a great deal of swelling. Internal scar should not form this early on. You have to give yourself at least 3 to 6 months for the swelling to come down. Good luck from New York City

Randy Dean, MD - Account Suspended · Answer

Hi and
welcome to our forum!
Congratulations
on your recent procedure...The procedure of liposuction is an
"insult" to the soft tissues, resulting in swelling which will
initially totally obscure the operative result. Swelling represents an
accumulation of tissue fluid within the soft tissues. The
purpose of a compression garment is to prevent bleeding and to control
swelling. We usually recommend its use for the first 4-6 weeks after the
procedure. 60-80%
of the swelling should subside within the first 6 weeks, with the remainder
slowly subsiding over 6-12 months. 
Lymphatic drainage, and the use of ultrasound and radio frequency devices can also be utilized to control swelling. Seroma or hematoma can be ruled out with examination and the use of ultrasound if necessary. 
It is far too early to assess the final result.
Continue
followup care with your plastic surgeon...
Best wishes...

David E. Berman, MD (retired) · Answer

you will keep improving for 6 months after Smartlipo. I would have you massage the area. hopefully, you went to a plastic surgeon (who is board certified) for your treatment. everyone is different in their healing process but this is still quite early in the healing process.david berman md

Is this a seroma or scar tissue and will this go away? (Photos)

Answers (6)

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