13 weeks after liposuction and my lower abdomen is not flat, I have like a pregnant belly, what should I do? (photos)

Great question!  The lower abdominal pooch could be due to several reasons.  First, although its been 13 weeks, there is still post-operative swelling that is presents.  It often times takes 6 months before the swelling goes down.  During this time I often have my patients wear compression garments to decrease the amount of swelling as well as help contour the abdomen - please speak with your surgeon about this.  Also, if you had some abdominal weakness in this area, from pregnancy for instance, the bulge will not be fixed with liposuction as liposuction is only a volume procedure and does not tighten the muscle.  Continue your followups with your surgeon and follow his/her protocols and make sure you have your concerns addressed.Best of luck and hope this information helps!- Dr. Roger Tsai   @DrRogerTsaiBoard Certified Plastic Surgeon

Hello. Great question. Based on your images, you may need a liposuction revision. However, a personal examination is needed to determine it. Please schedule a consultation with a board certified plastic surgeon for a detailed surgical plan to achieve your desired results. 

Lower abdominal fullness such as the images depict, can be a result of either post surgical changes or contour irregularities that existed prior to surgery. After surgery, it can be a result of usual swelling or of persistent fluid collections. However, if the problem is intraabdominal fullness or postpartum muscle laxity, fat removal will not correct the protuberance because the protuberance is deep to the fat layers of the skin flap.  

Thank you for the photos, I recommend following up with your Doctor about their protocol regarding compression. I have my patients wear compression for 3-6 weeks straight then overnight for 3-6 months after their procedure. For liposuction after care, I recommend adding hyperbaric oxygen and lymphatic massage along with your compression to help decrease swelling. To improve your final results, I also recommend adding vanquish for further fat removal, exilis/venus legacy for skin tightening, cellutone/z wave to make the skin smooth, remove scar tissue, and improve the skin’s appearance. Best, Dr. Emer

I saw the area you are concerned with.  It would be great if we could see a before after as well.  You may just be swollen given how early postop you are.  Also, the pooching in the lower abdomen may have been a muscle/fascia issue in addition to fat.  If it was a muscle/fascia issue then it would not have been address with liposuction and you may have needed a mini tummy tuck to tighten the muscle.  It is difficult to determine without before photos and as well as an exam.I would be patient right now and see how things look when you are 4-6 months out.  At that point you will be better able to determine your results.Hope that helps.

Dear lissamolly,
I understand your concern and it is quite normal to be concerned about the outcome following a liposuction surgery. However, you are still in the very early stages of the healing process.Your will need to be patient at this moment and follow what your surgeon has instructed you to do post operatively.At the early stage of the healing process, the tissues are still swollen. Once the swelling subsides  you will be able to see the final result of your surgery.
Daniel Barrett, MD
Certified, American Board of Plastic Surgery
Member, American Society of Plastic Surgery
Member, American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery

Hello dear!!
Thanks for the question and provided information as well.
You are still early on the healing process, it can take up to six months to see your final results, so please be patient. At the stage you are in, inflammation is normal.
If you have any concerns, please follow up close with your plastic surgeon.
Good luck :)

Thank you for your photo. It is best to have an in-office evaluation to determine what exactly is causing your lower belly to pooch out. It may be some residual swelling of the area as the lower abdomen takes the longest to recover. Compression garments and a low sodium diet can help speed up the healing. If you have residual fat in that area by 6 months, you can have a touch-up procedure done to flatten it even more. Finally, you may have some laxity to your lower abdominal muscles which is causing your abdomen to naturally bow out at the base. This cannot be corrected with liposuction and will require a tummy tuck or mini-tummy tuck to tighten the muscles for a truly flat abdomen. Hope this helps!
Johnson C. Lee, MD
Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon